Hi- We are planning to buy timed entry catacomb tickets for Paris. The website is in French, but I am using google translator to help. However, I don't see any place to reserve child tickets. Only full priced adults. Does anyone know how to do that? And has anyone used the timed entry system? Does it truly save you a wait in the line? We heard the lines can be really long.
Posted by
Paris
2466 posts
How old is your child?
The website states that "children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult" and that "young children and those who might be frightened should not visit."
Tickets for children from age 4 to 17 cost 5 EU.
http://www.catacombes.paris.fr/fr/votre-visite/tarifs
It also explains that there are a lot of stairs to climb - 130 to go down, 83 to go up, the length of the corridors is about 2 km, the temperature is around 56F, and the trip underground will take about 45 mins to 1 hour.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
i can see that the children are listed as both 5 euros and free. it's pretty confusing. but when you go reserve the tickets on the french site - there is no place to reserve children.
Posted by
Paris
2466 posts
You have to click on the "billeterie" box, which sends you to the following page
http://b12-gat.apps.paris.fr/accueil.aspx
Click on the Catacombes box, then you have to sign up before you can order tickets. Tickets for children are included here.
Posted by
Paris
2466 posts
Any luck with that website?
Posted by
OP
12 posts
yes, that worked. so i bought two adult tickets and two child tickets (theirs were 5 euro each) on the french site. oddly, the next day, the museum wrote me that children are free (i had written them earlier in the week). clearly, there is some misunderstandings here bc their website says it is 5 euro. strange.
Posted by
Paris
2466 posts
I'm glad the site worked for you.
I don't know why this is, but there are often discrepancies between the translated websites. Probably most of them are errors, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Posted by
Paris
2466 posts
Maybe you can write back to the museum and ask how to get a refund for the children's tickets. Worth a try...
Posted by
Chicago
8059 posts
sometimes reserved tickets are more than walk up tickets; were the adult tickets also more expensive? Could be a 5 Euro charge for reserved tickets for kids. It is great that you got the tickets.
Posted by
15 posts
We were just in Paris and had bought timed tickets. First of all, they worked great....got there at 1:55 for 2:00 tickets and the line was very large. We walked right in. I had bought 2 adult tickets and 2 children. I thought the $5 for children was the cost of the audio guide for them but as it turns out it was fee for "skipping the lines". So we got 2 audio guides and not 4. It was fine..my children used the guides and enjoyed it and my husband and I just looked and read the many signs. We were so happy that we purchased the times tickets!
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
OP I sincerely hope you have prepared your kids for the Catacombs.. some young children find it scary .. my 11 yr old refused the visit.. based on what her brothers had told her from their visits ( at 13, and 14) they LOVED the Catacombs.. but she did not want to see human bones in a cavern under ground.. too creepy..
Shes 19 now and has been in them .. last year.. and loved the visit also.. but that is not an 11 yr old .. I imagine many kids under 9-10 need to be prepared and their opinions considered in the case of a visit to the Catacombs..
some kids would be like so into it.. and some not..
I tell you this as there is NO escape route if child decides they hate it.. its still a long walk through.. at least 30-40 minutes of walking.. which if you have a crying 7 yr old is a very long walk indeed..