Paris catacombs reopen after renovation

Paris's catacombs, the world's largest ossuary and a haunting underground network of limestone tunnels, have reopened after a three-year renovation that transformed one of the city's most eerie attractions. Once a forgotten quarry, the tunnels became a burial ground in the late 18th century when Paris faced a crisis of overflowing cemeteries and dangerous sinkholes. Human remains from over 6 million people were relocated here, arranged into decorative walls and inscribed with meditations on mortality. But after decades of tourism, the sheer volume of visitors—breathing out carbon dioxide—began to erode the bones and limestone. In 2023, Paris launched a massive underground overhaul: new air systems, lighting, safety protocols, and a floor were installed, all carried down 130 stairs by hand. The final closure lasted five months, from November 2025 to April 2026. Now open again, the catacombs remain a solemn space, not a theme park. The project’s leaders emphasize respect for the dead, reminding visitors that these are not relics but the final resting place of real people. Despite the upgrades, the experience remains deeply unsettling—so much so that even the host admits he’s unsure if he’d brave a visit, recalling a far more disturbing mummy museum in Mexico.