Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A PLACE OF fear, legend, inspiration and exploration, Paris’s skull and bone-lined Catacombs still draw thousands of visitors each year, many of whom queue for hours to explore the ghoulish burial site.
“Stop! This is the empire of the dead”, reads a sign greeting visitors at the entrance to the two-kilometre long tunnels filled with the bones of approximately six million Parisians — although that figure is still debated.
The transfer of human remains from Parisian cemeteries to the tunnels began towards the end of the 18th century when authorities realised that the decomposition of bodies in the city’s cemeteries was not particularly good for public health.
“It was said that the wine was turning bad and the milk was curdling,” said Sylvie Robin, the site’s curator.
So the city decided to move the skeletal remains to abandoned underground quarries.
And never short of a money-spinning idea to attract tourists, the city of light opened up its darkest corners to visitors shortly afterwards.
At the entrance of the site at Denfert-Rochereau in the south of Paris is a panel warning in three languages that the visit “is likely to upset especially sensitive people and children”, not surprising considering that 800 metres of the journey is a walk between walls lined entirely with bones.
Among the stacked bones are also galleries with pictures and quotes that would give anyone pause to reflect on their own mortality — “Think in the morning that you might not survive until the evening, and in the evening that you might survive until the morning.”
“All of these tibias piled in such a decorative manner pose the question (of mortality) … there’s a visual proof that everyone is equal in death that is quite philosophical,” said Valerie Guillaume, museum director.
‘Mysterious, exciting, strange’
Tourist Antonina Bodak said it was a place like no other.
“It’s mysterious, exciting, strange. It has no equal,” said Bodak, who was visiting from Belarus. “I’ve always wanted to see this place.”
Only a small portion of the tunnels is open to visitors. The entire length is more than 200 kilometres, and extends beneath a large part of the city.
“The term ‘Catacombs’, borrowed from the Roman Catacombs, can be confusing,” said Robin, because it refers to all 800 hectares (nearly 2,000 acres) of quarries and not, contrary to popular belief, one massive cemetery.
Robin said the tunnels were originally used by people who wanted to avoid tolls when entering the city, and by smugglers and criminals who wanted to evade authorities.
Daredevils
Today, modern-day daredevils, known as “cataphiles”, take exploration into their own hands, and nose around in the off-limits sections of the network of tunnels.
Some have gone as far as to hold secret parties deep below the pulsating city or even organise clandestine movie screenings.
Exploring the unofficial Catacombs has been against the law since 1955, and a special police squadron was set up in the 1990s to track down the “cataphiles,” resulting in a macabre game of cat-and-mouse among the bones.
Those nabbed roaming the Catacombs without permission are fined a relatively light €40.
Black masses
But the dark, dank passageways came into their own during a heatwave in 2003, with tourists and locals alike scrambling down there to enjoy the relative cool.
Authorities were forced to turn desperate people away seeking to escape record high temperatures for the relief of the Catacombs with their mean daily temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.
The Catacombs still exert a powerful influence on popular culture and have given rise to many urban legends, including tales of Masonic meetings, black masses, Nazi gatherings, gang fights, and serial killers.
It’s no coincidence that writers like Victor Hugo, Gaston Leroux and Anne Rice all drew inspiration from the famous underground tunnels.
And for the visitor, if walking through miles of bone filled halls wasn’t frightening enough already, the museum recently extended its hours from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, allowing people to visit the tunnels after sunset.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Trampolines are having a ball playing musical gardens too.
Isn’t it about time that power lines were buried ?
Why so they can pose more of a threat to farmers and construction workers?
Best kept in plain sight.
More killed by overhead cables Jennie.
Where did you hear that Mark?
Because almost all our medium to high voltage lines are overhead so naturally this poses more of a risk. But we have far more cable strikes from underground cables than from overhead cables. Irish water workers for example tend to have 300 to 400 cable strikes a month, all underground.
And just how many deaths came from those 300 to 400 cable strikes a month Keane? Thank you.
You missed the point Mark. The deaths will come if you star sticking the high voltage lines underground. Even the Dutch who pretty much have 100% low to medium voltage lines underground, will not put high voltage lines underground.
Great idea, only cost about a few billion, maybe we could levy the consumers.
It costs too much to put cables underground. Overhead are easier to maintain. The odd downed power line is a easier price to pay than ducting the whole country.
Did you consider the unbelievable cost of burying all such cables? C’mon!!
“Our whole wall fell down..” Well im not surprised since you effectively fixed a timber sail to it from what I can see in the photo.
Very windy in Donegal my house moved a yard last night!
My house took in the front lawn.
Was in meath yesterday and two enormous trees fell on the road in front of the car only missed us by a couple of feet. Scary
I don’t think were in Kansas anymore Toto.
And wheelie bins!
Our wheelie bins were like a couple of R2D2′s last night…being blown around aimlessly
Well batten down the hatches cause it aint over.
To the driver of the jeep on m9 dublin carlow yesterday for making shit of my car when your plastic material flew out including ratchet straps , my bumper grills spot lights and drivers light (€1600) also 2 other cars damaged, you pulled over down the motorway realised what you done jumped back in and sped off , shame on you, we could have been killed, and it’s me that has to somehow pay for this for your thickness
That is honestly disgusting that they didn’t take responsibility for their crap.
Turn on the washing machines
There’s great drying out !!
That’s because none are underground.
So obviously yes more are killed by overhead cables.
If they’re underground you’ll all be giving out that they’ll limit what you can do with your land too much. Ie building works etc.
And if something goes wrong it’ll be a much bigger job to fix. Digging up cable to try and find the break. Relaying the whole length. Etc
I think if you look, most cities and towns, and certainly all newer developments, have now buried the cables. This has led to far less disruption and far fewer deaths. It isn’t that difficult to map where power lines are buried.
As an aside, overhead cables are an unsightly blight on our landscape.
*to sorry
Also it’ll do a huge amount of damage to the landscape and the environment laying them underground in the first place….
Out of sight, Out of mind isn’t always the best policy
Everyone starts juicing and detoxing after new years: giant uptake in wind speeds. Coincidence? I think not.
Kevin Hunt really exposing some shoddy workmanship on that wall. It’s only a bit of wind.
Well I didn’t build the wall?! and the neighbors had the fence not us
And tell your neighbour it’s time to put the crimbo decorations away.
I didn’t say you, Kev. I said you exposed shoddy workmanship.
Oh sorry haha, Ye I guess so!
Snow in Fermangh. Not settling but great to look at
Bit of snow here in Cavan, just enough to lightly dust an annoyed cat.
Thankfully we escaped it in cork but was quite windy for a time but it blew itself out late last night
#JeSuisKevinHunt
There was a might wind in co Louth after that hot curry last night
“Mighty”
Our trampoline hasntlufted a finger yet! youd think it would have blown to the next county with these winds lol!
Go home snowman, you are drunk.
That’s the problem with Irish water not obeying safety legislation when digging holes in footpaths
It depends alot on the machine driver. I work with one who could stir your tea with a 13 Tonne machine. I’ve worked with other lads you wouldn’t trust digging a hole with a teaspoon.
Short hairy and fat. Perfectly adapted for this weather. Form an orderly que ladies.
If the night of the big wind happened in 1839 (6th Jan) then if it happened again with global warming, what would we do?
have your say