Paris: Catacombs and Optional Seine River Cruise

🎟️ Yes. Booking online in advance is strongly recommended because admission is organised through timed entry slots.

📅 Popular times may sell out during weekends, holidays and busy travel periods.

🕘 The Catacombs are normally open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:45 AM to 8:30 PM, with last admission at 7:30 PM.

🚫 They are closed on Mondays, January 1, May 1 and December 25. Opening arrangements may change on exceptional dates.

📍 The visitor entrance is located at 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, Place Denfert-Rochereau, 75014 Paris.

🚇 The nearest station is Denfert-Rochereau, served by Metro lines 4 and 6 and RER B. Bus lines 38 and 68 also stop nearby.

❌ No. The entrance is at Place Denfert-Rochereau, while the exit is at 21 bis Avenue René-Coty.

🚶 The two locations are approximately 700 metres apart, so keep this in mind when arranging transport or planning your next activity.

⏳ Yes. The number of visitors allowed underground is limited for safety and preservation reasons.

👥 Admission may therefore be temporarily paused during particularly busy periods.

🚶 The standard visit is self-guided.

🗺️ You can explore the designated visitor circuit independently and at your own pace.

🎧 Yes. Audio guides are available in French, English, Spanish and German.

🗣️ They provide additional information about the history and features of the Catacombs.

💀 Yes. The ossuary contains the genuine remains of millions of former Paris residents.

📜 The remains were transferred from overcrowded Paris cemeteries beginning in the late 18th century.

⏱️ Most visitors spend 45–60 minutes underground, allowing around 90 minutes in total for arrival, ticket checks, the visitor circuit and reaching the separate exit.

📏 The public circuit is approximately 1.5 kilometres long and reaches around 20 metres underground.

➡️ The route is one-way, so once you continue through the underground passages, you cannot return to previously visited sections.

❌ The Catacombs are not wheelchair accessible and there is no lift or step-free access.

📏 Visitors must climb 243 steps during the visit (131 steps down and 112 steps back up).

👨‍👩‍👧 Children are welcome, but visitors under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

🌡️ The underground temperature remains close to 14°C throughout the year, and the galleries can feel humid.

👟 Wear comfortable, closed shoes with good grip and bring a light jacket, sweater or warm layer.

⚠️ Some floors are uneven, damp or slippery, while parts of the route are narrow and dimly lit.

🚻 Restrooms are available at the entrance and end of the visitor circuit. There are no restroom facilities along the underground route.

👜 Only bags measuring 40 × 30 × 20 cm or smaller are permitted and must be carried in front of your body or at your side.

🚫 Suitcases, large bags and motorcycle helmets are not allowed, and there is no cloakroom or luggage storage.

📷 Photography for personal use is permitted, but flash and tripods are prohibited.

💀 Do not touch, move or remove the bones, quarry walls, monuments or inscriptions, as the Catacombs are both a historical monument and a resting place.

🚫 Eating, drinking, smoking and alcohol are prohibited throughout the visitor circuit.

🐾 Animals are not permitted inside the visitor circuit.

🦮 Guide dogs for blind visitors may be admitted under the venue's specific access conditions, provided the visitor is also accompanied by another person.