For the archaeology nut that just doesn't have much time in Paris, the Crypte Archeologique covers a lot of history in about thirty minutes. This is another way of getting the most out of the heart of the city at Kilometer Zero before even leaving the Ile de la Cite. If you're visiting during the summer months, this is also an excellent way to get out of the sun for a while.

Just in front of Notre Dame Cathedral is the entranceway to this small museum that leads into the ruins of old Paris just under street level.

Unlike a typical museum, this is an actual dig site, found in 1965 and opened to the public in 1980. You can see the many different layers of Parisian history in the archways, stairs and rubble. The excavations reveal over two thousand years of Parisian life, from Roman Paris - which they called Lutetia - all the way to the nineteenth century. You can see the remains of a Roman bath; the familiar stacked bricks of the heating system (or Hypocaust) are still visible. For those interested in the dark ages there is what is left of a Merovingian basilica known as Saint-Etienne. In parts of the site it is easy to trace out and the old street plan of the city. The collection of scale models and illustrations help you imagine what the rubble in front of you once looked like. Kids who like history will really like this type of museum since it's the real thing, and not just some artifacts in a glass case. I suggest visiting this site first before the others on the island to give a sense of traveling through time.

The visit to the Crypte takes so little time that it is a must for everyone, even small children will enjoy it. It is a walk-through visit so even those that are bored do not have to stay with a tour group and suffer. It can also make a great time killer if you are waiting for others in your group to climb the belfry at Notre Dame.

General information about the museum:

http://www.monum.fr

Practical information:

http://www.monum.fr

A much more in-depth site including a map of the excavations (in French but the map is useful):

http://www.v1.paris.fr

Nearby hotels:

Paris Hotel Americain
Paris Hotel St Christophe
Paris Hotel Crystal

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Justin Demetri is a talented contributor to Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com. Should you like him to write professionally for you, please contact him at  .