The Paris Catacombes are recognized for his or her lengthy traces to get in. Nobody likes losing time in traces, proper? Earlier than Covid, folks with out tickets would attempt to get there very first thing within the morning to keep away from traces. However, like many common Parisian websites, at this time it’s solely attainable to go to the Catacombes with a pre-paid ticket for entry at a particular time. The most important danger now’s buying an costly (or worse, counterfeit) “skip-the-line” ticket by way of a third-party reseller. To keep away from complications, one of the simplest ways to go to the Paris Catacombes is by buying your timed entry ticket immediately by way of the official web site.
The place to Buy Your Tickets
I virtually ALWAYS suggest buying tickets for museums and monuments immediately by way of the official web site. The primary motive is that it’s normally the most affordable choice. The second motive is that you simply don’t need to undergo any middlemen if there’s an issue (like strikes closing down the monument the day of your go to). And lately there have been so many counterfeit tickets being offered by each fraudulent on-line web sites and in individual by scammers on the lookout for clueless vacationers who confirmed up with out reserving tickets upfront that the Paris Catacombes web site now solely sells tickets as much as one week upfront, so that you’ll need to put a reminder in your calendar earlier than your go to. In off-season, mainly anytime exterior of summer season, you too can examine their web site for last-minute, low cost tickets for a go to on the identical day (utilizing your smartphone when you don’t have entry to a pc).
As of October 2023, the official “skip the road” tickets (together with an audio information in a number of languages) are €29 for adults, €23 for college students 18-26, and €10 for teenagers 5-17 with an grownup (they don’t get an audioguide). Buy them at this hyperlink (scroll all the way in which right down to “Official ticket // Catacombs”). The last-minute tickets offered on-line within the low season are €13-€15, plus €5 for an audio information, and free for teenagers below 18 if they’re with an grownup who has a ticket.
Notice that youngsters below 14 should be accompanied by an grownup.
Guided Excursions of the Catacombes: Value it?
There are official guided excursions of the Catacombes, however solely in French. You could find many guides on-line who will do excursions of the Catacombes for €75-€95/individual for teams of 15-20 folks.
It’s as much as you if it’s price the additional value and time to take a guided tour, however truthfully, it’s one of many locations I like to recommend merely studying up on upfront (or downloading your favourite audio tour to your cellphone), as a result of there’s just one route that everybody follows, so it’s not such as you’re going to overlook something or get “misplaced” by yourself. A number of the guided excursions being offered on-line use scare ways of their advertising, implying you want a information to keep away from getting misplaced or to skip the traces: “Be taught why the bones of greater than six million folks had been deposited below the town in a posh maze of tunnels that you simply undoubtedly want a information to navigate.” Er…no, the elements open to the general public are gated off in an effort to solely go a technique. One other says “The traces on the Catacombs are very lengthy and are recognized to make folks await as much as 3 hours.” That is now not true since everybody now wants timed entry tickets. Even when you do shell out for a guided tour, as one web site mentions within the superb print, you may nonetheless find yourself ready if there’s a bottleneck of holiday makers: “Please remember that at busy occasions there could also be an extended queue to enter the Catacombs.”
If, when you’ve learn up on the historical past and suppose you’d prefer to spend greater than an hour down there, and presumably see a number of of the additional corners which might be normally behind locked gates, then go forward and splurge on a guided tour (ideally a personal information in order for you to have the ability to ask a lot of questions and get the personalised consideration you wouldn’t have with a gaggle of individuals you don’t know). There are a number of native tour firms providing cheap small-group and personal excursions of the Catacombes by licensed guides in English, corresponding to Reminiscences France.
Sensible Suggestions for Visiting the Catacombes
There’s one entrance on the Place Denfert Rochereau (particularly 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy) proper throughout the road from the Liberation of Paris Museum and the principle entrance to the Denfert-Rochereau metro station. The exit and boutique are literally a number of blocks down the road, at 21bis Avenue René-Coty.
- There are 131 spiral steps happening on the entrance and one other 112 stairs going again up on the finish. The Catacombes will not be wheelchair accessible, nor tailored for anybody with mobility points. The official web site additionally says the location isn’t really helpful when you’re pregnant, have claustrophobia, or undergo from cardiac or respiratory situations.
- Usually the 1.5-kilometer circuit of the Catacombes takes about 45-minutes to stroll by way of whereas listening to the official audio information, except you’re taking your time on a lot of pictures or listening to anecdotes by yourself audio tour. The guided excursions are normally about two hours. It’s a one-way circuit, so you’ll be able to’t simply wander round (or, as talked about above, get “misplaced”).
- It’s normally fairly settle down there, 14°C/57°F.
- The lighting is sort of dim in lots of locations. Seeing eye canine are allowed, however not white canes.
- There aren’t any bogs till you attain the tip of the go to, and there’s no coat examine nor baggage storage. Strollers, baggage bigger than 40cmx30cmx20cm, motorbike helmets, and tripods will not be allowed.
- You’re not allowed to eat, drink, or smoke within the Catacombes. You’re additionally not allowed to the touch something, however I hope not one of the Secrets and techniques of Paris readers should be instructed that. 😉
- Though you need to buy a timed-entry ticket, you’ll discover the Catacombes the least crowded within the first and final hours of the day (so don’t hesitate getting the 7pm entry ticket if that point works on your schedule).
Paris Catacombes
1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy (Place Denfert-Rochereau), 14th
Metro/RER Denfert-Rochereau
Opening hours are Tuesday-Sunday 9:45am-8:30pm (final entry 7:30pm).
Closed Mondays and on January 1, Could 1, and December 25.
What Concerning the “Secret” Catacombe Tunnels?
Lastly, a brief observe to remind readers that regardless that there are tunnels extending a lot additional below Paris (and many individuals who like to share tales of sneaking into them for “events”), it’s solely authorized to go to those which might be open to the general public or with an official information. I don’t suggest taking part in unlawful “excursions” of them any greater than I advocate breaking into museums or shoplifting. When you’re inquisitive about them, nonetheless, you’ll be able to be taught extra in Scott Carpenter’s article, Creeping Beneath Paris.
