Just thought you might enjoy this great photo tour of the catacombs ........http://www.undergroundkent.co.uk/paris_catacombs.htm

Very interesting site - thanks for posting it.

I've never heard of an "official guided tour" of the catacombs.

Does anyone have any more info on any tours of the catacombs? Might be interesting for a future trip.

I don't thing they offer any official tours. This site seems to be pictures of a special expedition -- something the public can't do.

We enjoyed our "self-guided" tour of the catacombs. It isn't for the weak of heart -- thousands upon thousands of skulls and bones. The funniest part was that they examine large purses and backpacks when you leave, not when you arrive, to make sure you haven't stolen any bones!

I haven't been there for years, but was on a guided tour -- it wasn't "official", I suppose, as it was a private guide for a special group I was in. I think the reason for that was that there weren't any official guided tours (been a long time).

Maybe Patrick didn't mean it this way, but I don't think it's funny for them to check backpacks to make sure people haven't damaged or stolen things. A lot of people desecrate and destroy antiquities and archeological sites, and it isn't funny.

Ouch. Christina, of course I didn't mean funny as in "ha ha funny". I meant it was odd -- at many museums they check your backback before you go in. This is the only placed where they didn't seem to care what you carry in, only what you carry out.

And you're right, I'm sure there's a reason they do it. I suppose there a lot of wierdos out there who think a skull from the catacombs would make a perfect momento.

Definitely not for the weak of heart (in both senses of the term) or for the week of knees--the climb back up is a killer.

Three other cautions for a tour of the Catacombs in addition to Underhill's mention of the exit: your shoes may get covered with a wet clay, gray silt (I hope it was clay), there are no elevators and the exit is a long way from the entrance.