The Parisian Underbelly

As the days fly by and my time in Paris rapidly decreases, I find myself trying to squeeze in as many activities into my free time as possible.  Most days I am a slave to the kitchen, but on the few days off --- where I'm not stuck inside cleaning, studying, doing laundry, or ironing --- I'm crossing off as many things as I can from my Parisian bucket list.  The most recent experience?  The Catacombs! (Insert dramatic/creepy organ music here)

A group of us decided to head over there and check it out one chilly Sunday afternoon, and it was definitely an experience.  After waiting in a loooong line with all the other curious folks, we finally made it up to the front.

We were greeted with this sign just before heading down, and a warning posted nearby that kindly suggested avoiding the Catacombs if you are a. claustrophobic or b. have a "nervous disposition".  I wasn't at all apprehensive until I read that sign, and with every step I took venturing 60 feet underground, inching closer and closer to the point of no return and further and further from fresh air, I couldn't help but panic and wonder... what is a nervous disposition and do I have one?  I don't think I do...but maybe it is something I wouldn't realize until I was stuck down there and it was too late to escape!  I continued to head down and hoped for the best.

The one-mile walk began with a little bit of history about the limestone quarries and how they became the Catacombs that we know today.  During the late 18th century, the cemeteries in the city were at capacity, and Parisians were looking for a solution to the sub-par sanitation conditions.  They decided to transfer the bones from their current locals to limestone quarries that were, at that time, outside the city limits.  Aside from the mental images of carts of recently exhumed bones being moved (at night) by chanting, cloaked priests, it wasn't too creepy...yet.  My "nervous disposition" was in check.

We wandered through one dimly lit tunnel after another...
(don't let the flash fool you...it was really dark)

 Stumbled upon 18th century limestone carvings...

And finally made it to the entrance. 

After stepping over the threshold, we were greeted with this on either side:
(Enter: lower ceilings, narrower passageways, nervous-er dispositions)  

It definitely took a few moments for me to give myself a little positive pep-talk and to get oriented with the dark, damp, and eerie surroundings.

You are obviously allowed to take pictures, but cannot use a flash.  There were a couple of times where my camera went a little crazy and the flash accidentally went off.  I promptly said a quick prayer and apologized to the bones for any disrespect.  Whoops!

We were moving along well, until I noticed that little water droplets were falling from the ceiling.  That's fine, no problem, I just tried to avoid those areas...that is, until the entire surface of the floor was slick and slippery because of the murky water + limestone dust combination.  It definitely was not the day to wear shoes with absolutely ZERO traction because one second I was upright, and the next second I was flat on the ground...with something like this staring me in the face...

It was like a staged movie fall.  My feet went right out from under me, and I felt like I flew up in the air before crash landing on the ground...dangerously close to a pile of bones.  The guard ran over to make sure I was okay, and although my comprehension of French is mediocre at best, I'm pretty sure he said something along the lines of "Be careful, it's really slippery down here".  Yeah, thanks pal, I didn't realize it.

Let me tell you, folks, I had limestone-bone-mud goo all. over. me.  I couldn't help but laugh and not think of where that water came from.  The metro ride home was really fun. 

The pictures don't do it justice.  It was literally everywhere. 

I got home and spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning my wool coat, jeans, shoes, purse, and self.  It was sometime during the never ending scrubbing and multiple loads of laundry that I remembered I had a Chick-Fil-A sandwich in the freezer.  The only thing that could brighten my day.  As I was heating it up, a brilliant idea popped into my head...

1 Chick-Fil-A spicy chicken sandwich with pepper jack cheese + 1/2 French baguette = pure bliss

The best of both worlds

Tres delicious!  One bite, and my worries were washed away!

- a tout à l’heure!