The Paris Beneath The Paris! This Underground Sewer Museum Allows You To Step Into The Gutters

by Ankita Mazumdar
The Paris Beneath The Paris! This Underground Sewer Museum Allows You To Step Into The Gutters

The City of Love, Paris, is always buzzing with romantic and touristy things. It is known to be iconic for multiple reasons. Whether it is the Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, or Louvre Museum, Paris will win your heart! However, did you know that the underground of the city showcases its history? The city’s sewer system goes unnoticed, with its intricate labyrinths of gutters, there is an underground sewer museum of Paris. If you are a history buff and you have covered all the romantic spots of Paris, then you have to visit this museum. Check it out.

Paris Sewer Museum Lets You Into The Gutters

Paris Sewer Museum
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Paris Sewer Museum is also known as Musée des Égouts de Pari and is located in Habib-Bourguiba, near the Pont de l’Alma, Paris. It lets you have a sneak peek into Paris’ history and how the disposable systems were shaped. You will shift from archaic wonders to modern systems from tunnels to bridges and walkways that manage the rainwater and wastage.

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A walk through some of the active sewers and you can hear the wastage flowing to its final destination. This museum is contrastingly opposite to the glamorous vibes Paris is famous for. Exploring the underbelly of Paris is also about understanding the idiom ‘Two sides of a coin’.

An interesting thing about this museum is that during the early days, visitors took a cart to be transported through the sewers. Then it was upgraded to a small train and boat till 1970.

The City Had To Plan Out For Sewer System

Paris Sewer Museum
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

The city has an incredibly planned-out maze of tunnels. It is an engineering marvel for the city as back in the day Paris used to be a mess and was practically an unlivable city. Due to that, the residents of Paris were contracting diseases and many deaths were reported due to extreme hygiene problems. That is absolutely no way of living and the sewer systems have made living in Paris way  better.

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The city has about 2600 Km of gutters. The system has been around for centuries and it is still very much functional. The city is trying to be sustainable by treating the rainwater and water waste in power plants, making it clean, and transporting it back to the city for daily use.

After renovation the museum reopened with better facilities in 2021. You should visit this unique museum with your friends. Click here to book your tickets.

Where: Esplanade Habib Bourguiba, Pont de l’Alma, 75007 Paris, France

When: 10 AM – 5 PM

Cost: €9 onwards

Cover Image Credits:X/@catmorley

First Published: October 04, 2023 8:09 PM