Journey Beneath the French Capital - The Paris Catacombs

Manholes in the middle of Paris, tight crawl spaces and wading through chest high water underground. I still can't get over the fact we pulled this off.

To address public health problems caused by overcrowded cemeteries in the 18th century, bones were moved to this network of quarries underneath Paris.

It was January I got a message from a friend, though someone I ultimately didn't know that well. "I'm planning to do the catacombs this year". Safe to say I jumped right at that with no second thoughts. After all, it's been on my bucket list for years.

Over the next few months this friend of mine is given contact to someone in Paris who knows the system well. Fast forward to June, we're in a McDonalds in Paris waiting to meet our contact who were about to take us down a manhole within the busy city and into the eerily quiet catacombs of Paris.

These mix of digital and film photos show our journey across day and night underground.

'95 Mural in KTA

A pile of skulls underground Paris.

Chemin allant a la Rue Beaunier

Underground Paris lies one of the corridors of bones in the Catacombs.

Paris' Wet Underground Floor

Underground Paris lies one of the corridors of bones in the Catacombs.

Homme en blanc

Historical graffiti in the Catacombs of Paris.

Swim to the way up? Flooded Paris.

Some of the intriguing artwork below Paris.

Paris Catacombs Memorial

The notorious 'Bone Throne' of the Paris Catacombs has been rebuilt after being destroyed.

Underground Paris lies one of the many rooms of bones in the Catacombs.

Holding up the city of Paris.

Where we made our final stop and to analyse our map.