Beyond its beauty and glamour,
Paris is also a fairly frightening place. You probably can't believe it since the city is always so lively, so romantic, and so beguiling. All of those are still true, but let's not forget that the French capital has been around for a couple of centuries now. From France's bloody revolution to witnessing two World Wars, the city has seen a lot of death, carnage, and horror. It's no wonder that Paris has a whole host of haunted hotspots, both scary and scintillating at the same time. The famous Paris Catacombs, the beloved Cimetière du Père Lachaise, the majestic Panthéon, and the iconic Palais Garnier are just some of them.
Paris Catacombs
Paris is such a beautiful city that you almost couldn't believe that the infamous catacombs exist underneath. Built back in the 18th century, the Paris Catacombs became a way for the French capital to solve its overflowing graveyard problem. Though there are many beautiful
cemeteries in Paris, they weren't enough to hold all the remains in the city. Some didn't even exist back then. So what to do? Build a multiple-mile-long labyrinth lined with the remains of over six million people. They're not even laid to rest properly. They're literally used to decorate this macabre maze, so it's no surprise that it's (allegedly) haunted!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Cimetière du Père Lachaise
Speaking of the cemeteries in Paris, the Cimetière du Père Lachaise is undoubtedly the most famous. As the largest necropolis of the city, located in the
20th arrondissement, it's become a tourist attraction in its own right. It's especially famous around autumn when the fall foliage provides an eerily enchanting atmosphere. But make no mistake! This place is not for the faint of heart. At least, not who's easily scared of the notion of ghosts. It's been said that the spirits of those who've been laid to rest hear roam the cobbled streets. The most famous of which is Jim Morrison, whose alleged ghost was apparently captured in a photograph back in 1997.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Palais Garnier
No, the iconic Palais Garnier isn't on this list because of its iconic phantom. His existence was never proven to be true outside of Gaston Leroux's 1909 novel and the subsequent Andrew Lloyd-Webber 1989 Broadway musical adaptation. With that said, however, Leroux himself claims that the phantom did, in fact, exist. His own fictional story may not be true, but he nevertheless insisted that there was a ghostly being haunting the beloved opera house and took multiple lives in the process. It did help his case that a body was found in the music hall's basement back in 1907. Moreover, a chandelier really did fall and killed a spectator around that time too.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Notre Dame
Prior to its tragic 2019 fire, Notre Dame always had a haunting beauty to it. One can't help but get lost in its eerie gothic glory, be it from its stunning exterior architecture to its somber and solemn interior. Like Palais Garnier, the cathedral became the setting of another beloved novel, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” by Victor Hugo. Unlike Leroux, however, Hugo never insisted that his tragic hunchback ever existed. Instead, the cathedral has its own horrific legends. One such is that there are two women who'd frequently appeal walking on top of the church, strolling amongst the gargoyles. And when spotted, they would disappear, leaving the witness in awe and horror.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Notre-Dame-de-Consolation
Because Notre Dame in
Ile de la Cité is so famous, not a lot of people are aware that Notre-Dame-de-Consolation exists on Rue Jean Goujon. The place itself doesn't look that scary, at least not to the hauntingly extent of the iconic Notre Dame. What makes this church spooky and allegedly scary is that it was built on the site of Bazar de la Charité. In La Belle Époque of the 1800s, the place sold antiques and artworks to raise money to help the poor. Unfortunately, in 1897, a tragic fire killed around 125 people. The church was then built in memoriam, but many have reported seeing all sorts of apparitions since then.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Guilhem Vellut
Rue des Chantres & Rue des Ursins
In the
18th arrondissement, you'll find Rue des Chantres and Rue des Ursins. At first glance, they look like ordinary streets and alleys that aren't that notable. However, both streets are actually among the most haunted hotspots in Paris. Much like many of the other places on this list, people have reportedly seen ghost children playing here when there aren't many around. Some would also hear screams and wails late at night. The origin of such phenomena is the children who were quarantined in the area in the early 20th century. At that time, a storm flooded the Seine River and drowned these tragic young patients.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Pergl Pergl from On the move
Parc Montsouris
Parc Montsouris is among the many beautiful parks in Paris. It's such an idyllic green space that you couldn't believe that it's allegedly haunted. Though, if you know its history, you won't find it that surprising anymore. Parc Montsouris was where the French first tested the guillotine before making it their go-to execution device. As such, there have been numerous sightings of beheaded spirits walking about, especially at night. Such a sight is enough to make one avoid the park for as long as they live, even if they
moved to Paris!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Dinkum
Le Petit Trianon
Any mention of the guillotine can't help but remind one of the French Revolution, arguably the bloodiest period in the country's history. The tumultuous political and societal upheaval culminated in the execution of Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette. Because of this, it's not that surprising to surmise that the Palaces of Versailles may be haunted. Over the years, people have reported seeing the spirits of these infamous figures walking about in the gilded chateaus of the former royal estate. Among the most notorious is the Le Petit Trianon, where Marie Antoinette is said to haunt.
Source: Flickr.com/ B
Do you know the most haunted hotspots in Paris? You'd be surprised at some of them! They range from world-renowned landmarks to beloved cemeteries and hidden streets that are as beautiful as they are eerie.
