Catacombes > Reviews > Creepy crawly Paris experience

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Advantages:	Great if lots and lots of bones give you a thrill .  .  .
Disadvantages:	Cold, wet, dark, dim, creepy and ultimately dull

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

If you're looking for something unusual to do on your trip to Paris, you might be tempted by a trip to the Catacombs - but be warned, this isn't one for nervous types! It's popular, though: queues regularly form outside the tiny entrance, and you probably won't be alone as you descend the many stairs into the subterranean depths. The Catacombs were created many years ago when the ancient cemeteries of Paris became just too smelly for comfort, and a massive and grisly project began to clear out several areas and transport the bones here. Now the remains of literally millions of Parisians are stored here, neatly stacked in pile after pile of bones and skulls - many arranged in macabre little patterns by someone with a warped sense of humour. A tip: if you're determined to check it out, wear stout walking-shoes; it's very dank and even wet down there as you tramp down miles of dimly-lit gravel passages. And it's cold - VERY cold - so bring a sweater, even on the hottest day up top. I have to say that I got pretty fed up after the initial frisson. Let's face it, once you've seen one pile of bones, you've more or less seen them all: there's no way of ducking back up to the surface until you've walked through the whole labyrinth of tunnels, which is quite a hike. Do it if you must, but there are more rewarding sights to see in Paris first.