This subterranean world, while eerie, provides a profound meditation on life, death, and the inexorable march of time… Paris, often referred to as “The City of Light”, is renowned for its grand…

Paris, the capital of France, is often called La Ville Lumière (meaning ‘The City of Light’), however, beneath this bustling European city of 12 million people, lies a dark subterranean world holding the remains of 6 million of its former inhabitants.

Here’s how to visit the Paris Catacombs and things to know before you go! Also discover a complete history of the Paris Catacombs!

When do human remains become art? I considered this question as I walked through the Paris Catacombs recently. It was the second time I had visited, so I knew what to expect, but the impact of so many bones, so many lives, was still strong.

The passage of the double quarries in the Catacombs in Paris

Catacomb of Priscilla is an archaeological site on the Via Salaria in Rome, Italy, situated in what was a quarry in Roman times. This quarry was used for Christian burials from the late 2nd c.through the 4th c.This catacomb, according to tradition,is named after the wife of the Consul Manius Acilius Glabrio;he is said to have become a Christian and was killed on the orders of Domitian.Some of the walls and ceilings display decorations illustrating Biblical scenes. photo Bizarre Globe Hopper

I'm a sucker for history and hidden things in a city. We like to see the big sights, but we also take great joy in exploring the lesser known parts of cities when we travel. One of the things I really wanted to do with our time in Paris was make a visit to the catacombs. While not secret by any mean