The Urban Adventure Site

World Trip 2002 - Paris


The world's largest piece of art - and we're loosing 5 kilometers of it every year. The hidden and secret Catacombs of Paris.

I made five trips into the catacombs of Paris on this world tour. Less than I would have liked, but more than I had hoped for. I had been into the official tour of the Paris Catacombs when I was 14 but these were the real Catacombs of Paris. The first trip I made into the Paris Catacombs was with my host and guide, Stonga. It was on a week end, my first week end in Paris. On our travels we ran into two groups of young explorers (called cataphiles) and later into one of Stonga's friends. It was a good trip, introducing me to the conditions found in the real Paris Catacombs and showing me some of the sights.

One of the things that really struck me about the Paris Catacombs is that put together, it appears to be one giant museum of artworks. But every year an average of five kilometers of tunnels are lost through injection, consolidations and blockages. One of the reasons I made the trip to the Paris Catacombs is that I wanted to see them now, while it was still possible to do so. In twenty years from now there may be so many parts of the Paris Catacombs lost and so many barrages in place that it may be impossible to explore the system. Already one of the best parts of the Paris Catacombs tunnel system is blocked off, open only via a very tiny and narrow crawl way.

If you plan to visit the Paris Catacombs, take a look at the maps, and read the safety advice.

The map of the Paris Catacombs below is image-mapped. Move the mouse over the map and click on bits to see sections of the Paris Catacombs that I explored.

Passages , Rooms / Bunkers , Rail tunnel

South Passage - 5 ways crossing - Acqueduct LaVanne - Bunker Faco - Avenue Leclerc - Bar of the Rats - Broussais - Cable Intersection - Cabinet Mineralogique - Carvings / Relifs - Room of the Catapult - Cynthia's Room - Carrefour de Mort (Crossroads of the Dead) - The Depot - Fountain Chasrtreux - Gallery de Promos - German Bunker - The Beach / La Plage - Laval shelter - Le Celler - Library - Multilevel Catacombs - Room of the Phantome - Railway tunnel - Round table - Rue Allesia - Rue Sarette, Middle - Rue Sarette, South - Rue Tombreiossore - Salle BAS - Salle Chateau - Salle Dragon - Small Room - Salle Marie Rose - Salle Zlard - Swamp - Tombe Philbert De Asperit - Passage1 - Passage2 - Passage3 - Passage 4 - Passage 5 - Passage 6 - Passage 7 - Passage 8


Videos.

I may eventually get around to adding information about the file size and durations of these videos of the Paris Catacombs. It depends if I decide to continue maintaining this site or not. I have to admit that the video quality of most of these videos is not all that good. I need to correct the gamma in the videos. If anyone knows of software that allows you to correct the gamma of videos as you capture the video I would appreciate it if they would let me know about the software. Alternatively, if you know software that will correct the gamma of captured videos, please also let me know.

Videos
Official catas 1 Official catas 2 Official catas 3  
Video1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4
Video 5 Video 6 Video 7 Video 8
Video 9 Video 10 Video 11 Video 12
Video 13 Video 14 Video 15 Video 16
Video 17 Video 18 Video 19 Video 20
Video 21 Video 22 Video 23 Video 24
Video 25 Video 26 Video 27 Video 28
Video 29 Video 30 Video 31 Video 32
Video 33 Video 34 Video 35 Video 36
Video 37 Video 38 Video 39 Video 40
Video 41 Video 42 Video 43 Video 44
Video 45 Video 46 Video 47 Video 48
Video 49 Video 50 Video 51 Video 52

Best Viewed at Best viewed ar 800 x 600 pixels
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Salle Chateau / The room of the Castle Rue Sarette Southern section The Southern Passage Catacomb passages Tombre Issore Round seating area in tunnel Muddy passage Rue Broussairs and manhole Avenue Leclerc Crossroads of the Dead - with video Multi leval passages - with video Catacomb Passage Rue D' Allesia Gallery Du Promos - with video Cabinet Minralogique - with video Carvings in catacomb walls Saint Jacques Saint Jacques - Port Royal sign Saint Jacques The railway tunnel Rue Sarette south Rue Sarette Middle - with video Salle Chatea Le Celler /The Celler - with video La Plage / The Beach Salle Marie Rose The Depot Salle Zlard The room of the Dragon - with video The Library alcove Catacomb passage Catacomb passage The roomof the Fantome The 5 ways Crossroad The small room Catacomb passage Catacomb passage Catacomb passage Aqueduct De Arcueil Cynthia's Chamber Room of the Catapult Laval Shelter on Rue Des Feuillantines - with video Intersection of Rue St Jacques and Rue Feullentines The tomb of Philber D' Asperit - with video Arbi Fago bunker - with video Passage and manhole Fontain Des Chartreux - with video Barof the Rats - with video The German Bunker - with video Avenue General LecLerc south Main Southern passage