"This eccentric attraction is sure to bring goosebumps and chills to all who dare enter."
Halloween is approaching and in a city as old as Paris there’s no escaping the darker side of its past. After all, a city full of history is a city full of ghosts. If you’re looking for something fun to do this spooky season (or anytime of the year) here are 13 ways to celebrate the occasion.
Buried 20 meters underneath Paris is a labyrinth of tunnels holding the remains of more than six million people. Formerly used as mining tunnels the ossuary known as the catacombes was created during the late 1700’s as an effort to reduce the overflowing cemeteries. It took the city 12 years to transfer all the bones and during the French Revolution the dead were directly buried in the catacombes.
The city no longer uses the ossuary as a burial ground and a little more than a mile of the catacombes is open for the public to explore today. Expect to spend about an hour on the visit with the option of having a guide, audio guide, or braving it solo.
Located in the 20th arrondissement, the Pere Lachaise cemetery is the largest and most visited necropolis in Paris. Named after King Louis XIV’s confessor, Father François d’Aix de La Chaise, Pere Lachaise is the final resting place of some of history’s greatest writers, musicians, artists and politicians - including Frédéric Chopin, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison.
Brimming with winding paths, ornate tombs and religious statues you might just stumble upon something unexpected. Admission is free and guided tours take place on the weekends.
Other noteworthy cemeteries to check out: Montparnasse and Montmartre.
Somewhat of a combination between a haunted house and museum the Manoir de Paris is an immersive theatrical experience drawing inspiration from Paris’ most frightening tales. Each room of the house is dedicated to a different legend brought to life with proper decoration, music, and actors. Open year-round, Manoir de Paris offers special limited-run shows during the holiday season as well as an escape room.
Run by self-proclaimed “vampirologist” the Musee des Vampires is a private institution on the outskirts of Paris, far from most tourist hot spots. Reservations are required and you must book an appointment with the owner himself, Jaccques Sirgent.
Potentially the only vampire museum in the world, monsieur Sirgent’s one-room collection includes an anti-vampire kit, a mummified cat, crossbows, and an assortment of paraphernalia that he has obtained from several sources over the years. This eccentric attraction is sure to bring goosebumps and chills to all who dare enter.
Actively participate in a live police investigation staged in the center of Paris. Whether you’re exploring abandoned basements, analyzing crime scenes, interrogating, or taking part in street surveillance expect to be on edge as you hunt down a mysterious serial killer. Guided by professional actors you will face various scenarios leading you to one of four possible outcomes. The experience lasts over two hours and is designed for groups of two to six people.
In the center of the Latin Quarter, the Pantheon is located just a few steps away from la Sorbonne. Originally a royal church, the Pantheon is now a memorial for many well known french writers, philosophers, and politicians. If the gruesome religious paintings in the entry aren’t enough to spook you head to the corridors that lead to the crypts. Pay homage to the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, and Marie Curie as you visit the tombs that played a part in shaping the history of France.
Discover the macabre side to the city of lights on a sinister night-time walk of Paris’ most eerie spots. Gain insight into the violent history as you learn about the murders, executions, plagues, and war that ravaged the capital. This two-hour guided tour starts at Pont Neuf and finishes at Hotel de Ville taking you on a journey of the city’s famous landmarks as well as its tucked-away streets off the beaten path. Embark on this spine-tingling tour to see a side of Paris that isn’t advertised on postcards.
Among the most beautiful monuments in Paris, the Palais Garnier is also one of the most mysterious. Adventure through one of the largest performing stages in Europe and discover where the inspiration for Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera was born (be sure to stop by vacant box #5 as it is reserved for the resident ghost). It can be quite hard to tell where myth and reality overlap in this decadent venue full of mirrored walls and hidden passages.
Guided, self-guided and virtual tours are available.
Known among many as the most haunted street in Paris, rue des Chantres is tucked away behind Notre Dame along an easily missed side street. During the beginning of the 20th century disease and tuberculosis ravaged the city and apartments often served as makeshift care facilities when hospitals became overcrowded. The ground-floor apartments on this street were converted to house quarantined children that were free to play outside in the day but locked inside for security measures at night. One evening an abnormally large storm passed causing the Seine to flood and the children tragically drowned. Rumor has it that their ghosts can be seen playing in the courtyard.
Dans le Noir might not be scary in the traditional sense but they do offer an unusual dining experience to guests who aren’t afraid of the dark. Dinner or lunch is served in pitch black with little information given in regards to the dishes and wine being brought out. The idea is that through limiting sense of sight, other senses are intensified (apparently even relations between people). Dans le Noir is also currently offering wine and aperitif tastings as well as perfume workshops.
If you’ve ever been curious about the sewers in Paris, Musée des Égouts is a unique way to discover the history and see the city from an underground perspective. You can learn about the evolution of the sewage system while wandering it’s dark, narrow (slightly creepy) passages. Found beneath the Quai d’Orsay, keep in mind that the museum is located in the actual sewer and is often damp and odorous.
Showcasing anything and everything that has to do with the art of magic this private museum located in the Marais is filled with optical illusions, antique props and a number of other curiosities. Learn about the history of magicians and the world of illusionists from the 18th century until today as wizards guide you through your visit.
Every tour concludes with a magic show fun for people of any age. In addition to workshops throughout the year, during the summer the museum even offers magic courses for children.
One of the magical things about Paris is that you can stumble onto a wonderfully eccentric store on almost any street. From curiosity cabinets to exterminator shops, Paris’ oddest stores can make you feel like you’re entering a different time period.
In the district of Les Halles you can find Aurouze Deratisation, the famous exterminator shop that made an appearance in the Disney film Ratatouille. The shop itself is not groundbreaking but the way they have chosen to do their advertising is. In the window you can see actual stuffed mice and rats wearing clothes and posing in bizarre ways.
Founded in 1831, Deyrolle is an institution and cabinet of curiosities situated in St-Germain-des-Pres. Animals ranging from tigers to giraffes to birds and insects preserved through taxidermy are displayed among every nook and cranny. Dedicated to maintaining a responsible taxidermy business the majority of animals in the collection were not hunted and killed.
Rumour has it that film director, Wes Anderson is a regular visitor!
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