The urbex scene in Paris has attracted explorers from all over the world since the 1980s. Between the galleries of the Paris Catacombs, the tracks of the Petite Ceinture, and the military forts of the Séré de Rivières system encircling the capital, urban exploration in Île-de-France offers a dense and documented playground. This article presents to you 5 must-see urbex sites in Paris and its region, with a button under each place to add its GPS coordinates to your personal map for free.
The terms urbex Paris 75, abandoned places Île-de-France, urban exploration Paris, and free urbex Paris all refer to the same reality: a region of 12 million inhabitants where industrial, military, and hospital history has left hundreds of accessible ruins.
Free Urbex Paris: Why Urbex Maps Changes the Game
Before diving into the 5 spots, a word on what makes this guide different. Most platforms talking about free urbex Paris have "free" in their title, only to redirect to a paywall or a private forum charging 50 euros for entry. Here, the promise stands on a button: under each spot, click "Add to my map" and the GPS coordinates move to your personal space, no credit card needed.
Behind this mechanism is a community of 40,000 explorers providing on-the-ground updates since 2021. Every coordinate published in this article has been verified at least twice: once by the original contributor, and a second time by a regional moderator confirming the spot still exists (not demolished, not permanently walled up, not turned into coworking).
The 5 spots that follow are part of the 18 Parisian spots we offer in free urbex Paris unconditionally-the rest of the Île-de-France catalog (245 spots in total) is available through paid departmental packs that fund moderation. If you just want a taste of Parisian exploration, the 5 addresses below are enough to fill two complete weekends.
Free Urbex in Paris: How Does it Work?
Most urbex guides keep the GPS coordinates to themselves or sell them at a premium. Here, it's different: all spots in this article are offered. Click "Add for free to my map" under each location, create a free account if you don't have one, and the GPS coordinates instantly appear on your personal map.
To go further, you can then explore the coordinate packs by district or the entirety of Parisian spots (75, 92, 93, 94, 95).
1. Paris Catacombs
The Paris Catacombs are a municipal ossuary set up in former limestone quarries located under the Montrouge plain in the 14th arrondissement. The site was consecrated on April 7, 1786, by Mgr de Pommyer, following the State Council's decision on November 9, 1785, to close the Cemetery of the Innocents for public health reasons. The transfer of bones, entrusted to the Inspector General of Quarries Charles-Axel Guillaumot, continued until 1861 and involved about six million individuals. A good visual reference before going down: the urbex report in the Paris catacombs on YouTube.
The decorative layout as we know it (bone pillars, Latin inscriptions, funerary rotunda) dates back to 1810, under the direction of Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury. Louis-Philippe visited the site in 1832, Napoleon III in 1860. The official circuit from Denfert-Rochereau measures 1.5 km, 20 meters underground. The complete network, inherited from Gallo-Roman and medieval quarries that provided stone for Notre-Dame and the Louvre, exceeds 300 km on the left and right banks of the Seine.
The Cataphile Community and the Grand South Network
The cataphiles, underground explorers of the network, have structured a documented underground culture since the 1970s: furnished rooms (room Z, room of Cats, room of the Castle), frescoes, and a projection room discovered by the police in 2004, equipped with a generator and cafeteria. The "Beach" is adorned with a fresco inspired by The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Access is via about twenty known entrances (manholes, cellars, RER accesses) in the 5th, 13th, 14th, and 15th arrondissements.
Access and Precautions: Paris Catacombs
- ●The official part is open to the public with a ticket (about 29 euros in 2025), but access to the undeveloped galleries (the GRS, Grand South Network) is prohibited by prefectural decree of November 2, 1955, with a fixed fine of 135 euros for intrusion.
- ●Supervision provided by the IGC (General Inspection of Quarries) and the sewer and catacomb brigade of the police prefecture, recognizable by their uniforms and powerful lights.
- ●Minimum equipment: headlamp with a minimum of 300 lumens + backup lamp, waterproof boots, disposable clothes, water (2 L), updated paper map. It is 14 °C all year round and the humidity rate is around 100%.
