First post - sorry if I have no idea what I'm doing. You most likely know what the Paris Catacombs are, but basically they're the old quarry tunnels under the city that were used to hold Paris' dead. Remains from the overflowing cemeteries were thrown into these sprawling tunnels as Paris was modernised and a number of inner city cemeteries were condemned.
Today, there are a number of subterranean networks under Paris, called the Catacombs, the largest of which is called the GRS - le Grand Réseau Sud. On
March 2024 was my first descent into the Paris catacombs. While I was aware of a certain entrance that is fairly well known, I had found a different, better one on a YouTube video (the account has since been deleted). They had filmed themselves right outside the entrance, and I spent a lot of time Google maps locating exactly where it was. It was a manhole cover that took you to a spiral staircase leading you all the way down into the catacombs. This entrance has since been closed, but I found a number of others while down there.
This post is just a collection of pictures from my last couple of descents, made across a few days in December 2024. I went down by myself, but I met people down there who showed me round the ossuaries on one of the days. I have been to all of the classic touristy rooms on previous visits, such as La Plage, but im sure you've seen pics of those before. I didn't really revisit these places this time, other than la plage, which I love anyway.
Viandox and La Salle du Bellier
So Viandox is an ossuary right at the south of the GRS, it's kind of out of the way but I had wanted to check it out, so I went and had a quick look on my last night in Paris. On this descent I literally just went down to Viandox and then back out from where I came in. Its not one of the more frequented parts, and I was going down at like 2AM, so I encountered no one. I'm not one to be scared, but it did feel pretty creepy going to this part by myself.
On the way to Viandox, there is a room called La Salle du Bellier, which is a sculpture and mosaic room. It has sculptures and mosaics in, there are a few bones there too. It was really cool! Pics below.
Carrefour des Morts
This is the main ossuary area, under the Montparnasse cemetery. I was shown the ossuaries by a group I met down there in La Plage - I had a few beers with them there and then headed over to the ossuaries with them. I speak french, which helps a lot if you want to actually meet people down there. There are basically an absolute shit load of bones down here.
I mostly took videos, but there are some pictures I took:
Most of the other stuff was video, but there was a room with random shoes in, so here it is.
I also visited the Val de Grace area, got lost in it despite the map, and had to ask someone to show me how to get out of the Val de Grace. Next time I go there, I will be making sure to take a note of exactly what turns I take, as even though there are signs telling you where you are, figuring out which way you're going is pretty difficult. If I had a compass I probably would have been fine, but unfortunately I had lost my compass.
Next time I go down I'll be sure to take more actual photos, and I can do a more complete post covering la plage, le cellier, the nazi bunker, Salle Z, Marie Rose, Byzance and all that. I had been to all these places before so didn't visit this time (other than la plage, which seems to me to be a good place to meet some cataphiles).
The most exhilarating part in my opinion is when you leave, and you pop up out of a manhole cover and just hope there aren't any police looking at you.
Today, there are a number of subterranean networks under Paris, called the Catacombs, the largest of which is called the GRS - le Grand Réseau Sud. On
March 2024 was my first descent into the Paris catacombs. While I was aware of a certain entrance that is fairly well known, I had found a different, better one on a YouTube video (the account has since been deleted). They had filmed themselves right outside the entrance, and I spent a lot of time Google maps locating exactly where it was. It was a manhole cover that took you to a spiral staircase leading you all the way down into the catacombs. This entrance has since been closed, but I found a number of others while down there.
This post is just a collection of pictures from my last couple of descents, made across a few days in December 2024. I went down by myself, but I met people down there who showed me round the ossuaries on one of the days. I have been to all of the classic touristy rooms on previous visits, such as La Plage, but im sure you've seen pics of those before. I didn't really revisit these places this time, other than la plage, which I love anyway.
Viandox and La Salle du Bellier
So Viandox is an ossuary right at the south of the GRS, it's kind of out of the way but I had wanted to check it out, so I went and had a quick look on my last night in Paris. On this descent I literally just went down to Viandox and then back out from where I came in. Its not one of the more frequented parts, and I was going down at like 2AM, so I encountered no one. I'm not one to be scared, but it did feel pretty creepy going to this part by myself.
On the way to Viandox, there is a room called La Salle du Bellier, which is a sculpture and mosaic room. It has sculptures and mosaics in, there are a few bones there too. It was really cool! Pics below.
Carrefour des Morts
This is the main ossuary area, under the Montparnasse cemetery. I was shown the ossuaries by a group I met down there in La Plage - I had a few beers with them there and then headed over to the ossuaries with them. I speak french, which helps a lot if you want to actually meet people down there. There are basically an absolute shit load of bones down here.
I mostly took videos, but there are some pictures I took:
Most of the other stuff was video, but there was a room with random shoes in, so here it is.
I also visited the Val de Grace area, got lost in it despite the map, and had to ask someone to show me how to get out of the Val de Grace. Next time I go there, I will be making sure to take a note of exactly what turns I take, as even though there are signs telling you where you are, figuring out which way you're going is pretty difficult. If I had a compass I probably would have been fine, but unfortunately I had lost my compass.
Next time I go down I'll be sure to take more actual photos, and I can do a more complete post covering la plage, le cellier, the nazi bunker, Salle Z, Marie Rose, Byzance and all that. I had been to all these places before so didn't visit this time (other than la plage, which seems to me to be a good place to meet some cataphiles).
The most exhilarating part in my opinion is when you leave, and you pop up out of a manhole cover and just hope there aren't any police looking at you.
