
Guided Catacombs Tour (VIP Restricted Access)
1 to 6
2 hours
from 119.90€
Flexible cancellation policy
Within 24 hours we’ve already started preparing for your tour and can’t easily fill your slot, so we won’t be able to provide a refund after that point.
Skip the long lines and unlock gates to hidden rooms on this semi-private VIP Catacombs tour of the world’s largest ossuary, deciphering on our journey many of the secrets of the history of Paris above.
Semi Private
Extra-small group size allows for a flexible and fluid visit
Treat yourself to premium visiting conditions
Semi Private
Extra-small group size allows for a flexible and fluid visit
Treat yourself to premium visiting conditions
Highlights of the Guided Catacombs Tour
- Enjoy official fast track access to the Catacombs and avoid the long entry lines.
- Benefit from special VIP access to parts of the Catacombs closed to the general public.
- Semi-private groups of 6 people or fewer allow for a relaxed visit with personal attention from your expert guide.
- Learn the fascinating history and stories behind this unique site.
Paris Catacombs Tour Description
Initially quarried to provide limestone for the construction of the famous Parisian buildings and bridges, the Paris Catacombs are now home to the bones of more than 6 million former Parisians. Their remains were carefully moved here in the 18th century in a discreet operation to transfer them from the insalubrious and overflowing cemeteries of the city center. Overcrowding in these cemeteries led to improper burials, open graves and unearthed corpses, spreading disease (and a few horror stories!) into the surrounding areas.
Nowadays, wall after wall of stacked bones, and some more slightly macabre compositions, await you as you follow an expert local guide into ‘The Empire of Death’. Fans of the film As Above so Below will recognize these never-ending gloomy tunnels. Along with millions of ordinary Parisians, it is said that the Man in the Iron Mask lies here, as do both executioners and their victims guillotined during the French Revolution.
While it’s possible to get your own Catacombs tickets and go it alone, our guided Catacombs tour offers special access and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Your guide will lead you through the underground passages and have gates unlocked for you and your group. You’ll step into rooms with fragile artifacts and learn the intriguing stories of those who worked, visited and have been laid to rest here over the centuries, including the secret societies who still visit today. Past and present Paris and its inhabitants come to life as you explore the city’s gloomy entrails concealed below the surface.
What’s included in Our Guided Catacombs Tours
- Guided visit of the Catacombs
- Official fast track entry and entrance tickets
- Special access to parts of the Catacombs closed to the public
- Expert, fully accredited English-speaking tour guide
FAQ
Are there lots of steps to get in and out of the Catacombs?
There are 130 steps to enter the catacombs and 112 steps to exit. If you have mobility or respiratory difficulties we do not recommend you take this tour.