Paris Catacombs tickets: planning your visit in 2027
Twenty metres beneath the 14th arrondissement, former limestone quarries have held the bones of some six million Parisians since the late 18th century. A visit to the catacombs follows a cool, damp passage roughly a kilometre and a half long, where skulls and thigh bones have been stacked into decorative walls. This page gathers everything you need before heading down into the ossuary: access, visit length, indicative prices and the dates to book, along with a few practical pointers for a comfortable time underground.
What lies underground in the Paris Catacombs
For centuries, the ground beneath Paris was quarried to build the city above. When the cemeteries inside the walls, starting with the Cimetière des Innocents, became a health hazard, the authorities decided to move the human remains down here. The site was consecrated on 7 April 1786, and the transfers then continued over several decades.
The staged ossuary of the Paris Catacombs
It was under the direction of Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury, in the early 19th century, that the ossuary took on the appearance you see today: walls of shin bones punctuated by rows of skulls, plaques engraved with quotations, pillars and altars. The site officially opened to the public in 1809.
"Halt! This is the empire of Death"
This line, taken from Virgil's Aeneid in Jacques Delille's French translation, is inscribed above the entrance to the ossuary itself. Before you reach it, the route crosses quarry galleries where you can see how engineers shored up the voids beneath the city.
Who runs the Paris Catacombs
The site has been part of the Paris Musées network since 2002. To protect the galleries, the number of people underground at any one time is limited, which explains the timed slots when you book.
Paris Catacombs tickets: prices and what is included
Entry is with a dated ticket that comes with an arrival time. The venue strongly recommends booking, except for visitors entitled to free admission.
| Category | Official price (indicative, checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Full price | €31 |
| Reduced price | €25 |
| Child aged 8 to 17 | €15 |
| Child aged 0 to 7 | free |
The Paris Catacombs audio guide
Paid tickets include an audio guide, which helps you make sense of the inscriptions and the geology of the galleries. Without it, the visit still makes sense thanks to the information panels, but many of the anecdotes go unnoticed.
Dated Catacombs tickets: a few details
- Arrive at the time shown on your ticket: visitor numbers are controlled.
- Proof of eligibility for reduced or free entry may be requested at the entrance.
- Prices change over time: the exact price for the day is shown when you book.
Getting into the Paris Catacombs: entrance and exit
The entrance is on Place Denfert-Rochereau, at 1 Avenue du Colonel-Henri-Rol-Tanguy, in one of the pavilions of the old Barrière d'Enfer toll gate designed by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, restored and reopened in 2019.
Metro and RER to the Paris Catacombs
Denfert-Rochereau station, served by metro lines 4 and 6 and by the RER B, comes out right in front of the pavilion. From Montparnasse, the walk takes about twenty minutes along Boulevard Raspail.
The Catacombs exit on Rue Rémy-Dumoncel
The route does not bring you back to where you started: you come up at 36 Rue Rémy-Dumoncel, a few hundred metres away. Bear this in mind if you have arranged to meet someone, and note the nearby Mouton-Duvernet station (line 4). The shop, for its part, is at 21 bis Avenue René-Coty.
Paris Catacombs opening hours and quieter times
The site is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9.45am to 8.30pm, with last entry at 7.30pm. It is closed on Mondays. Exceptional closures can occur, so check the hours for your day when you book.
Choosing your time slot at the Catacombs
The first slots of the morning and those in the late afternoon on weekdays are often less busy. Weekends, school holidays and the Halloween period draw more visitors, and dated tickets sell out earlier.
The Paris Catacombs in every season
Underground, the temperature stays steady at around 14°C all year round. In the height of summer, going down becomes a refreshing break; in winter, the difference from the outside is small. Either way, humidity is high and the ground can be wet.
How long a Paris Catacombs visit takes, step by step
Allow at least 45 minutes, and closer to an hour if you listen to the audio guide. The underground route involves about 1.5 km of continuous walking, and it is not easy to turn back once you have set off.
- Descent via a spiral staircase of 131 steps.
