# Paris Catacombs June 2011



## Horus (Jun 8, 2011)

*Paris Catacombs *

*Brief*

Firstly I would like to thank Oxygen Thief, Urban Junkie, Tucker, Speed, Fabio and goan for this fantastic explore, this was always going to be an emotional trip for me as its one of the explores I remembered my brother from, but I kept it together, I am going to try and give you every detail of this for you to picture it and experience what it was like for us, some of my pictures where done in flash as it was a nightmare getting camera out for every room setting it up on tripod and doing light painting, you will understand if you ever go here 

*Explore*

I woke up at Miss Horus’s house all excited for this, my long time waiting had come, I set off to my house to get the rest of my things sorted before heading to goan’s, after leaving his we set off for our 5 hour 23 minute journey to Oxygen thief house, We only had miner problems with my sat nav on phone, as it drained the battery but we used goan’s phone so things where all good, traffic was also spot on given us a clean drive to OT’s, finally we got to our destination and met up with OT, I dropped goan off at train station as he was going to London, me and OT took a small drive to Tesco to get the rest of the things we would need and then went back to his for some food and a very small drink and watched Ice Road Truckers 

Waking up in the morning I was shattered but yet still full of adrenalin for our long journey to Paris, we got to the train station with only minutes to spare to Waterloo, we then got underground to the St Pancras, where we waited for our Euro train to be ready, we received a text from goan stating he was on train and would meet us there, everything was going smooth, we had a little snooze on train until finally we arrived at Paris Nord, first things first, we needed a smoke, I got roped in to sign this charity sheet for the deaf, I decided to give her 5 Euro’s only for her to show my that the minimum was for 10! What!?! Later I noticed them talking to each other while turning so lip read wasn’t an issue, yep I was scammed! 

We waited on goan as OT had received another text from him saying that he missed train and if we where still in London, so we decided to wait and see if he got on the next Euro Star, it come to a point where we had to go get ready and go, we took another stop at the supermarket to get rest of things then headed to the catacombs, walking to the access point I was nervous yet excited, we eventually got in and OT explained that the police patrol certain area’s inside the cata, so we needed to watch our lights etc, after doing crawls and walking some distance we came to the BAS room where we met up with Urban Junkie, Speed, Tucker and oh goan  We sat and chilled out for awhile from then.












With OT being the granddad of the group he wanted to get his head down, The experienced explores was going to show us newbs some more place's in the combs until OT was ready to meet up with us.









































After walking/ducking and crawling for almost 2 hours we came to our destination where we where meeting up with OT, we chilled there and had some food until OT arrived and then come up with a plan of sleeping arrangements and where it was going to be, by then I was looking forward to this all the traveling was taking its toll on me, we eventually came to a decision and set off to it
When arriving we sat up for a little while taking and having a small drink before heading to bed were we slept for a long worth 12 hours, we woke up to a dark room which felt very strange chilled and had breakfast, this give me time to take some light painting pictures.






This was OT's and Speeds sleeping quarters, the strange green glow I can only imagine was their socks


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## Horus (Jun 8, 2011)

We then set off for more exploring, this place was huge and amazing to say the least, it was nothing like what I expected, every room took my breath away with the features nothing looked the same other than the tunnels, I can now understand if you had no map and was lost the chance’s of getting out would be 1% unless you bumped into other explorers that could speak English, I am not sure how many miles we covered in this day but our legs and back where aching but still we moved on, we come to an area where some of us could make a quick phone call and a break, there was this head stone of the first explorer down here dedicated to him, as he got lost and ran out of light, I cant remember the full story of this that OT explained, he may explain on this report.









































We then came to the area with the bones, I was excited about this part in a non strange horrible way, this is what I first knew of this place when my brother showed me the pictures of his explores, the story around it was when the black death hit Paris, they filled all the graveyards up until the bodies where littering the street, this was causing more death to life as the disease was spreading, they decided to use the stone mine to dispose of the bodies, I believe there are tens of thousands bodies resting in peace here, if im incorrect on this please correct me. 


























By this time it was getting late although it looked the same time through out the trip, it was a good job OT remembered to bring his watch otherwise we wouldn’t even know what day it was never mind what time, we needed to find somewhere to make camp again, after walking around and crawling we where by far drained, when finding our rest area, me goan and Speed decided to go back to the place we all met, as we left resources there, after picking them up we bumped into a party full of French people, they where very nice offering food, drink and smokes, Speed knew one of the guys and when heading back explained to OT who it was, OT and a couple others headed back over as OT has been trying to get in touch with this guy for some time, me and Urban Junkie decided to stay and just chill out and have a chat until we went to bed by this time Fabio was already knocking out ZzzzZZ , when everyone came back and we all slept, loads of drunken French people come walking into our slumber shouting and singing, they where rolling me like I was a joint, but I pretended to sleep hehe
















We came to a decision to explore a certain part and head out as we where running out of food and water, this didn’t really bother us newbs as we seen everything really, we done well in 2 days and nights to cover a lot of it, we headed to a part that off the map but OT etc still knew the route of it so it wasn’t a worry that we where going to the unknown, OT, Urban Junkie and Tucker decided to wait with the bags while Speed shown me goan and Fabio the arches and steps.





















