Explore
The first part of your 1.5-kilometer circuit takes you 20 meters below ground into the historic Lutetian limestone quarries.
Before reaching the bones, you walk through the original quarry tunnels. These passages were mined long before they became an ossuary. You will see remnants of the quarrymen's work and early structural supports.
The temperature drops to a constant 14°C (57°F) here. The ground is often uneven and highly humid, so watch your footing as you adjust to the subterranean environment.
5 minutes131 stairs down
Access the tunnels via a narrow, spiraling stone staircase. It drops 20 meters below the surface of Paris. This depth equals roughly a 5-story building. Hold the handrail tightly, as the constant rotation can make you slightly dizzy.
5 minutesHistoric carvings
An inspector named Décure carved intricate stone models of the Port-Mahon fortress into the quarry wall. These detailed works showcase life before the ossuary existed. Look closely at the delicate stone cuts. Décure supposedly died in a quarry cave-in shortly after finishing them.
2 minutesCrystal clear water
This is a small pool of groundwater once used by quarry workers. They relied on it to mix cement for structural reinforcements. The groundwater here is incredibly still. The surface is so clear that the water often looks invisible.