- ●Specific risks: disorientation in unmarked galleries, collapses (the network is unstable in several areas classified as "at risk" by the IGC), sudden flooding after rain via the underground Bièvre conduits, and encounters with other sometimes undesirable groups.
- ●Never go down alone, leave a map and a return time with someone on the surface, count 3 to 4 hours minimum for a short exploration.
This spot remains the absolute reference for urban exploration Paris and one of the rare cases where a free urbex Paris search is not enough: you also need a network map and an experienced guide.
Free Urbex Paris: Alternatives to the Catacombs for Beginners
If you're discovering free urbex Paris and are not comfortable with the cataphile descent, three risk-free entry points exist on the surface: the developed section of the Petite Ceinture in the 14th (square Charles-Trenet), the official Catacomb visit from Denfert-Rochereau, and the Capuchin quarries during Heritage Days. You keep the "Paris underground" feeling without exposing yourself to the IGC or 135 euros fine.
2. Petite Ceinture of Paris
The Petite Ceinture of Paris is a former 32 km railway line that circled the capital within the Thiers Wall. Opened by sections between 1852 and 1869, it connected the six major Parisian stations (Saint-Lazare, Nord, Est, Lyon, Austerlitz, Montparnasse) and was used for military transport imposed by Napoleon III. The Auteuil line, opened as early as 1854, was the busiest with intense passenger traffic at the turn of the 20th century: 29 stations, a train every 15 to 30 minutes depending on the time, and a peak of 39 million passengers in 1900 during the Universal Exposition.
Passenger traffic was discontinued for most of the loop on July 23, 1934, overshadowed by the metro. Only the Auteuil line survived until 1985, partially integrated into the RER C. Freight continued until 1993. The remaining 23 km are owned by SNCF Reséau, and the City of Paris signed protocols in 2006 and then 2015 to gradually open certain sections to the public. To see the route in motion, watch this Petite Ceinture exploration video on YouTube.
Flora, Fauna, and Current Sections
The wasteland has become a remarkable ecological corridor: the Regional Biodiversity Agency has recorded more than 220 plant species, 70 bird species, red foxes, hedgehogs, and bat colonies (pipistrelles, grey long-eared bats) in the tunnels. About 7 km are open to the public in 2024. The most photogenic former stations are Ménilmontant (20th), Avenue de Saint-Ouen (17th), Charonne (11th, converted into the bar "La Flèche d'Or" until 2016), and Flanders (19th).
Access and Precautions: Petite Ceinture of Paris
- ●The developed sections (square Charles-Trenet in the 14th, nature trail in the 16th, promenade in the 15th) are freely accessible during the day, with varying opening hours depending on the season.
- ●The closed sections remain SNCF Réseau property. Intrusion is punishable by a 4th class fine (135 euros) under Article R. 411-6 of the Transport Code.
- ●Known wild accesses: trench of rue de la Mare (20th), bridge above rue d'Avron, footbridges of Buttes-Chaumont, tunnel under rue de Belleville. Entries evolve as SNCF regularly installs grids and cameras.
- ●Risks: occasional service train circulation (maintenance, work), presence of precarious camps in some long tunnels, electrified rails on sections connected to the RER C, and stone falls in trenches.
- ●Equipment: shoes with lugged soles (slippery ballast), a lamp for tunnels over 200 meters (Charonne, Belleville, Buttes-Chaumont), gloves for climbing grids. No visible tripod, as SNCF agents spot photographers.
The Petite Ceinture remains the best entry point to start urbex Paris 75: no technical descent, always possible exit via a trench, and many traces of industrial Paris still readable in the architectural work.
Free Urbex Paris: the 20th District Section to Unlock First
For a first test in free urbex Paris mode, aim for the trench of rue de la Mare (20th): it's the most photographed and least monitored access point of the Petite Ceinture. The GPS coordinates unlocked under this paragraph point directly to the footbridge overlooking the trench, 4 minutes walk from Jourdain metro (line 11). Plan 2 hours round-trip to cover up to the former Ménilmontant station.