When we finally got out and away from police danger, the mixed feelings was something else, feeling that I have completed one of my brothers adventures was something i don’t know how to describe but yet the feeling like I was missing the place already, we now had to find a hotel for us to sleep the night, unfortunately me and goan didn’t plan to come out early so never had a lot of money, huge thanks to OT for arranging the hotel and helping us out through this, we got a hotel but was still some distance to cover on underground, when getting sorted at hotel and having a nice warm shower we went for a meal and was planning to meet up with rug, have to say iv never had a salad like it, I am not really a big eater but this went down with ease, had a couple of drinks and we where going to grab some cans and chill out on a hill they all knew about, unfortunately a thunder storm brew in, amazing lightning but then rain spoilt that idea, we then headed to rugs pad where we chilled and talked until heading back to the hotel to sleep.
















The next morning we went for breakfast and decided what to do to kill some time until we got on our 7pm train home, it was just a case of walking around really seeing some sites, we got to Paris Nord train station around 2 I think, and decided to wait there till the train was ready for us to board, this was horrible sat on the floor and then going to sleep was not nice, we where all tied and wanting to get home, there was a point me goan and Tucker fell asleep while Urban Junkie had to bare with people walking past thinking we where tramps haha,, eventunatelly our train was ready, after getting gear from lockers and heading to que for train, my pass wouldn’t work, only to realize I booked the train home for another months time, oh shit!, luckily they changed the time and got me on the train home.
















This has to be the best explore iv been on, to see this amazing place was one thing but to meet some top lads was another, big thanks to that guys you made an enjoyable trip, one to remember, hope you all enjoyed the read this is Horus, Cata File signing out!​


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## Priority 7 (Jun 8, 2011)

nice work Horus, Just a quick question did you have to crouch/crawl much as I fancy a trip here but want to ensure I dont risk doing my back in...lots of crouched walking might do that


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## Horus (Jun 8, 2011)

yes mate there was plenty of crouching, and there are some very tight crawls


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## night crawler (Jun 8, 2011)

Great report, not a placeto run out of battery power or get lost in.


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## TeeJF (Jun 8, 2011)

Awesome! we've yet to "do" a catacomb... but we would love to!


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## Priority 7 (Jun 8, 2011)

Thanks for that Horus sounds like I need to loose some weight and sort the back out prior to a visit


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## UrbanX (Jun 8, 2011)

With each report I see of the catas the lighting and the photos get a little better, and this is no exception. Top report mate. 

Not sure if it's my cup of tea being underground for that long, but I imagine it feels quite a spiritual experience after. 

Top notch.


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## GE066 (Jun 9, 2011)

UrbanX said:


> With each report I see of the catas the lighting and the photos get a little better, and this is no exception. Top report mate.



Really? Without being unkind, a lot of photos are too dark, and you can't really make out what the subject was. One appears to be an illuminated rock?! Maybe try using the 'Fill' function in Camera RAW if you use Photoshop to bring up the surroundings. A couple are really nice though, the shot of the arches is proper sweet. As is the chap on the bottom of the ladder.

I'm not a big fan of the catas, being 6'4" I had to do a lot of neck bending and avoiding headhunters. What makes the catas is the company, and looks like you had a good bunch, Speed aside  Oh, and of course French cheese, bread and wine!

P


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## Snips86x (Jun 9, 2011)

That looked like you had a superb explore down there. Of all the places I've read on here, this has to be the most creapy. Especially with the bones. Great report as usual Horus!


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## Em_Ux (Jun 9, 2011)

Fantastic report!

I think you have done a cracking job with getting the shots in very tricky lighting...well done


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## Horus (Jun 9, 2011)

GE066 said:


> Really? Without being unkind, a lot of photos are too dark, and you can't really make out what the subject was. One appears to be an illuminated rock?! Maybe try using the 'Fill' function in Camera RAW if you use Photoshop to bring up the surroundings. A couple are really nice though, the shot of the arches is proper sweet. As is the chap on the bottom of the ladder.
> 
> I'm not a big fan of the catas, being 6'4" I had to do a lot of neck bending and avoiding headhunters. What makes the catas is the company, and looks like you had a good bunch, Speed aside  Oh, and of course French cheese, bread and wine!
> 
> P



in my opinion if i was to just have every shot light painted the pictures would be average and the same, the one with the rock was ment to look like that, its experimenting with your lights and to be honest i feel it looks more interesting rather than a full lit room


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## King Al (Jun 9, 2011)

Excellent report and pics Horus! sounds like you had a great explore


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## DigitalNoise (Jun 9, 2011)

Great post, I'm ever so slightly jealous


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