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5 days ago · The Murdered Monks and Dame Blanche (White-Clad Lady) of Mortemer Abbey, Normandy. The Abbaye de Mortemer in Normandy is reputed to be one of France’s most haunted places, and is allegedly stalked by several French ghosts. Image: Public domain. The 12th-century Abbaye de Mortemer, located in Normandy about 30 km/21 miles southeast of Rouen ...
- Château de Commarque. In the Périgord, an ancient region of France that corresponds roughly with the modern Dordogne department, the Château de Commarque constituted an important strategic location during the Hundred Years’ War.
- Abbaye de Mortemer. This religious monument in the Eure department, within easy reach of Le Havre and Rouen, has long been renowned for its paranormal activity.
- Château de Brissac. The Château de Brissac is the highest castle in France, among the most beautiful in the Loire Valley, and one of the most haunted sites in the country.
- Château de Blandy-les-Tours. Often cited as the most haunted castle in France, the phantoms of the Château de Blandy-les-Tours in Seine et Marne are firm believers in going big or going home.
- La Bête Du Gévaudan, Lozère
- L’Ankou, Brittany
- La Tarasque, Provence
- La Bête D’Angles, Vendée
- Sarramauca, Occitanie
- Le Cheval Mallet, Western France
- Le Croque-Mitaine, All Over France
- Père Fouettard, Alsace
- Le Voirloup, Bassin Parisien
Horrific fatal attacks in the county of Gévaudan (roughly equivalent to today’s Lozère department) in the 18th century were blamed on an enormous beast which rumours claimed was a werewolf or an exotic monster. Its fame crossed borders until the royal army intervened. Several large dogs and wolves were killed but attacks on humans continued until a...
Hailing from Celtic mythology, this figure is said to be the servant of Death and was feared in Brittany. He is depicted as a skeleton, sometimes draped in a black cloak and holding a scythe, an arrow or a spear. Legends say he rides a wagon with creaking wheels at night to collect the souls of dead people. If you hear the wheels or see this sinist...
This legendary beast haunted the marshes and riverbeds of the Rhône in Provence, especially between Arles and Avignon and on the banks of Tarascon. This reptilian monster is often described as part dragon, snake or crocodile with a lion’s head and a tortoise shell. It terrorised the town of Tarascon, devouring many inhabitants until a young woman, ...
Also known as la malebête, this giant bear would eat young shepherdesses and their flock of cows in the Vendée area. The story goes that a priest prayed for five days and managed to slip a rosary around the bear’s neck. He led the beast to the top of the church of Angles where the bear was turned to stone – you can still see the statue today! Unabl...
A cauchemar(nightmare) was long thought to be a creature that would come at night and sit on sleepers’ chests, stopping them from breathing correctly. In Occitanie, the creature was a female witch-like figure called Sarramauca. In Occitan language, sarramauca means “to tighten the chest/stomach” and refers to feelings of breathlessness and choking....
This beautiful but evil horse, pure white, would appear at night alongside tired travellers in the old Poitou area of western France. The horse would be ready to ride with a saddle and tempt the exhausted traveller to climb on and rest their legs, only to then throw off the rider either over a cliff, into a river or on the floor to be stamped. Eith...
Children are often threatened with this frightening and evil creature to forbid them from going somewhere they shouldn’t for example. Croque-Mitaines hide in rivers or lakes and in the winter, they eat little children’s noses and fingers. This figure is present in popular fairy tales all over France and has many different names.
Saint Nicolas in France (Father Christmas) is often associated with his opposite, le Père Fouettard. While Saint Nicolas, protector of the children, is celebrated on 6th December and ‘rewards’ good children with gifts and treats, le Père Fouettard punishes those who have misbehaved. The stories vary but he either leaves charcoal instead of sweets o...
Another maleficent creature, the voirloupis a man or a woman with a ‘dark soul’ who has committed the seven cardinal sins. They are possessed by Satan and, at midnight, transform themselves into animals, often wolves but also foxes, boars, goats or cats. They then spend the night roaming the forest, eating dogs or flock, lighting fires and generall...
French ghost stories are a fascinating blend of history, legend, and the supernatural, weaving together tales of tragedy, betrayal, and mystery that continue to captivate audiences around the world. From haunted castles to ghostly apparitions, France is rich in eerie tales that have been passed down through generations, shaping the country’s folklore and traditions.
- Paris catacombs. Underneath the streets of Paris is one of the spookiest places in France – the Paris catacombs. Opened in the 18th century, the catacombs are one of the largest graveyards on record with the remains of around 6 million people buried here.
- Père Lachaise cemetery. A cemetery is a good place to visit if you’re looking for ghosts and Paris is home to one of the most haunted cemeteries in the world – and they aren’t just any ghosts.
- Palace and gardens of Versailles. Chances are you have probably been to the Palace of Versailles but did you know it is haunted by one of France’s most famous queens?
- Mont St-Michel. Another of France’s iconic tourist attractions, Mont Saint-Michel is said to be haunted by the ghost of Louis d’Estouville. He commanded the garrison at the abbey and led the slaughter of 2,000 Englishmen during the Hundred Years’ War.
Ideal for culture vultures! 8. Fôret de Brocéliande. There are several spooky areas in this ancient forest in Brittany, making it easily one of the most haunted places in France. Thought to be the forest of King Arthur, there’s even an area called Val Sans Retour (the valley of no return).
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Oct 31, 2019 · Noisy ghosts at Château de Blandy-les-Tours. According to reports, the tower of Château de Blandy-les-Tours is haunted. At midnight on All Saints Day (November 1st), phantoms circle the castle ...