3. Château de la Solitude - the Abandoned Mansion of Le Plessis-Robinson (92)
At 15 km south of Paris, at the edge of the departmental park of Le Plessis-Robinson, the Château de la Solitude) raises its neo-Renaissance turrets amid a garden turned forest. The estate has been known since 1690 under the name "château de la Solitude", owned by financier Pierre de Villepoix. The current building, rebuilt in the 1850s-1860s in an eclectic style mixing neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance, changed hands several times before being bought in 1887 by the congregation of the Little Sisters of the Poor, founded in Saint-Servan in 1839 by Jeanne Jugan.
The nuns set up a novitiate, then a home for isolated elderly people. The activity continued for nearly a century. By the late 1990s, declining vocations and maintenance costs led to its progressive closure. The château has been vacant since the early 2000s and has been subject to several unrealized real estate and hotel projects since 2015. To see the place in motion, watch this Château de la Solitude urbex visit on YouTube.
What's Left to See
Ceiling frescoes in the ground floor salons (floral motifs and allegories), three Carrara marble fireplaces, sculpted oak grand staircase, adjacent chapel built in 1893 with its glass windows from the Lorin de Chartres workshop. The park, planted with century-old Lebanese cedars and sequoias, joined the Hauts-de-Seine departmental park in 2008.
Access and Precautions: Château de la Solitude
- ●The park is public and freely accessible during the day (opening 8am-8pm in summer, 8am-6pm in winter).
- ●The château itself is sealed and off-limits: housebreaking within the meaning of Article 226-4 of the Penal Code (1 year in prison, 15,000 euros fine), even on a vacant building managed by a private owner.
- ●Occasional security by a security company appointed by the owner; patrols strengthened on weekends and public holidays.
- ●Trail cameras (discreet cameras fixed in trees) reported since 2022.
- ●Physical risks: collapsed floors on the second floor, exposed lead, plaster falls from ceilings degraded by humidity.
- ●Best photographic window: Autumn for the low sunlight on ocher bricks or winter mornings with light mist.
This is one of the most photographed abandoned places in Île-de-France, appreciated for its rare eclectic style in the inner suburbs.
4. Sanatorium d'Aincourt - the White Giant of Vexin (95)
Built between 1931 and 1933 on the plateau of the French Vexin Regional Natural Park, 60 km northwest of Paris, the sanatorium d'Aincourt was one of the largest anti-tuberculosis establishments in France. Architects Édouard Crevel and Paul Abraham designed a complex of three pavilions (Adrien-Bonnefoy, Docteur-Chevalier, Espérance) in a modernist style inspired by the Bauhaus, with south-facing cure galleries, running balconies, terraced roofs, and exterior elevators. The establishment, funded by the Seine department, officially opened on April 27, 1933, with 520 beds on 28 hectares.
A History Marked by the Occupation
To see the spot in motion, watch this sanatorium d'Aincourt urbex exploration on YouTube.
The site was requisitioned by the Vichy government on October 5, 1940, to become the Aincourt internment camp, designated for communist and unionist militants arrested after the dissolution of the PCF. About 1,500 detainees transited through here between October 1940 and September 1942, including the future resistant Guy Môquet (arrested at age 16, briefly detained at Aincourt before his transfer to Châteaubriant and execution on October 22, 1941). A commemorative monument was inaugurated on site in 1997.
After Liberation, the establishment returned to its sanatorium vocation, then converted into a specialized hospital center in the 1970s. The original three pavilions were closed in 1988. The Adrien-Bonnefoy pavilion is protected under historic monuments by order on March 9, 2000.
What's Left to See
Rows of cure rooms with curved glass windows, projection room with stage and riveted seats, basement morgue, disused chapel, industrial kitchens with period Arthur Martin stoves, and 80-meter corridors to the former solariums. The Espérance pavilion retains its original hydraulic elevator.
