HOME > VACATIONS > 2007 > PARIS > CATACOMBS
Quick Search:

Catacombs : Paris, France : Trip Report
Jump to:


Catacombs

Our morbidity tour continues in Paris, France with one of the lesser known tourist spots, the Catacombs. The burial place was created in the 18th century from Roman-era limestone quarries. At that time Paris was suffering from waves of various diseases that was caused by groundwater contamination which in turn was caused by improper burials and mass graves. The government decided to remove the bones from these troublesome graves and relocate them to the the abandoned quarries. I don't know how many millions of bones are down there.

The tour is of the small portion of the catacombs that are open to the public and safe to enter. Near the ticket counter were several warning signs letting people with a "nervous disposition" that this might not be the place for them. We paid our fee and walked down a very long spiral staircase then entered one long empty hallway after another. Finally we entered the Ossuary of Denfer-Rochereaux which is where the graves begin. Not knowing what to expect we walked in. Immediately Lily started getting weird on me. Usually she likes morbid things such as watching every CSI-like show there is and regularly reading about serial killers. But the Catacombs were too much.

Inside were long hallways with either side lined about 5' high and 4' deep with very neatly stacked bones. Sometimes the skulls were arranged into crosses or other geometric patterns. There was no glass between you and the bones! After what seemed like miles of bones Lily proclaimed that she got her money's worth and wanted to find the exit as quickly as possible.
Click on thumbnail for a full-size picture

Monument in the traffic circle nearby.
Viewed: 88 times.

Viewed: 95 times.

Warning duly noted.
Viewed: 225 times.

Lily still smiling, she hasn't seen the bones yet.
Viewed: 178 times.

Attention! The empire of death is here.
Viewed: 172 times.

Viewed: 181 times.

Very dark in here, should have brought a flashlight.
Viewed: 209 times.

One of the less neat piles of bones.
Viewed: 272 times.

Viewed: 197 times.

Lily's not smiling any more.
Viewed: 314 times.

Viewed: 183 times.

Viewed: 187 times.

Arch built to hold up the ceiling after a cave-in.
Viewed: 245 times.

Comments From People Like You!
Catacombs : Paris, France 2007
Add a Comment add a comment
There are no user contributed comments for this page. Click add a comment to be the first.


Next: Visiting the Cathedral of Notre Dame.
All pictures and text are the property of Gregory Gulik unless otherwise specified. Please contact site owner if you would like permission to use these pictures for your own purposes or to make comments about anything you see here.