May 5th 2024.
It's not exactly shocking to imagine stumbling upon a ghost in the Paris Catacombs. After all, during the 18th century, there was no place smellier than the streets of Paris. And it wasn't just the sewage that contributed to the stench. The city was overflowing with decomposing bodies, piled up in heaps upon heaps. So what was the solution? Well, it seemed obvious - to neatly pack the corpses into the underground labyrinth that would later become a popular tourist attraction known as the "Paris Catacombs."
For centuries, Parisians had buried their loved ones outside the city limits, but as cemeteries began to sprout up in the center, the situation became dire. The main central graveyard, known as Cimetière des Saints-Innocents, became a towering mound of dirt and debris, overflowing with bodies. In fact, at one point, a portion of the site collapsed, sending bodies spilling into nearby homes and restaurants - definitely not the kind of surprise customers were expecting.
The city of Paris struggled for years to deal with their overcrowded cemeteries, and in 1785, they came up with a solution - to create an underground ossuary in an old limestone mine. This became known as the Paris Catacombs, named after the Roman underground necropolis. The Catacombs stretch for over 200 miles, containing the remains of approximately 6 million people. However, only a small portion is open to the public, known as the Denfert-Rochereau Ossuary. And above the entrance, visitors are greeted with a rather chilling message: "Stop! This is the Empire of Death."
Descending a spiral staircase, visitors make their way 20 meters underground into the Catacombs. The bones of millions of Parisians are neatly arranged along the walls, creating a macabre but strangely orderly sight. Some adventurous individuals have even used manholes to sneak into the ossuary, but the main access point has since been sealed off. Today, it takes about an hour to walk the 1.5km route, and phone signal is practically non-existent.
But for some, the official tour is not enough. These are the "Cataphiles" - people who regularly explore the off-limits areas of the Catacombs. However, this is considered trespassing and can result in a small fine if caught. Urban explorers have described sneaking into the tunnels through manholes at night with the aid of underground tour guides. These Cataphiles have their own set of rules to follow, including one important rule - if they get lost, they must stay put and wait for help, rather than attempting to navigate the intricate tunnels themselves.
However, back in 1793, one man named Philibert Aspairt did not follow this rule. He was the doorkeeper at the Val-de-Grâce military hospital, and for reasons that remain a mystery, he ventured into the Catacombs, carrying only a single candle. He wandered around the dark and twisting corridors until his light went out, and he was never seen again. His body was eventually discovered just 10ft from an exit, with an empty liquor bottle by his side. Today, his tomb can be found in the same quarry gallery where he took his last breath.
Despite the eerie atmosphere and tragic stories, the Catacombs have become a popular tourist attraction. However, many visitors claim to have experienced strange occurrences, such as seeing apparitions, hearing voices, and feeling hands on their shoulders. Some even believe that the Catacombs are one of the most haunted places on Earth. In fact, horror movies such as "As Above, So Below" have used the Catacombs as the gateway to Hell itself.
Legend has it that if you bring a candle into the Catacombs, you will hear Aspairt's ghostly voice before the candle goes out. However, he is the only confirmed death in the Catacombs, and his identity remains a mystery to this day. In the early 1990s, a group of Cataphiles found a video camera in the tunnels, which appeared to show a man exploring the Catacombs and then suddenly panicking and running off into the darkness, never to be seen again. The footage was eventually featured on a television show, but the man's identity and fate are still unknown.
Some skeptics believe the video to be a hoax or publicity stunt, but for those who have visited the Catacombs, the creepy atmosphere is undeniably real. Whether the stories of hauntings are true or simply a product of the eerie atmosphere, the Catacombs continue to intrigue and fascinate visitors. And for the Cataphiles who regularly explore the off-limits areas, the mystery of the Catacombs only grows deeper.
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