Museum offering an opportunity to discover a part of the Paris sewer system and understand how it works
This is one of the capital's most unusual museums. Through its galleries, you'll discover the sewers of Paris and, above all, understand how this wastewater collection system works. During a guided tour, you'll walk in the footsteps of a sewer worker and be immersed in a site in operation. We'll explain the challenges of water regulation and treatment. An impressive dive into the bowels of the city.
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Further information
Opening time and information on MUSÉE DES ÉGOUTS DE PARIS
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm (last admission 4 pm). Admission: €9; Reduced admission: €7. Closed May 1, December 25 and the first 15 days of January.
Message from Management
Underneath, it's a city under the city, with its streets and traffic, as described by Victor Hugo in L'intestin de Léviathan: this chapter of Les Misérables is devoted to the sewers of Paris, an object of fascination for the writer.
Today, 2,600 km of sewers run beneath our feet, carrying more than 300 million m3 of rainwater and wastewater every year. Circulating through this combined and gravity-fed network, they are collected, redirected and then pumped to treatment plants where they are purified. The sewers also contain other pipes and circuits: drinking water, electricity and, in recent years, even fibre optics!
Resolutely modern, the operation of the underground network imagined over a century ago remains relevant today. This is one of its distinctive features, among many others, including a remarkable industrial heritage, the fruit of the genius of the men behind the sanitation system.
To better understand the history of the sewers of Paris, a museum is dedicated to them. Its success reflects the fascination of the inhabitants of the world above, for this city beneath the city.
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Members' reviews on MUSÉE DES ÉGOUTS DE PARIS
The ratings and reviews below reflect the subjective opinions of members and not the opinion of The Little Witty.
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On n'imagine pas non plus le travail énorme et difficile des personnes qui gèrent ce réseau immense.
Visite à faire absolument pour apprécier la chance que nous avons aujourd'hui.
As a visitor one gains access to a number of live sewer tunnels. The sewage odour is moderate but not overwhelming. No protective equipment is required to be worn but visitors are advised of basic sanitary measures such as not touching surfaces & to wash hands after visiting the museum. A range of displays provide an understanding of the past present and future of Paris' sewer system.
A tip for non French speakers: All signage and interpretation is in French only, so we recommend paying for an audio guide for an additional €3. Audio guides are available in English and Spanish.
ps. the toilets at The Musée des Egouts were probably the best public toilets we experienced in Paris!