Paris Underground is a life lived by the Cataphiles. secret holes below the streets that lead to a world of surprise and dark fun. You will find pubs, fresco, graffiti, sculptures and lot more to this travel route of secrecy and awe.

1. PARIS UNDERGROUND A rare experience Photographs by Stephen Alvarez Presentation compiled by JIGAR PANDYA | jigarpandya18@gmail.com

3. Paris Undergrounds are usually explored by entering a subway station – metro rail

4. After the trains leave as the frequency of the trains drop after midnight – party people wait on the tracks to access the sever holes

5. Party people are allowed to be lower below through a manhole leading to severs and underground of Paris- After dark night life

6. A winding staircase leads to a lower levels below the severs (gutters)

14. Party Animals throng the underground clubs …till early morning even on weekdays.

15. A flame thrower performs at a student party in the old quarries

17. once a wine cellar, this room is still known by cataphiles as 'le cellier'

18. These sculptures are found in the catacombs beneath parc montsouris

24. A manhole cover leads to a ladder descending deep under the streets of Paris and into the Catacombs.

25. A Cataphile crawls through a dangerous, narrow passageway leading to a secret corridor and tomb within the Catacombs

26. Cataphiles’ headlamps illuminate a passageway as they navigate through the deep water sometimes found in the Catacombs.

27. A close-up of a map of the Catacombs showing a web of corridors and rooms. Maps are made and updated by the Cataphiles and placed on secret websites distributed within the community.

28. The mud and water-soaked exploration boots of a group of Cataphiles

29. Skull shaped candle holders carved into the wall of an underground chamber. Skull shaped candle holders carved into the wall of an underground chamber.

30. Graffiti art has been a tradition in the Catacombs dating back to the 18th century. Cataphiles uphold this tradition by painting on and carving into the tunnel walls and leaving tracts, drawings, information and humor that they hide in various places for each other to find and collect. In this photo, a graffiti artist sprays new work onto one of the walls. He agreed to have his photo taken only if his face was hidden A fresh mural painted on a Catacomb wall. One of hundreds of paintings on the rock walls of one of the tunnels.

31. A Cataphile scales the walls of an underground corridor in hopes of discovering secret passageways or entrances

32. Cataphiles sleep in a hidden chamber deep within the Catacombs after exploring and partying overnight

33. Cues and clues Underground Paris is a pure ‘Treasure hunt’ of culture, lifestyle and Art.

34. Paris Aboveground – at dusk

35. Paris Aboveground – at midnight

36. Paris Aboveground – at dawn

37. In most urban areas, exploring the underground infrastructure on your own could land you in some serious trouble with the law. But there are plenty of safe and legal ways to experience la vie sous-terraine (THE PARIS UNDERGROUND)

38. Every City has a story…….. A story of culture, art and lifestyle…..exploration begins at home. ..Have an interesting story? Please share it with me. JIGAR PANDYA | jigarpandya18@gmail.com