Explore Paris
Musée des égouts de Paris
Type: History Museums, Museums
10Best Says
The sewer museum may be out of sight, under the streets of Paris, but it's worth a visit, especially if you're familiar with Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, or if you're fascinated with the offbeat. The... Read More
The sewer museum may be out of sight, under the streets of Paris, but it's worth a visit, especially if you're familiar with Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, or if you're fascinated with the offbeat. The city's current sewer network was begun in 1850, although some rudimentary pipes were laid earlier, under order of Napoleon I. The visit, dotted with explanatory panels and dredging equipment, takes you around a maze of tunnels and sewer pipes. You likely won't want to make it a long one, as the smell can be off-putting. The entrance is in the riverside gardens the Quai d'Orsay and the Seine. Closed 2 weeks in Jan. METRO: Alma-Marceau (and cross bridge) or RER Pont de l'Alma
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Hours:
- Oct - Apr Sat-Wed 11am-4pm
- May - Sep Sat-Wed 11am-5pm
Admissions:
- Adult 4.30; Child (6-16) 3.50; Child (0-5) Free
EXPERT TIPS BY:
Paige Donner
Paris Local Expert
- Museums: "It wasn't until Napoleon I that the first Parisian sewer system was built. Until then women still carried water in buckets from the Seine."
- Best for Museums Because: "They will not begrudge money for a Comic Opera, but will complain about building aqueducts worthy of Augustus," Voltaire, writing about Paris lacking sewer systems.
