Paris, France, may be the city of lovers, but it's also an ancient metropolis consisting of winding streets that hide many secrets.
Some of these hidden treasures can be found in the catacombs of Paris, located in the city's sewer system, ancient quarries and metro tunnels deep below the streets.
At the turn of the nineteenth century, when Paris was ripe with deadly infectious diseases, the only option to clear the bodies was to empty the bones in the quarries including those of Robespierre and Rabelais.
So why make this adventurous trek underground? "It evokes the stories of hundreds of millions of Parisians, says Danièle Pourtaud, a city official in the mayor's office. "It's simultaneously a historical account and, it's delicate to say a work of art, but a mise-en-scène."
A travel reporter for the Boston Globe recently took a self-guided tour at night, adding a spooky ambiance to the bone-chilling grave complex.
Soon, however, she comes across underground galleries that contain frescoes and sand-covered floors.
Getting out is a thrill... especially when travelers take short cuts as guided by locals.
"We scurry through [a room of optic cables] to a metal staircase, and then up a ladder to a heavy, tricky-to-open manhole. And we’re out, steps from the Luxembourg Garden."
The best way to explore Paris' catacombs is with a small group of adventure travelers.
The catacombs of Paris are spooky and thrilling
Posted on Friday, Feb. 11th, 2011
