Cataphile

At a time when being "in" has meant staying in at night, the city's catacombs, the Gallo-Roman-vintage quarries from which Paris was built, have managed to lure le tout Paris, now known as cataphiles, troglos, and nouvelles taupes ("moles")—and la salle Z, fifteen chambers in the 250 kilometers of vaulted tunnels, has become the endroit of the moment. A stroll from la salle Z brings the cataphiles, by clearly marked street signs, to the underground bunker used by the Germans during the Occupation, or to the underground crystalline fountain of Sainte Marie for a midnight splash, or to the outlying ossuaries where flea-market dealers get the skulls they sell for 300 francs.

Philip, who uses only his first name, said: "This world is divided into two races, the tourists and the cataphiles. The tourists are a hated race. … You have to do everything to chase them out." […] "There have always been cataphiles, but perhaps in the past they were more respectful," [Michel] Laroche said. "It is not a sacred place, but it is our patrimony."

[T]he mystery and mystique of its narrow passages and vast caves has proved too enticing. Cataphiles young and old dig new holes and cut through the locks at night to roam around and hold parties and raves. […] Cataphiles share a few well-guarded secrets. Most confidential of all is which entrances they use to get into "the labyrinth".

DEEP beneath the streets of Paris, police are playing a game of cat and mouse with a band of explorers who have turned the city's underground tunnels and chambers into their personal playground. The so-called cataphiles, equipped with waders, torches and rucksacks, drop in through manholes to explore disused medieval quarries and catacombs, spray graffiti and throw parties. […] Skilled cataphiles elude police by ducking into corridors or moving in the dark.

Notre Dame de dessous la terre [artwork by Damien Jacob, text by Jean-Pierre Pécau, 2001]: […] The artist is a former cataphile, and the series is replete with subterranean history and folklore.

Unlike a cataphile, being that far below the surface felt extremely unnatural. If there were an emergency or if I really panicked and decided that I wanted out, how in the world would I get back up? There was no quick way out.

Urban exploration has many subcultures, each with its own fetishes and slang. There are rooftoppers, builderers, cataphiles and those with a taste for "ruin porn" – artfully lit photos of decaying masonry and Rorschach water stains.