France’s fairytale castles, medieval villages, and cemeteries make it ripe for ghost stories. Not to mention, it also has a decidedly bloody history. Paris alone is full of haunted locations, though there are plenty of creepy legends outside the capital. This list contains an assortment of places with fun backstories, including more than one mysterious woman. These are some of France’s most famously haunted places.
Château de Brissac
The Château de Brissac is famous for a ghost named La Dame Verte, or the Green Lady. Many believe she is the ghost of Charlotte de Brézé, the wife of Jacques de Brézé, both of whom lived there in the 15th century. According to legend, Charlotte was murdered after being caught in an affair, but she didn’t let go so easily. Visitors have seen what appears to be her spirit wandering the tower rooms in a green dress. Apparently, her face is very corpse-like, with dark holes where her eyes and nose should be. Moans have also been heard in the early morning.
The Catacombs of Paris
Directly under the bustling streets of modern-day Paris lie ancient human remains. Not just a few bodies either, but millions of people. At the end of the 18th century, cemeteries were incredibly overcrowded, so bones were placed in quarry tunnels. Today, neatly stacked piles of skulls and bones line portions of the underground. Not surprisingly, plenty of spooky tales have emerged from the catacombs. Tourists hear whispers and experience the sensation of being watched. Whether the tunnels are actually haunted or just downright eerie, wandering through underground passages lined with human skulls is pretty horror movie-esque if you ask us.
Château de Trécesson
This beautiful château in Brittany is said to be haunted by the White Lady of Trécesson. According to the story, two men buried a woman alive back in the 18th century. Witnesses tried to rescue the poor woman, who was wearing a wedding dress, but she died shortly after being dug up. Her identity, the reason for her murder, and why she was dressed for marriage were never known. However, the apparition of a woman dressed in white has appeared around the château. The isolated location near a dark lake and thick woods does nothing to make the area less spooky.
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise is the final resting place of several famous people, including Oscar Wilde, Édith Piaf, and Jim Morrison. The Gothic-style cemetery was established in 1804, and it is quite beautiful, featuring elaborate mausoleums, stone angels, and winding paths. As any very old and Gothic cemetery should, it has accumulated lots of ghost stories. Visitors say mysterious figures appear near the tombs. Some who stroll the grounds feel as though they are being followed. Getting lost among Père Lachaise’s aging tombs as evening approaches sounds like a creepy good time.
Château de Puymartin
Château de Puymartin in the Dordogne has its own permanent resident known as the White Lady. According to the popular legend, Thérèse de Saint-Clar was caught red-handed having an affair by her husband. In a fit of rage, he locked her in a tiny room in the château’s tower for a whopping 15 years. She was then allegedly entombed within the room itself. Thérèse’s supposedly grim imprisonment is not backed up by recorded history, but the story has become legendary.
Palace of Versailles
Versailles has one of the most unusual paranormal stories in all of European history. In 1901, two English academics reported having an entirely unexplainable experience at the historical location. When Charlotte Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain visited the Petit Trianon, they somehow encountered the past. They walked by oddly dressed people and unfamiliar structures. Their detailed experience became known as the Moberly–Jourdain incident. They even published it in a book called An Adventure. Skeptics have plenty of alternative theories, but some think the women somehow managed to slip through time. While not a classic ghost story, it is certainly peculiar.
Mont Saint-Michel
When mist drifts across the nearby bay, Mont Saint-Michel looks entirely haunted. The medieval abbey has stood through centuries of religious traditions, wars, and political upheaval. It has witnessed harsh imprisonment and death. During and after the French Revolution, parts of the abbey were used as a prison. A large number of inmates were kept there. Stories detail mysterious monks and echoing voices. The narrow medieval streets have a truly haunting atmosphere, especially after dark.
Château de Commarque
Château de Commarque, a half-standing medieval fortress, is tucked away in the Dordogne woods. Multiple tales are attached to the ruins, one of which involves a young woman who fell in love with the wrong man. Her father disapproved of the boy and in a fury, he killed him. They say the man’s horse still trots through the property, and tourists hear the sounds of hooves. Adding to the atmosphere, the medieval ruins sit on top of prehistoric caves. If any place is truly haunted, it’s probably Château de Commarque.