- Quarry galleries, with explanations of how the limestone was extracted.
- The ossuary gateway, followed by a succession of chambers lined with bones.
- Climb back up 112 steps to the exit on Rue Rémy-Dumoncel.
Depth and atmosphere in the Paris Catacombs
The route lies about 20 metres below street level. Ceilings are low in places and the lighting is dim; some people who are uneasy in confined spaces prefer to prepare by reading a description of the route beforehand.
Practical tips for visiting the Paris Catacombs
The visit is physical without being strenuous. A few precautions make the experience more pleasant.
What to wear in the Catacombs
- A light jacket, even in August, because of the 14°C.
- Closed shoes with non-slip soles: the floor is uneven and damp.
- A small bag only: you will carry it for the whole route, stairs included.
Accessibility of the Paris Catacombs
With 131 steps on the way down and 112 on the way up, and no lift along the route, the site is not suitable for wheelchair users or for people who cannot climb stairs. Disabled visitors can contact the venue for information before booking.
Visiting the Catacombs with children
Entry is free up to the age of 7, but the atmosphere, the half-light and the sight of the bones can be unsettling. Talk it through with them before the visit. Touching the bones is forbidden and respect for the site is expected: it is a burial place.
What to do after the Paris Catacombs, in the south of the city
Back at street level, you find yourself in the middle of a lively neighbourhood. Rue Daguerre, pedestrianised along part of its length, is lined with food shops and café terraces. Montparnasse Cemetery, a few minutes away, is the resting place of many well-known figures.
Combining the Catacombs with other Paris visits
The Luxembourg Gardens are just one RER B stop away. In the same spirit of Parisian history, the Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie, on the Île de la Cité, round off a day nicely; Les Invalides and the Rodin Museum, in the 7th arrondissement, are also within easy reach.
For a contrasting evening
After the silence of the galleries, a Seine river cruise or a trip up the Eiffel Tower offers a complete contrast, under the open sky.
Book the Paris Catacombs for 2027 from this page
Because entries are limited and sold in time slots, the calendar on this page helps you target a specific day. Choose a date, then click "Check availability": you will see straight away whether places remain, and we can alert you by email if new availability appears. The booking is completed with our booking partner.
Planning ahead for the Catacombs during the 2027 peaks
The spring holidays, the summer and late October are traditionally busy. A few weeks' notice is often enough on a weekday; for a Saturday, allow more time.
Checks before buying Paris Catacombs tickets
- The time slot and the number of participants.
- The conditions for changes or cancellations.
- Be wary of bank-transfer payments requested by private individuals.
Paris Catacombs: practical information
Paris Catacombs ticket alert
Get the newly opened dates, price changes and our tips for visiting Paris Catacombs in Paris by email.
Paris Catacombs FAQ
Do I need to book tickets for the Paris Catacombs?
The venue strongly recommends booking, because the number of visitors underground is limited and tickets are dated with an arrival time. On busy days, slots sell out in advance. Visitors entitled to free admission are not required to book.
How many steps are there in the Paris Catacombs?
You go down 131 steps via a spiral staircase and climb back up 112 at the exit. There is no lift along the route, which is therefore not suitable for wheelchair users or for people unable to climb stairs.
What is the temperature in the Paris Catacombs?
Around 14°C all year round, with high humidity. A light jacket and closed shoes with grippy soles are recommended, even in midsummer, as the floor of the galleries can be wet and uneven.
Where is the exit of the Paris Catacombs?
The exit is not in the same place as the entrance: you come up at 36 Rue Rémy-Dumoncel, in the 14th arrondissement, a few minutes' walk from Place Denfert-Rochereau. Mouton-Duvernet station, on line 4, is the closest.
Are the Paris Catacombs open on Mondays?
No, the site is closed on Mondays. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.45am to 8.30pm, with last entry at 7.30pm. Exceptional closures are still possible, so check the hours for the day when choosing your date.
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Paris Catacombs calendar 2026-2027: pick your day
Tap a day to check availability and get the email alert. on sale · not open yet (we’ll alert you) · checked 13 October 2026.