Access and Precautions: Sanatorium d'Aincourt
- ●Site protected under historic monuments; deliberate damage is punishable by 7 years in prison and a 100,000 euros fine (Article 322-3-1 of the Penal Code).
- ●Part of the domain still houses an active day hospital (Centre Hospitalier d'Aincourt). Never approach active buildings or staff.
- ●Enhanced surveillance since 2019: infrared cameras on the Adrien-Bonnefoy pavilion, gendarmerie patrols (Vigny brigade) on weekends, and sound alarms.
- ●Documented presence of asbestos in suspended ceilings, boiler room insulating, and some floor coverings. FFP3 mask required, disposable suit recommended.
- ●Physical dangers: collapsed floors in the Docteur-Chevalier pavilion, open elevator shaft in the Espérance pavilion, broken glass on the ground.
- ●Access on foot from the Aincourt community hall parking; no direct public transport, plan a car. The site should only be visited in daylight, as patrols are more frequent at night.
The sanatorium remains the flagship site of urbex Paris 75 extended to the region, frequently cited in the press (Le Parisien, 2018; France 3 Île-de-France, 2021).
5. Fort de Villiers - Military Urbex at Paris' Doorstep (93)
Built between 1878 and 1883, the Fort de Villiers is one of the 18 forts of the second fortified ring of Paris, initiated after the defeat of 1870 on the plan of General Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières, head of the Military Engineering Corps. For an exploration video of the site, watch this Fort de Villiers urbex walkthrough on YouTube, which gives a good idea of the casemates, galleries, and ditches still visible today. Located in Noisy-le-Grand (Seine-Saint-Denis), it covers 11 hectares and formed with the forts of Champigny, Sucy, and Domont the eastern defensive line intended to keep German artillery at bay, whose range had doubled since the Franco-Prussian war.
The fort is built of rubble and bricks, following the standard Séré de Rivières model: trapezoidal plan, 8-meter dry moat, caponnières for flanking fire, accommodation for 250 men, underground powder magazine. It never fired a shot. Decommissioned at the turn of the 20th century with the advent of the torpedo shell, it served as a munitions depot during the Great War, then as barracks for colonial troops.
From WWII to the Municipal Park
During the Occupation, the Wehrmacht used it as a logistics depot. At Liberation, it was occupied by the FFI. The French army retained it until 1974, then ceded it to the City of Noisy-le-Grand in 1999. The ASFV (Association for the Preservation of Fort de Villiers, established in 2005) began a restoration campaign. Since 2012, the fort is occasionally open during European Heritage Days.
What's Left to See
Entry postern with a fixed bridge, firing casemates, and double caponnière, powder magazine with its lamp niches, traces of German graffiti dated 1943, spiral staircases to the top terrace. This is one of the best-preserved forts of the second ring, comparable to Cormeilles or Champigny.
Access and Precautions: Fort de Villiers
- ●Municipal park officially open to the public on Saturday afternoons from May to October (check with ASFV or Noisy-le-Grand city hall).
- ●Outside of the opening period, the fort is fenced off; climbing over remains trespassing on communal property (3rd class fine, 68 euros).
- ●Underground galleries closed outside of guided tours for safety reasons (weakened vaults, presence of protected bats: greater horseshoe bat, notch-eared bat).
- ●Transport access: RER A station Noisy-le-Grand - Mont d'Est, then a 15-minute walk; bus 220 stop Varennes.
- ●Equipment: closed shoes (brambles), headlamp for visiting the firing chambers, insect repellents in summer (humid ditches).
- ●The best approach remains the legal visit during Heritage Days (3rd weekend of September) or on request with ASFV, which offers free thematic tours.
This site is ideal for a first approach to urban exploration Paris in a military version, without major legal risk and with historical depth rarely matched in the inner suburbs.
FAQ - Urbex Paris: Everything You Wanted to Know
Is Urbex Legal in Paris?
