Are you ready to discover the creepy side of Paris? Join us as we take you on a journey to explore the top ten most haunted places in the City of Lights. From abandoned asylums to ancient catacombs, Paris is home to a wide variety of mysterious and macabre locations said to be haunted by ghosts of the past. Some of the most famous haunted places are the Paris Opera House, where the ghost of a young ballet dancer is said to hang out, and the Paris Catacombs, where the remains of millions of Parisians line the walls.
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But don’t just take our word for it. Get ready for an exciting and spooky adventure as we discover the legends, myths and stories of the haunted places in Paris.
Related: Top 10 Creepy and Mysterious Places in Eastern Europe
10/span> Rue des Chantres
This street is known by locals as the most haunted street in Paris, and for good reason. Over the years, the street has been home to multiple tragedies. In the 1900s, a hotel on the street was used as a place to quarantine extremely sick children. However, these kids did not get the luxury hotel experience. Rather, they were crowded and cooped up in the basement of the hotel – as far away as possible from their friends, family and the public.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, a terrible storm rained all over Paris and started flooding the Rue des Chantres. The water seeped into the lower level of the hotel where the children were, and with no means of escape, they all drowned. Today it is claimed by many that they can hear the cries of the deceased children as they walk down the street at night.[1]
9 The Eiffeltower
Oh no, not Paris’ #1 tourist attraction! Oh yeah. The Eiffel Tower is indeed haunted. However, all spirits remain true to the theme of Paris: love. In some weird, twisted way, every ghost was brought there by love, and their lives ended because of love. One of the most famous ghost stories about the Eiffel Tower is that a man took his girlfriend to the tower to propose to her. When she gave his hand in marriage, he pushed her against the railing in anger. Instead of regaining her balance, the girl is said to have fallen over the railing to her death.
This story is said to be set in the 1920s, which is why limited documentation exists today. However, it is not at all far from something that could very well have happened. Some of the tower’s guests today have claimed to see a young woman, dressed in 1920s clothing, walking along the railing before disappearing. Could this be the lost soul of the girlfriend who said no?[2]
8 Marcel Petitot’s apartment
Near the Eiffel Tower is a luxury apartment complex that was home to one of Paris’ most notorious serial killers. Marcel Petiot was a doctor with a terrifying past. As a child, teen and adult he was diagnosed with many mental issues but was never reprimanded for his actions. Some of these included bringing a gun to school to shoot it at age 11 and stealing army blankets, morphine and other army supplies while on duty, etc.
For some reason he became a doctor and during that time he managed to trick and kill between 27 and 150 people in just three short years. He pretended to be a caring man and provided a safe haven to many Jews fleeing the Nazis.
Once he got hold of these innocent people, he pretended to give them an injection that he claimed would protect them from strange diseases. In reality, the injection killed them. He rewarded himself with thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, furniture and belongings, all stolen from his victims. It wasn’t until neighbors reported foul smells coming from his apartment that he was finally caught. It is said that his old apartment is haunted by the many souls whose lives he took.[3]
7 Pont des Suicides
Also known as the Suicide Bridge, this bridge is beautiful. It is surrounded by greenery and is made of stone. It looks like you would never assume his past. As soon as the bridge and ensuite park opened in 1867, the deaths began and only increased in the 1890s. By 1896, there were as many as 29 suicides per month.
Today it is said to be haunted by the souls of those who ended their lives on the bridge. Sometimes pedestrians at night, while walking across the bridge and in the nearby park, can hear the sounds of those who ended their lives on the bridge.[4]
6 Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise
The Père-Lachaise cemetery is one of the largest and most haunted cemeteries in Europe. There are 70,000 graves and there are still more. Two of the most famous ghosts are those of Mademoiselle Clairon, an actress, and her heartbroken stalker. It was sheer coincidence that they were buried close together. During their lifetime, the man had begged Mademoiselle Clairon to love him back, and when she rejected him, he turned to suicide.
