Paris Underground

For you Francophiles, here's a view of Paris you might not have seen.

'Cataphiles' like to explore, illicitly, the maze of tunnels, caverns and half-flooded passageways under the French capital, stepping over a few skeletons and piles of ruins, some from the time when Romans called the city Lutetia.

The quarries (carrieres in French) are not to be confused with Paris' catacombs, which were made into a national museum and harbor millions of carefully piled skeletons relocated in the 18th century from the city's overflowing cemeteries.

This is no tourist destination. Because the city quarry inspectors have made it difficult to reach the underground no-man's land without special permission, getting there can be a test of strength and courage. It requires the ability to climb through secret, cramped access holes with very little breathing room. Rocks and even ceilings can fall at any time.

Enjoy.