When most people visit Paris, their attention is turned to the attractions above ground. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées are all among the most popular destinations. But when others think of Paris, they only have one thing in mind - the Catacombs. Located beneath the streets of the City of Lights, these eerie passageways have been tempting adventure travel enthusiasts for years.
Hundreds of years ago, the Paris cemeteries were becoming overcrowded, and any remedies began to contaminate the local water supply. With nowhere else to turn, city began moving bones to old quarries beneath street level in the late 1700s.
Despite its rather macabre beginnings, the Catacombs of Paris remain one of the most intriguing aspects of the city. Miles and miles of tunnels run beneath the streets, all of them lined with the remains of former Paris citizens.
While a maze of bones may seem unappealing to some, the underground tunnels have become a popular attraction in recent years. Visitors have been exploring the mysterious caverns for more than 150 years, and several years ago they were renovated to make them even safer for curious tourists.
Catacombs of Paris bring visitors below ground
Posted on Wednesday, Aug. 1st, 2012