No. Entering private property without permission constitutes housebreaking (Article 226-4 of the Penal Code, 1 year in prison and a maximum 15,000 € fine). For the catacombs, there's a specific prefectural decree: 60 € fine for descending outside the official circuit. In practice, explorers who don't cause damage and don't publish locations are rarely prosecuted. More details in our dedicated article: Is urbex legal in France?.
Where to Find More Free Parisian Urbex Spots?
Our free urbex map page offers 30 free GPS coordinates in France upon registration (free account, no credit card). For comprehensive coverage, check the France abandoned places map or specifically the Île-de-France packs.
What Gear for Urbex in Paris?
Minimum essentials: headlamp (+ backup lamp for the catacombs), boots or high shoes, camera with wide-angle lens, FFP3 mask for asbestos sites (sanatoriums, old factories). Our beginner gear guide details the complete setup.
Can I Go There Alone?
Technically yes, but strongly discouraged for catacombs and underground forts. For the Petite Ceinture and surface castles, the risk is low. The universal rule of urbex: never go underground alone.
How to Find More Abandoned Places in Île-de-France?
Three complementary methods: Google Earth satellite mode (collapsed roofs, empty pools, deserted parking lots), the urbex-maps database (245,000 spots worldwide), and specialized forums (although they never publicly indicate coordinates). Our article how to find abandoned places details each method.
What's the Best Time for Urbex in Paris?
Autumn and early spring offer the best conditions for urban exploration Paris: low-angle light for photography, little vegetation in wastelands (the Petite Ceinture is almost impenetrable between June and September), early nightfall helps with discretion in late afternoon, and bearable temperatures. Winter is suitable for underground sites (catacombs, forts) where the temperature remains constant at 14 °C. Avoid summer for outdoor sites: high attendance, heat in attics and lofts, mosquitoes in fort ditches.
Which Urbex Spots Pose No Legal Risk in Paris?
Four categories of sites pose no legal risk: the developed sections of the Petite Ceinture (15th, 16th, 12th, 14th, 20th), the guided tours of Fort de Villiers by the ASFV, the official part of the Catacombs from Denfert-Rochereau, and the European Heritage Days in September, which open about twenty usually closed sites every year (Montsouris reservoir, Capuchin quarry, former Laennec hospital). For a complete list, check the annual program published by the Ministry of Culture.
How to Join the Parisian Urbex Community?
The cataphile community historically works by co-optation via "catapartys" (underground parties) and organized surface meetings. For beginners, accessible entry points are: Francophone forums (exploration-urbaine.com, urbex.nl French version), regional Facebook groups ("Urbex Île-de-France", "Urbex Paris Photography"), recognized explorer Instagram accounts (Simon Terrail, Romain Veillon, Timothy Hannem), and association outings organized by SEADACC (Society for the Study and Development of the Former Capuchin Quarries) or Seine-Saint-Denis tourism for military heritage. Universal rule: never publicly ask for coordinates, always come with content to share (photos, maps, historical anecdotes) before being accepted into the inner circle.
Sources and Videos
To ensure the reliability of the information in this article, here are the main references used:
- ●Fort de Villiers - urbex walkthrough (YouTube)
- ●Paris Catacombs - report (YouTube)
- ●Petite Ceinture - exploration (YouTube)
- ●Sanatorium d'Aincourt - exploration (YouTube)
- ●Château de la Solitude - visit (YouTube)
- ●14 Wikipedia articles linked in the body (Catacombs, Petite Ceinture, Fort de Villiers, Sanatorium d'Aincourt, Château de la Solitude, Cataphile, Séré de Rivières fortifications, etc.)
- ●Archives of the Paris Police Prefecture (prefectural order of November 2, 1955)
- ●General inventory of heritage (Sanatorium d'Aincourt, Historic Monument since 2000)
To Go Further
- ●Discover all the urbex spots in Paris (75) and neighboring departments
- ●Read our top abandoned places in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- ●Understand urbex safety rules
- ●Explore abandoned sanatoriums and hospitals in Europe
Free urbex in Paris is above all a community that shares. If you know a spot to add to this list, contact us - we will consider it for an upcoming article update.
