While visiting Paris, my brother was reading The 39 Clues series by Rick Riordan. Conveniently, he was reading book one of the series, titled The Maze of Bones. In the book, the main characters go to the Paris Catacombs. They find some bones which have numbers on them to lead them to the next clue. Since we were in the area, we decided to go check out this underground marvel.

The Catacombes de Paris is an underground ossuary in Paris, France, holding the remains of about six million bodies. It is a network of caverns and tunnels that has been a popular tourist attraction since the early 1800s.

At the Catacombes, we waited in a long line to gain access to the tunnels. When it was finally our turn, the guide gave us directions and sent us on our way with a small group of fellow travelers. We climbed down a narrow, spiral staircase into the darkness. There were long and twisting hallways that led to rows upon rows of human BONES! They were all carefully arranged; some were even made into unique designs.

Feeling our way through darkened passages, surrounded by nothing but bones, left us anxiously awaiting fresh air. The tunnels seemed never-ending! We kept walking, more bones appearing on either side of the tunnel. Around every corner, a new surprise would pop up and startle us.

Walking deeper into the tunnel, we would get the feeling that we were being watched. We could feel the presence of the lost souls all around us. It began to get colder as we went deeper in. The group that we had come in with had dispersed, and we were all alone.

After walking by endless rows and rows of bones, it finally started to get less dark, and our flashlights weren’t needed anymore. Seeing light up ahead, we ran and came upon a set of stairs leading out of the underground tomb. We burst out of the doors, breathing in all the air that our lungs could hold...so happy to have gotten out of the Catacombs alive! It was wonderful to feel the fresh air on our faces after we had been breathing nothing but pungent air underground. There were people in the streets going on with the routines of their day who didn’t give us a single glance. We noticed people from the group we had gone in with. They greeted us and congratulated us on getting out ALIVE!

The Catacombs of Paris in France are an experience to die for!

Dylan DeMichiel is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program