251# Catacombs & Cataphiles | Hidden Paris The Paris Catacombs are an extensive underground ossuary in Paris, France, holding the remains of more than six million people. Here's an overview of their origin, stories, and legends: The idea of people living in the Paris Catacombs is surrounded by myth and intrigue, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. While no one permanently resides in the Catacombs, there is a subculture of individuals known as cataphiles who explore and sometimes temporarily inhabit these underground passages.