The Catacombes de Paris has been for a long while an “insolite” place to visit while in Paris, and the perfect place to escape the stiffling heat of August. It’s even slightly warmer than the cold January/February weather outdoors too.
Down, down, down in the belly of Paris, where the bones of hundreds of thousands are now stacked to rest forever (except occasionally when some a**h*les destroy some and then the exhibit is closed down for weeks on end to set it all right…yes there are actually people that dare do such a thing). I hope people pee on their tombstone when they are gone…see how they like it!
Well, back to the title of this post, I was always surprised by the lack of exploitation of a boutique at the end of a visit of the galleries of bones. Every other museum has you exit through a boutique to entice you to buy souvenirs and trinkets, books and postcards. Well çone has opened! About 8 months ago, Erwann Benoit, who had the bright idea, got the permission to open his store, a private affair mind you. No help from Paris or the Catacombes, a museum owned by the city of Paris. But he is courageous, and has a great smile, is open and friendly, always looking for THE perfect item for his store to please his customers, whether it’s neon glow-in-the-dark skeleton key chains, or a pocket book on what’s free in Paris… his boutique is bound to be fun to browse after a tour in Paris’ most morbid exhibit.
I bet he’s busy around Halloween!
Comptoir des Catacombes
31 rue Rémy Dumoncel
75014 Paris
Tuesday-Sunday 10h30-17h00 (5pm)
wow…i can’t believe no one has done this already! cool find!
Man! I’m heading over there right away! Love that place!
Thanks for the news,
Sarah
Haha! Catacomb jenga! Definitely need that!