We will be in Paris first week of May, do you think they will open by then?
What is the best way to get there from the St. Germain Metro or St Michel Metro?
Do we need to bring a flashlight from home or do they sell anything there?
thanks
lele
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Hiya Lele,
The catacombs are expected to be open again by April, so in time for your visit in early May, but someone was saying on this forum the other day that a previous reopening was delayed by some time, so I would check upon arrival in Paris or just before leaving on the official site:
http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm
If I was you I would walk the little distance from St Michel to the Saint-Michel Notre Dame station, where you can travel directly (on the blue line, B) to Denfert-Rochereau. Once there the catacombs entrance is only a short walk away (but be aware that you emerge from the catacombs some way from this and the Metro was a further walk from the exit).
The catacombs are well lit by electric lights throughout so you will not need a torch (flashlight) of your own.
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Sorry, I should have also pointed out that the line I mentioned is not a Metro line but an RER one!
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Your guess is as good as anyone%26#39;s whether the Catacombes will have re-openned from its current renovation/repair by May. Delayed re-openning have been fairly common in the past.
The ENTRANCE to the Catacombes de Paris are at #1 Place Denfert-Rochereau (the building %26#39;looks%26#39; as if it could be a %26#39;pumping station%26#39; for a water works...and not especially well marked) so pay attention to the little signage. This is at the DENFERT-ROCHEREAU METRO (#4 %26amp; #6 lignes) %26amp; RER (%26#39;B%26#39; ligne) stop....so it shouldn%26#39;t be difficult figuring out how to get to DENFERT-ROCHEREAU from the neighborhoods of SAINT MICHEL or SAINT GERMAIN des PRÉS Metro or RER.
To the best of my knowledge, the Catacombes does NOT provide nor sell flashlights, candles or jack-o-lanterns to light your way through the damp, dimly lit (that%26#39;s sorta%26#39; the whole point of the place) passageways.
There is one thing that you should be aware of---you ENTER at one location BUT you EXIT at another. While you ENTER the Catacombes up at PLACE DENFERT-ROCHEREAU...you will EXIT then several blocks away, through a nondescript %26#39;hole-in-the-wall%26#39;, at #36 rue Rémy Dumoncel (btwn: rue Halle %26amp; rue Montbrun). So when you Exit and the surrounding area doesn%26#39;t look familiar...it ain%26#39;t your imagination...you%26#39;re not on Place Denfert-Rochereau anymore, Dorothy.
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Riostar,
Thank you for your response, what is the difference between a metro line and a RER line? Thanks
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Hi Lele , that always confused me too,, but the simplest way I heard it put that worked for me was, the RER is a suburban train system, mostly above ground, , serving suburbs and small close outlying satellite towns to Paris, in Paris each line only has a few stops. The metro is like a subway, mostly underground with many stops and serves only the city of Paris itself.
PS You don%26#39;t need a flashlight, it is lit, but dim,, but it IS easy to get lost when you emerge in a totally different place. I was not aware that was the case and we got so lost ,, now that I know I will look on map before I retrun to anticipate where to to once emerged.
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Thank you so much for your responses, I do have one more question, this is off my original post sorry, I am trying to understand the Metro, RER systems in Paris, I know that the Metro you take a train with a number and direction it is going, does that hold true for the RER you take a train with a letter and direction it is going?
Thanks
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Hi
The Catacombs are scheduled to reopen mid April according to the web information at
www.paris.fr
From Saint Michel take the RER B line to Denfert Rochereau.
You can also take the #4 line direction Porte d%26#39;Orleaans to Denfert Rochereau.
A small flashlight has always come in handy in the past, but perhaps the new renovation has installed more lighting. I still plan on bringing one on my next trip out there...
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;what is the difference between a metro line and a RER line?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
For your purpose---none at all---except for the station%26#39;s proximity to your departure point. If your departure location is nearer the SAINT GERMAIN des PRÉS Metro station, then Metro will be quicker....if nearer the SAINT MICHEL-NOTRE DAME RER station, then the RER %26#39;B%26#39; train will be quicker. EITHER Metro or RER will take you to the same DENFERT-ROCHEREAU station for your Catacombes de Paris destination.
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There is a metro stop directly across the street from the entrance to the catacombs so getting there is easy. When you exit the catacombs turn right and then right again at the first major street. The metro station is several blocks down on the right hand side.
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