Does the Paris Museum Pass Include the Catacombs?
No — the Paris Museum Pass does not include the Catacombs. This famously eerie underground ossuary is a separate, limited-capacity attraction with its own timed ticket — and notoriously long queues, so it must be booked ahead. The pass covers 50+ other museums and monuments. Here’s why the Catacombs are excluded and how to visit them alongside your pass.
The short answer
The Catacombs of Paris are managed separately from the national-monuments network the pass belongs to, so they’re not included. Entry is by a separate, timed ticket, and because only a limited number of people can be underground at once, advance booking is essential — turning up on the day can mean a three-to-four-hour wait, or no entry at all.
Why the Catacombs need advance booking
Capacity in the tunnels is strictly limited for safety, so the Catacombs operate timed entry with a separate ticket. Queues for any remaining same-day spots are among the longest in Paris. Whether or not you have a Museum Pass, the smart move is to pre-book a Catacombs ticket online well ahead of your visit.
What the pass does cover
The pass gives unlimited entry to over 50 museums and monuments, including the Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie, the Arc de Triomphe and the Panthéon. So while the Catacombs sit outside it, the pass still handles the vast majority of Paris’s headline cultural sights.
How to visit the Catacombs alongside the pass
Treat the Catacombs as a separate, pre-booked experience slotted around your pass days. Book a timed Catacombs ticket online in advance, and plan your pass-covered museums on either side. Since the pass runs on consecutive days, you don’t need to coordinate it with the Catacombs — just book each independently.
A history-lover’s pairing
The Catacombs pair naturally with the pass’s historical sites. After descending among the bones beneath Montparnasse, you might spend the rest of the day at pass-covered monuments like the Panthéon or Les Invalides. The contrast — grand mausoleum above ground, humble ossuary below — makes for a memorable day of Parisian history.
Other notable exclusions
- The Eiffel Tower and Montparnasse Tower observation deck.
- The Opéra Garnier tours and the Grand Palais.
- Disneyland Paris and the Moulin Rouge.
- Seine cruises, buses and transport.
- Temporary exhibitions at included museums.
Is the pass still worth it?
Yes — the Catacombs being excluded doesn’t undermine the pass’s value for everything else. It pays for itself after about three major sites, so if you’ll see several museums and monuments, buy the pass for those and simply book the Catacombs separately as an add-on experience.
Tips for combining both
- Pre-book the Catacombs online well in advance.
- Buy the pass for your museum and monument days.
- Plan pass sites around your Catacombs time slot.
- Arrive early for the Catacombs to beat any queue.
- Budget separately for the Catacombs ticket.
What you’ll see in the Catacombs
The Catacombs are unlike anything else in Paris: a 1.5-kilometre underground walk through tunnels lined with the carefully arranged bones of millions of Parisians, relocated here from overflowing cemeteries in the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s atmospheric, sombre and unforgettable — and because the descent involves many steps and cool, damp air, it’s worth knowing what to expect before you book your separate timed ticket.
Buy your Paris Museum Pass and book the Catacombs separately
For the city’s museums and monuments, buy your Paris Museum Pass online in advance and book your free timed slots — then pre-book the Catacombs separately. Secure your pass and pair it with one of Paris’s most atmospheric experiences.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Paris Museum Pass include the Catacombs?
No — the Catacombs need a separate, timed ticket.
Why aren’t they included?
They’re managed separately, with strictly limited underground capacity.
Do I need to book the Catacombs ahead?
Yes — same-day queues can run three to four hours, so pre-book online.
What does the pass cover instead?
50+ museums and monuments, including the Panthéon and Les Invalides.
Can I do both in a day?
Yes — book the Catacombs slot and plan pass sites around it.
Is the pass still worth it?
Yes — for three or more included sites, with the Catacombs as a separate add-on.