Another more famous ghost story associated with Père-Lachaise is that of the ‘Wandering Woman’. According to legend, a woman dressed in black wanders the graveyard, looking for her lost child. Visitors to the cemetery have reported seeing the ghostly figure, sometimes accompanied by the sound of a crying child. Other ghosts reportedly seen in the cemetery include a man in a top hat who appears in the older part of the cemetery and a woman dressed in white.[5]
5 Notre Dame in Paris
Notre Dame Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral in the heart of Paris, France. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, the cathedral is one of the most visited tourist sites in Paris. Some people believe that the cathedral is haunted by a number of ghosts, including the ghost of Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame, who is said to haunt the cathedral at night.
There have also been reports of ghostly apparitions of a black cat and a hooded figure, as well as strange noises and unexplained noises emanating from the cathedral. While there is no concrete evidence to support these claims, many people find the legends and stories surrounding the haunted cathedral intriguing.[6]
4 Catacombs
The Paris Catacombs, also known as the “realm of the dead,” is a network of underground tunnels and galleries that contain the remains of millions of Parisians. The tunnels were constructed at the end of the 18th century as a solution to the overcrowding of cemeteries in the city. The bones of the deceased were exhumed from their graves and transferred to the catacombs, where they were arranged in decorative patterns along the walls of the tunnels.
The catacombs are often associated with stories of ghosts and strange happenings. Some people believe that the spirits of the dead placed in the catacombs still linger in the tunnels. Visitors to the catacombs have reported feeling uncomfortable or being watched, as well as strange noises and cold spots. Some have even claimed to see ghostly apparitions or feel a presence with them while in the catacombs.[7]
3 Hospital Psychiatrique Maison Blanche
Hôpital Psychiatrique Maison-Blanche, or the White House Psychiatric Hospital, is a former psychiatric facility located in the suburbs of Paris, France. The hospital was in operation from 1878 to 1997. During that time, it housed thousands of patients, many of whom were reportedly treated inhumanely.
Because of its history, the abandoned hospital is often associated with stories of ghosts and strange occurrences. Visitors to the site have claimed to feel uncomfortable, as if they are being watched. Strange noises and cold spots are also common. Some have even claimed to see ghostly apparitions or feel a presence with them while they were in the hospital. There have been stories of patients wandering the halls, eerie laughter and screams echoing through the empty buildings.[8]
2 Museum of vampires and monsters of the imagination
Yes, you read that right, and yes, it’s haunted. A ghostly apparition of a man is often seen sitting in an orange armchair. He is believed to be the grandfather of the museum’s current owner, Jacques Sirgent. He claims that his grandfather committed suicide outside in front of the building for reasons known only as love.
The ghost is not the only one haunting the museum. Each wall is filled with memorabilia related to vampires and monsters. There’s even a preloaded crossbow hanging on the wall, ready to be used to slay vampires.
At school, Jacques specialized in studying the physical embodiment of evil. His obsession with darkness and Dracula led him to found the Museum of Vampires and Monsters of the Imagination, and he spent years finding and collecting its artifacts.[9]
1 Palace Garnier
The Palais Garnier, also known as the Paris Opera House, is a grand and historic opera house in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The opera house was designed by the architect Charles Garnier and was built in the late 19th century. Known for its lavish and ornate architecture, it has been home to the Paris Opera since it opened in 1875. It is also the setting of the infamous ghost of the opera story.
although The Phantom of the Opera is fictional, some spooky details are true! For example, a lake really is under the opera house. In addition, in 1896, a large seven-ton chandelier fell on someone, killing him on impact. The final tragedy occurred in 1873 when a fire broke out on stage, killing a ballerina and disfiguring a pianist who later died.
Despite these tragedies, the main ghost seen is actually none of those listed above. Rather, it is that of an elderly woman wandering outside the Opera House in search of her lost lover.[10]