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Friends,
For $33.00, you too can visit the Paris Catacombs. Or for only $129.00, you can take a guided tour and find yourself standing in restricted areas.
But beware… You aren’t the only adventurer traversing the tunnels.
“Stop! The empire of Death lies here.”
The underground tunnels swallow you in a silence that feels impossible amid the remains of six million souls. Your phone goes dead. The world above—its crowded sidewalks and constant digital chatter—vanishes. Here, there is only you and the bones of those who witnessed humanity’s darkest hours, their hollow eyes following your every step.
Who might you meet? Maybe one of the over 1,300 individuals who found themselves at the wrong end of a guillotine during the Reign of Terror. Perhaps one of the poor families that didn’t survive the 14th-century plagues. Or a young man who died during the Hundred-Year War in the 15th century.
Maybe, if he is lucky, you will be able to give directions to Philibert Aspairt, a doorman who found himself taking a wrong turn during the French Revolution and tragically died only a few feet away from an exit.
Whatever you do, don’t stay past midnight. It is said that’s when the walls come alive and the souls of the nameless attempt to draw you deeper and deeper into the catacombs until you, yourself, become forever entombed.
Not All Is Peaceful
One might think the catacombs would be a peaceful, safe place for the dead to reside. Tourists are known to leave their two-hour tours feeling inspired, reflective, and humbled by the artistic and professional manner in which six million souls have been preserved.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t always been the case. Throughout history, some individuals have utilized the catacombs as a haven for their more nefarious activities.
Murder in the Dark.
Be careful who you fall in love with, especially if they are comfortable spending their waking hours with the dead. In 1845, Paris Investigators discovered the body of a woman and her three-year-old daughter. Cause of death? Murder.
“Both were cruelly murdered in an obscure nook … The woman’s skull was fractured at the back part and the child’s brains were literally dashed out … A heavy piece of wood covered with blood, was found near the spot; and with that weapon the unfortunate female had evidently been murdered. Horrible to relate, there was proof that the monster must have taken the innocent child by the feet, and dashed its head against the stone pillar.” – Tipperary Vindicator, “The Catacombs of Paris,” July 5, 1845, p. 4.
Alexandre Francornard, a handsome man whom the poor widow had become smitten with during her two-year mourning period, was the prime suspect. How do we know? Because Eugenie Marsac was seen visiting the catacombs the night her freedom was granted. She never emerged, and Alexandre was seen fleeing Paris for the village La Recousse, where he was found in a pub dressed as a common laborer.
“[At the time Marsac was] bedecked … in the most valuable and attractive articles of jewellery she possessed. Alexandre proposed to show her the catacombs, which she had never yet visited. Madame Marsac assented; and Alexandre, taking a torch in his hand conducted her and the child down the stairs into the catacombs. In an hour he returned … alone; but as the keeper had been relieved in the meantime by one of his subordinates, there was no one to notice … that Alexandre was unaccompanied by any one.”- Tipperary Vindicator, “The Catacombs of Paris,” July 5, 1845, p. 4.
How did law enforcement pinpoint him as the primary suspect? Easy. He kept a trophy. In his pocket was a letter from the young widow, declaring her love. Alexandre was escorted back to Paris, where he was beheaded on 7 March 1855.
Be Wary of the Gift Shop.
Corpse wax candles. Ever heard of them? Most people haven’t. It’s not something that is advertised freely at the local grocery store or on Amazon. The official name is Adipocere, and was first described by Sir Thomas Browne in Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial (1658).
In a Hydropicall body ten years buried in a Church-yard, we met with a fat concretion, where the nitre of the Earth, and the salt and lixivious liquor of the body, had coagulated large lumps of fat, into the consistence of the hardest castile-soap: wherof part remaineth with us.
Corpse wax occurs best in environments that have high levels of moisture and lack of oxygen… such as in an underground catacomb filled with six million bodies.
But don’t worry… no humans were harmed in the making of the candles. After extensive research, I am willing to put money on the fact that this never happened. While some countries may have ‘advertised’ the strange and unethical procedure, it was just the historical equivalent of clickbait.
Final Thoughts
There were plenty more stories that I could have delved into, from mushroom farms and the grand theft of over 250,000 pounds of wine to brave souls who ‘surf’ the deeper waters in search of unexplored caverns. But for now, we will stop here. Why? Let me tell you.
I spent almost a week just looking for the news article above. And after conducting extensive research, I concluded that only the ‘clickbait’ aspects of the Paris Catacombs are mentioned: the dark, the dangerous, the murderous, and the famous.
Not the people who are buried there.
Well, unless you were famous, then you get a whole exhibit. Everyone else? Not so much. There are almost six million souls buried in the catacombs, forever delegated to a tourist attraction, a simple spectacle to add to a vacation plan. A place for a ‘selfie’ to prove to social media that you are a ‘world traveler.’
For some reason, this really bothered me. To the point I no longer wanted to research the tomb. I struggled to finish this blog, trying every morning for a week to figure out how to say what I wanted. To make the catacombs a highlight of someone’s research or reading.
Instead, I would look at the pictures of stacked skulls and bones and wonder, ‘Who is it that I am looking at?’ Were they happy? Did they like being buried there? Would they have chosen this for themselves? I’m not saying not to go to the Paris Catacombs. I want you too.
Let the sensational stories lure you in, but stay for the souls who will spend eternity begging for someone to remember they did exist.
Until next time, Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.
To research more, check out these books I’ve found that you might enjoy:
The Catacombs of Paris: The History of the City’s Underground Ossuaries and Burial Network. The Catacombs of Paris: The History of the City’s Underground Ossuaries and Burial Network examines the architectural history of the catacombs, the events that inspired their establishment, and what they’re like today. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Catacombs of Paris like never before.
Empire of Bones: The Secret History of the Paris Catacombs. In Empire of Bones, Julien Peltier takes readers on a journey through this forbidden underworld. Blending vivid narrative history with true crime, mystery, and cultural intrigue, the book reveals the Catacombs as few have seen them: not just as a tourist attraction, but as the heart of Paris’s struggle with death, memory, and survival.
If you’re looking for your next favorite read, I invite you to check out my series, The Raven Society. This spellbinding historical fantasy series takes us on a heart-pounding journey through forgotten legends and distorted history. Uncover the chilling secrets of mythology and confront the horrifying truths that transformed myths into monstrous realities. How far will you go to learn the truth?
The Writer and The Librarian (Book 1):
Signed copies at:
https://rlgeerrobbins.com/product/the-writer-and-the-librarian-the-raven-society-book-1/
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How did the man who killed the mourning widow and her child get beheaded 20 years before he took the two of them down into the catacombs?