Cruising through the Catacombs of Paris

Paris is definitely one of my favorite cities to visit...and this particular adventure was a bucket list experience for me, so I thought I would share! If you are in Paris, don't get creeped out too easily, and don't mind being far beneath the city of Paris, in tight spaces, surrounded by skulls and bones, you gotta go! 

The Catacombs of Paris are underground ossuaries which hold the artfully arranged remains of 6 to 7 million Parisians in a small part of a tunnel network built to consolidate Paris' ancient stone quarries. Extending south from the Barrière d'Enfer ("Gate of Hell"), this ossuary was created as part of the effort to eliminate the city's overflowing cemeteries. It lies deep below the city, under the subway and water lines, and is SUPER creepy. I LOVED it, cause I like scary stuff! 

I HIGHLY recommend purchasing a "skip the line" ticket online BEFORE you go. Actually, I would buy the ticket a few days in advance. The walk-up line is CRAZY long on most days and you could be waiting for 2 hours outside, in a line wrapped around the block, just to get to the front to purchase tickets. I researched our tickets on Trip Advisor. Our tickets were around $40 when we went in 2019. Also, be prepared for a very tight fit as you descend the winding-staircase into the tomb-like darkness - with an evident temperature drop and the smell of damp earth seeping through the porous walls. Smells like, creepy history!