Skip-the-Line: Paris Catacombs Tour with VIP Access to Restricted Areas

Small Group Tour - English

Skip-the-Line Tour with a small group of 15 people or fewer

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Free cancellation Up to 7 days in advance.

Overview

Skip the line and delve into Paris's eerie underworld with this tour of the renowned catacombs. Venture through subterranean corridors adorned with the remains of countless Parisians. Unearth the history behind this captivating and haunting maze. Avoid lengthy queues for this sought-after attraction with our exclusive access. Benefit from a more intimate experience in a group restricted to 19 participants.

• Small group guided walking tour inside the Paris catacombs 
• Personalized small group tour (maximum 19 people) 
• Skip the line to enter the catacombs and avoid two-hour queues 
• Expert English-speaking guide

Itinerary

The Paris catacombs consist of an extensive underground network of tunnels originally dug as limestone quarries during the building of some of the city’s famous monuments. Beginning in the late 18th century, remains from Paris’ overcrowded cemeteries were exhumed and transported here for storage, with thousands of bones neatly arranged into piles along the walls. 

Delve into this eerie underworld with an exclusive small-group tour. Lines to enter the catacombs often exceed 2 hours, but you’ll head to the front of the queue with your knowledgeable guide. A group maximum of 19 people provides a more personalized experience. 

Wander through the dimly lit labyrinth that winds beneath the city’s famous streets. Marvel at the stacks of human skeletons that greet you at every turn while your guide illuminates the history of this soul-stirring ‘empire of death.’

1. The Paris Catacombs 

Why wait in a long line to see less of the Catacombs? Your guide, an English-speaking local expert, will lead your group straight past the lines and down into the 200-mile labyrinth of bone-lined galleries and former quarry tunnels. An inscription at the entrance reads “Arrête! C’est ici l’empire de la mort”, or “Stop! Here lies the empire of death”. In this eerie empire, you’ll encounter the remains of such dignitaries as Rabelais and Robespierre, among more than 6 million other former Parisians. While individual ticket holders must remain on the public routes, your guide will lead you off the well-traveled path. As well as other significant remains, like the hidden Gilbert’s Tomb, here you’ll find monuments to those who made their living in the empire of death. In the Port Mahon Gallery, you’ll see sculptures that an 18th-century quarry worker spent five years chiseling secretly from the tunnel walls, before being crushed in a cave-in. You’ll see the Quarryman’s Footbath and the Sepulchral Lamp, whose constant flame reassured the living that there was enough air in the tunnels. As you wind your way around the Catacombs, you’ll hear all about the history of this parallel city – and the many legends surrounding it. Once you’ve seen what lies just 65 feet below the city, your view of Paris will be forever changed.

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Inclusions

• Skip-the-line access and visit to the Parisian catacombs
• Small groups to ensure an intimate experience
• Local English-speaking expert guide
• Special access to restricted areas closed to general public

Exclusions

• Gratuities
• Food and drinks, unless specified
• Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting point

Catacombs of Paris 1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris, France Open in Google Maps Meet at the entrance to the Catacombes de Paris. He/She will be holding a sign. To arrive at the Catacombs by Metro please take Line 4 or Line 6 to the Denfert-Rochereau metro stop and exit using “Sortie 1”; the entrance to the Catacombs can be found directly across the street from this exit. End point This activity ends back at the meeting point.