The Paris Catacombs (14th arrondissement) are open Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:45 am to 8:30 pm, and closed on Mondays; timed tickets are sold only online on the official Paris Musées ticket office, from €15, and only for the next 7 days. Because of the crowds, no tickets are sold on site, except free admissions. This page gathers the official visiting rules, access from Denfert-Rochereau, the history of the ossuary and the mistakes that get you refused entry, with a checklist before you leave.
The Catacombs are one of the classic visits of a Paris stay: see our ideas for visiting Paris and, in the same heritage spirit, our Panthéon page.
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Paris Catacombs: key facts
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:45 am – 8:30 pm; closed Monday (hours valid from 8 April to 20 December 2026) — checked on 23 October 2026 on paris.fr
- Tickets: timed tickets from €15, sold online for the next 7 days only « because of fraudulent tickets in circulation »; maximum 5 tickets per order — checked on 23 October 2026 on the Paris Musées ticket office
- On site: no tickets sold, except free admissions and passes; audioguide available at the desk (€5).
- Conditions: tickets are non-exchangeable, non-refundable and cannot be moved to another date; priority only on the booked slot.
- Luggage: suitcases, luggage and large backpacks prohibited (Vigipirate, France’s security alert plan); no cloakroom.
- Address: 1, avenue du Colonel-Henri-Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris (Place Denfert-Rochereau).
- Official site: catacombes.paris.fr was under maintenance on 23 October 2026; the information above comes from the official ticket office and paris.fr.
Booking tickets: the only safe method
The official ticket office is that of Paris Musées (billetterie-parismusees.paris.fr). It only puts the next 7 days on sale, precisely to fight fraudulent tickets: a site offering Catacombs tickets « freely available » several weeks ahead is therefore selling something other than a simple entry ticket (a resold guided tour, a bundle), or a risky ticket. The individual ticket office is not open to tourism professionals and resellers, and the Paris Musées membership card is not valid at the Catacombs.
Destination de Voyage calculation based on the hours on paris.fr: the site is open 6 days out of 7, 10 h 45 a day, or 64 h 30 a week. The ticket office slots are spaced 15 minutes apart (9:45, 10:00, 10:15…); on 23 October 2026, those for the following Wednesday morning were shown as « not available ». In practice, log in as soon as sales open, 7 days before the date you want.
Opening hours and closures
| Day | Hours (8 April – 20 December 2026) |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday to Sunday | 9:45 am – 8:30 pm |
The site, closed for works, reopened on 8 April 2026 according to the City of Paris. Paris.fr also states that there are no restrooms, Wi-Fi or drinks machine on site, and that animals are not admitted.
What you will see: the history of the ossuary
The « catacombs » are in fact a municipal ossuary set up in former underground quarries in the 14th arrondissement. In the late 18th century, the overcrowded Cimetière des Innocents posed a public health problem: the police lieutenant Lenoir proposed moving the bones to the Tombe-Issoire quarries, under the Montrouge plain, beyond the Barrière d’Enfer, and the first works were decided as early as 1785. The remains of about six million people were transferred there from Paris cemeteries until 1861. The name « catacombs » was borrowed, by analogy, from the underground necropolises of Rome. Beneath Paris, nearly 300 km (186 mi) of quarry galleries exist, about twenty meters (66 ft) deep on average; only a small part can be visited.
These historical landmarks come from the encyclopedia article on the Catacombs; the official site, under maintenance when we wrote this, usually offers a more detailed History section.
Getting there
- Metro and RER: Denfert-Rochereau station (the City of Paris gives Denfert-Rochereau for public transport).
- Vélib’ bikes: a station about a hundred meters (about 330 ft) away.
- Car: paid car park at 83, boulevard Saint-Jacques.
- Accessibility: the City of Paris page lists no facilities for people with reduced mobility; ask on +33 1 43 22 47 63 before you come.
Mistakes to avoid (based on the official rules)
- Turning up without a ticket hoping to buy on site: no sales on site, except free admissions.
- Looking for tickets a month ahead: only the next 7 days are on sale.
- Arriving late: priority only applies to the booked time; entry outside your slot is not guaranteed.
- Coming with a suitcase or a large backpack: refused, and there is no cloakroom. Go to your hotel first.
- Coming on a Monday: the site is closed.
- Buying 6 tickets at once: the limit is 5 per order.
- Counting on a refund: tickets are neither exchangeable nor refundable, with no date change.
Checklist before you go
- Book on the Paris Musées ticket office, 7 days ahead at the earliest.
- Note the exact time of your slot.
- Leave luggage and large bags at your hotel.
- Bring warm clothing and closed shoes (underground galleries).
- Use the restrooms beforehand: there are none on site.
- Bring supporting documents if you qualify for free admission.
What to see nearby
From Denfert-Rochereau, the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Panthéon can also be visited on the Left Bank, as can the Montparnasse Tower. All our visits are grouped in our Paris guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to book the Paris Catacombs?
Yes, in practice: no tickets are sold on site (except free admissions and passes) and timed tickets are only sold online, on the Paris Musées ticket office, for the next 7 days.
How much do the Paris Catacombs cost?
The official ticket office shows tickets « from €15 ». The audioguide costs €5 at the desk.
What are the Catacombs’ opening hours?
Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:45 am to 8:30 pm, closed on Mondays, according to the City of Paris for the period from 8 April to 20 December 2026.
Can you visit the Catacombs with a suitcase?
No. Suitcases, luggage and large backpacks are prohibited (Vigipirate security plan) and the site has no cloakroom.
Why can’t you find tickets more than 7 days ahead?
Paris Musées limits sales to the next 7 days because of fraudulent tickets in circulation.
How many people lie in the Catacombs?
The remains of about six million people, transferred from Paris cemeteries between the late 18th century and 1861.
Our sources
- Official Paris Musées ticket office, « Les Catacombes de Paris » product (conditions of sale, time slots, prices), consulted on 23 October 2026
- City of Paris (paris.fr): « Les Catacombes de Paris » page (hours, access, services), consulted on 23 October 2026
- Wikipedia: « Catacombes de Paris » article (historical landmarks), consulted on 23 October 2026
- Official site catacombes.paris.fr: under maintenance on 23 October 2026 (also checked in a browser)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.