Paris is known for a lot of things; amongst them, many are probably not considered PG-13 in the U.S. Well, I am certainly not thirteen. Perhaps due to my own avoidance of topics on death, ghosts, and sex, I haven’t made my way through many of Paris’ most famous sights. I guess it’s time to shed the shyness. Please consider yourselves warned, below pictures contains naked bodies and dead bodies.
Dead bodies
Below the layers of Paris metro and the Seine river lies the extensive network of the catacombs of Paris. As the name suggests, it is the site for the dead and down-unders. Though this section is estimated to be only 1/800 of the total length of the Paris catacomb, it still captures the public’s imagination. What does the world of the dead look like? What stories lie there?
The catacombs were originally stone quarries. Small sections of it transformed into the mass burial site to relieve the real estate pressure up on the ground. The entire network of catacombs is so vast that explorers are still getting lost till this day. Police have made efforts to block off entrances where people went in and never came back. As you can imagine, the constant digging below and building up above caused massive problems. Sinkholes that could swallow 2 buses were not unheard of. Finally, in the 1800s, renovations were made to strengthen the tunnel. Now you can see the dates of these renovations on the walls of the catacombs.
Tracing the narrow tunnels will eventually lead you to a dark place. “Stop, here is the empire of the dead” reads the sign above your head. If you insist on entering, you can follow the dark-colored lines above your head; it will guide you to the down-unders.
There is dancing or dodging around here. Once you enter through the gate with the warning signs, you see them. You see the skulls, the femurs, and the plaques marking their origins. Most of the bodies were moved from many of the graveyards in Paris and re-interred here in the catacombs. It turns out overcrowding is a problem for both the living and the dead. Reading the plaque, you can’t help but wonder what stories and tales hide behind each one of the skulls and femurs.
The maintenance team here chose to present this in a museum-like setting. The preservation team not only wanted to preserve but also to present the dead in a way that is intriguing and thoughtful and less morbid.
If you are feeling a bit cold on the inside from seeing all the bodies, you can definitely turn to one of the many coffee shops here. A Chocolat Viennois sounded like the right call for me.
The Artistic and Naked Bodies
Musée d’Orsay boasts so many artworks by famous artists that ordinary museums would be happy to have one or two. Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and many more artists’ artworks are on display here. From landscapes, parties, portraits, to body parts, all themes are gathered in this museum. Make sure to schedule at least 3 to 4 hours to explore the key exhibits. (WARNING: exposing pictures below!!)
After 5 hours of exploring, I left the museum for some fresh air along the Seine, passing by the love locks on the pedestrian bridge. I stopped and sat for a while to breathe in the January air of Paris.
When I came to Paris for the first time 12 years ago, Paris didn’t seem lovable. I didn’t love it because I didn’t stop to taste it. I hustled and bustled around the city looking for my Paris moment. I only found messiness and some chaos. I shied away from anything too strange or different; I avoided looking carefully and breathing in full.
This time, this redo will do.
As I was walking home, I remembered that I have never seen any performance from the famous Moulin Rouge. I suppose now is the time to add that on to my Paris moment.
