It looks like there's a cat-and-mouse game afoot between the cops and the “cataphiles” in Paris:
[....] The cataphiles are in relentless war, “une guerre souterraine,” as Gadget calls it. Head-lamped cave-cops cruise the underground, chasing out trespassers, handing out thousand-franc fines, about $140. Manholes are soldered from above; whole teams descend hauling cement and cinder blocks — an awful sweaty job — to block off passages and seal up the rabbit holes. To no avail. Within days, the cataphiles go on the attack, using crowbars, sledgehammers, shovels, hydraulic jacks, high-powered rock drills: smashing the walls, busting the careful solders. One legendary manhole was closed and reopened and closed again 20 times in a week. The police, of course, find this infuriating; the cataphiles think it’s hilarious fun. […]
See also: Infiltration.org.
I loved this article. Thanks for posting it!
hi people….what’s a cataphiles? r they destroying the catacombs? y r they doing that for ? who r they n where r they from ?
need more subversive stuff in England, everybody seems doped up on credit cards.
Great work on the cataphiles part and they leave the place tidier than when found, you cant ask fairer than that.
I have been in the catacombes this weekend with a friend of a friend who is a cataphile. Absolutely amazed at what was down there! We saw quite a few other people but luckily no police. well worth a look but make sure u are with someone who knows their way and has a good map!