The Paris catacombs are an illegal, clandestine playground for a tight-knit community of urban explorers called Cataphiles. “Empire of the Dead” is a 300 km maze of tunnels under the city of Paris formerly used to house over 6 million of Paris’s deceased. While approximately 1.5 km is accessible via public tour, the rest is strictly forbidden.
The entry points and maps of the tunnels are covert and closely guarded secrets of this group, and the routes underground are dangerous. Complete darkness, eerie silence, narrow openings, zero cell service and little means of rescue for solo adventurers, it is a dangerous, albeit thrilling, experience.
© B Godwin
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