Photographer Stephen Alvarez captures the intricate underground world of Paris, including catacombs that house millions of bodies and hidden tunnels frequented by 'cataphiles'—explorers who engage in various activities from partying to painting. The document explores the contrast between legally accessible sites like the catacombs and illegal exploration of forgotten tunnels, highlighting the vibrant culture and art created by those who venture underground. It emphasizes the community's spirit and the unique experiences of nighttime festivities in this subterranean realm.

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

2. Photographer Stephen Alvarez of NAT GEO explores the vast network of underground Paris perhaps the best known of France's subterranean architecture, an estimated 6 million bodies are piled in these catacombs, transferred from the cimetieres des saints-innocents from 1780 – 1860 . His works document an entire world of lakes, gold vaults, catacombs, and tunnels, and the people who regularly shift between the surface and nether worlds.

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)

7. Paris's underground world is inhabited by a host of impermanent residents, ranging from the inspectors who verify the stability of the city's foundations to the students and artists who make up the 'cataphile' populace of people who enjoy exploring the underground .

9. 'the wave', painted by french graffiti artist pyscos in the style of hokusai, is located in a sand-floored area of the catacombs nicknamed the 'beach room'

10. Some underground locations are open to the public, including the catacombs, a museum documenting the history of the french sewer system, and the ancient ruins that lie beneath the louvre and notre dame. by contrast, entering the city's quarries and forgotten tunnels has been illegal since 1955, but many still explore the subterranean networks, creating maps of the regions or cobbling together their own secret rooms. a Cataphile explains: ' we do what we want here. we don't have rules. many people come down here to party, some people to paint. some people to destroy or to create or to explore . '

11. part underground, part open-air, the canal St. martin is used here by the paris fire brigade for water training exercises

12. storing almost 3,000 tons of gold, the reserves of the bank of France lie 29 meters below street level

13. Many parisian clubs, like chez georges bar depicted here, have small rooms underground that they open to customers – where they party all night till wee hours of the morning.

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

16. French artist ‘Giles’ carried nearly a ton of material through a 5km passage through the catacombs to prepare this site and work on his painting

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