Catacombs of Paris Small Group Restricted Access Tour
Description
This VIP semi-private tour allows you to skip the long lines and unlock gates to hidden rooms in the Paris Catacombs. Join a small group of 7 people or fewer and an expert local guide, and discover the mysterious secrets buried under the streets of Paris.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Explore the hidden world beneath the streets of Paris, on this VIP small group tour of the Catacombs. Follow your guide more than 20 meters below street level, into the shadowy and fascinating world invisible to the locals and visitors strolling the boulevards above. Your guide will lead you along endless tunnels stacked with neat rows of millions of bones, and unlock gates closed to the general public taking into obscure rooms full of surprises. This semi-private VIP tour will ensure you get the most out of this exceptional visit, allowing you to bypass the lines and spend more time enjoying this unique and fragile site. Learn the intriguing tales of those who worked, visited and have been laid to rest here over the centuries, including some who ventured in and never came out again. Hear stories of secret societies that 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.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- There are 130 steps to enter the Paris Catacombs and 112 steps to exit.
- This tour is not accessible to wheelchair users or those with limited mobility.
- The tunnels can be slippery and remain at a temperature of around 14°C/57°F, even in summer. Guests are advised to wear sturdy shoes and bring warm clothing.
- Tickets for the Catacombs are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. They must be used with the group at the booked time and their availability is limited. Entry times are also prebooked and are strictly adhered too, we must enter on time. For this reason we are unable to issue refunds to latecomers or no shows for missed tours.
- If you plan to arrive at the meeting point by taxi, please ensure you leave yourselves plenty of time, it can often take a considerable amount of time to find a taxi in Paris!
- The Catacombs are 20 meters/65 feet (and more) underground and the tunnels are narrow in places. This tour is not suitable for those with cardiac or respiratory problems, or suffering from claustrophobia.
Reviews(317)
Our son was the one who really wanted to visit the Paris Catacombs, and it turned out to be a great choice for all of us. Taking a guided tour made a big difference. We were able to enter areas that are normally closed to visitors without a guide, and our guide shared fascinating stories about the history of the Catacombs and the millions of Parisians whose remains were transferred here. There was also an unexpected bonus - Paris was experiencing 36°C heat that day, while the temperature in the Catacombs stays at around 14°C.
Thank you, Tomas! We're so glad your son's idea turned into such a great outing for the whole family, and that Marion's stories about the Catacombs and the millions laid to rest there gave it real depth. That cool 14°C escape from the heat sounds like the perfect unexpected bonus too. We'll be sure to pass this along to her, and we hope you're all having a great time here in Paris!
We really enjoyed this experience. Our guide Anthony’s enthusiasm and passion for the all things catacombs was infectious, and it really brought the tour alive for my 15 year old daughter. Anthony provided interesting facts and stories and fielded questions ranging over geology, geography, history, and exploration, and getting access to less-seen areas was a real plus.
Thank you, Michael! We're so glad Anthony's passion and infectious enthusiasm brought the Catacombs to life, especially for your daughter, teenagers connecting with a tour like this really is something worth celebrating. Fielding questions across geology, geography, history and exploration shows just how far his knowledge stretches, and access to those less-seen areas is exactly what makes this tour so rare. We really appreciate you sharing this and we hope you and your family all had a wonderful time here!
What a unique visit. So fascinating and informative. Part of Paris’s history. I was very pleased to have visited here. Lots of steps which were hard going, but worth the mile long walk through the stacked bones of previous people who lived in Paris.
Thank you for sharing this! We're so glad the history and rarity of the Catacombs left such an impression. You're right that it involves a walk and plenty of steps, definitely worth knowing ahead of time. It's a special place and visiting conditions are a bit special too, we try to cover everything on the tour page and we really appreciate you flagging it for other guests too! We hope you had a wonderful time here!
Very pleased with this tour. The tour guide was wonderful, the experience was memorable and moving, and the entire tour was just top notch. Kudos to Viator for this one.
Thank you, Donald! We're so glad the tour felt so moving and memorable - that's exactly the reaction we hope for at the Catacombs. We're glad Viator made it easy to find us, and we'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Anthony!
If you take the tour ask for Antony is was fantastic. Very knowledgeable on the catacombs pointed out things that you would normally miss. His love of the Catacombs definitely came through in his telling of the stories😇 He took his time when asking questions and did not feel rushed at any point.
Thank you, Julia! We're so glad Anthony's love for the Catacombs came through so clearly in his storytelling, and that he pointed out details you'd otherwise miss entirely. Taking the time with questions without ever feeling rushed is exactly the kind of care that makes this tour so special. Really appreciate such a warm recommendation, and we'll be sure to pass it along to him!
Incredible, fascinating, great piece of history! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to take us into locked off parts.
Thank you, Rebecca! We're so glad the access to those locked-off areas made it feel so special — that's exactly what makes this tour such a rare experience, since so few people ever get to see those parts of the Catacombs. We really appreciate you sharing this and hope you had a fantastic time here in Paris!
Excellent experience at the Catacombs of Paris. We did a semi private tour and got access to areas that not everyone gets to see. Our tour guide was awesome and knowledgeable. Highly recommend.
Thank you, Aldo! We're so glad this small-group tour lived up to the experience. Access to areas most visitors never get to see is exactly what makes the Catacombs tour so special. We'll be sure to pass this along to the team. We really appreciate the recommendation!
Tristan is an incredible tour guide. Knowledgable and so funny. What a great experience. The secret chapel area was amazing.
Thank you Rita! Tristan really does make the Catacombs come alive — knowledgeable and funny is a rare and wonderful combination down there! And the locked rooms are something really special, we're so glad you enjoyed them. We'll share your kind words with him, he'll be so pleased to read them, as are we!
Me and my partner booked the restricted access tour and we were lucky enough to have Tristan as our guide. He made lots of fun jokes making our time with him fun and memorable. He was super informative and being from Australia he connected things to us ensuring we understood. The tour explained things that weren't explained throughout the information boards which made it extra interesting. We had so much fun and learnt so many fun facts along the way. It’s definitely worth the extra money and having access to the restricted areas where so fun. Overall it was such a memorable experience which felt so surreal. I’d highly recommend to book this tour if you’re interested in actually learning about the system and the history of the catacombs and want a fun memorable night. Definitely one of out top experiences we have done in Paris. 100/100
Thank you Chloe — what a wonderful review! Tristan has a real gift for making the Catacombs both fascinating and genuinely fun, and we love that he made the history feel so personal and relevant for you both. Those restricted areas really are something else — places that tell stories the information boards simply can't. That it was one of your top Paris experiences means so much to us. He'll be so touched to read this!
Fantastic look into the history of the Parisian people and what they did to look after the dead, this place has been revamped and sells out very very fast, we struggled to get tickets but managed to get them for 6.15pm, no queue, lovely helpful staff, and audio comes with your ticket, you are quite far under ground and it is quite strange walking amongst all the bones which are stacked neatly but it’s an experience not to miss, and it’s just over the road from the metro and cost us €31 each.
