Haunted Paris: The City of Light or Darkness?

Last Updated on 14th March 2026 by Sophie Nadeau

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Whispers and echoes of the past haunt the cobbled streets of Paris. Shrouded in sordid myths and legends, The City of Light is darker than you might realise. From doors made by the Devil that lead into the very heart of Notre Dame to a blood-soaked goblin that roams the city’s most beloved gardens and even pies made from the missing remains of students, here’s your ultimate spooky guide to haunted Paris!

Is Paris a haunted city?

Many people don’t realise that the ever-so-romanticised City of Light (and love) is sitting atop one huge burial site. Some 6 million Parisian souls lie buried below the bustling metropolis in the Catacombs of Paris.

The curving labyrinth of death is thought to be one of the world’s largest mass graves, comprising over 200 miles of tunnels filled with bones, just below Paris. But, are they resting? Or is the City of Light darker than we realised…

Myths & legends from Paris

Unusual tombs of Père Lachaise Cemetery

Nestled within the 20th arrondissement of Paris, Père Lachaise was founded in 1804 and was the first municipal and garden cemetery of the city.

Today, it is the most visited necropolis in the world and draws in a staggering 3.5 million visitors each year, all wishing to pay their respects to the 2 million souls interred there. And, as you can probably imagine, many noteworthy people have been laid to rest here.

Tomb of Allan Kardec

Born in the 19th century to a family of mathematicians, Kardec was a proficient educator and translator in numerous European languages including Spanish, French, English and German. And, most importantly, he was the founder of Spiritism.

With both his fascination with seances and his belief in the spirit world, Kardec wrote a series of five books known as the Spiritist Codification. During his lifetime (according to legend) Kardec is quoted to have said:

“After my death, if you come to see me, place your hand on the neck of the statue that will overlook my tomb, then make a wish. If your wish is granted, come back with flowers”. 

This explains why Kardec’s unusual tomb is the most decorated of all in Père Lachaise. However, the cemetery has since put up a plaque to discourage people from believing in the superstition and leaving ritual flowers.

The tomb of Baroness Demidoff

Considered to be the most mystical tombs of the cemetery, the grand mausoleum houses the remains of Elizaveta Alexandrovna Stroganova (Baroness Demidoff) in a glass coffin.

The Baroness passed away in Paris on the 8th of April 1818, which not only meant she was permitted to be buried in the city but also that she died on ‘8,8,8’. In mythology, this number is the code of the gate which opens up to the world of Vampires. It’s for this reason the tomb is adorned with mythical figures like werewolves on the outside.

The legends don’t stop there. The most famous tale surrounding the tomb is that upon her death, the Baroness did not want to be left alone. So, in her final will and testimony, she offered a deal to the one person who would be willing to stay be her side day and night, for one year.

As the reward was 2 million French Francs, with unlimited food brought to you, there were several takers. However, there were conditions to this offer. Whomever chose to stay by her side was only allowed to leave the tomb for one hour per day, this always had to be at night when the cemetery was locked.

Unfortunately, not a single person lasted the whole year, and a lot of them lost their minds trying to do so…

Abelard & Heloïse

One of the most famous, and undoubtedly most tragic, love stories from the Middle Ages is that of Abelard & Heloïse. Abelard and Heloise lived sometime between the 11th and 12 centuries. Heloise, was a young girl in her 20s who lived with her uncle and fell in love with her tutor, Abelard, who was 15 years her senior.

However, after it was discovered that Heloise had fallen pregnant, the tale of forbidden love ended with Abelard being castrated and Heloise locked away in a convent. Read our guide on the tale of the two lovers Abelard & Heloïse.

The surprising history of Hôtel de Ville

Today, Hôtel de Ville (the city’s main town hall) and the square it resides on is one of the most iconic places to visit in all of Paris. and is where the city’s main town hall resides.

During the Middle Ages, the Place de Grève was a place where unemployed people would gather to seek work. However, it’s also a spot in Paris where, in 1244, a king had people burned at the stake. Indeed, for many centuries, it was the most prominent squares for executions and is still where a permanent gallows is stood.

The most famous case of all is perhaps that of La Voisin, a witch, fortune teller and poisoner who was executed in 1680.

Nowadays, you would never guess the grisly history of the square as it’s home to a Christmas market in the winter, as well as lots of convivial events throughout the year. And, of course, is home to the main Hôtel de Ville, which is where Paris is governed from.

Unique stories surrounding the Louvre Museum

The world’s largest museum was at one time home to the kings and queens of France, and remnants of the medieval palace can still be seen today in the basement. A place of history and intrigue, The Louvre is home to works such as Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and plenty of curious tales.

Described as “the most colossal theft of modern times,” the Mona Lisa was stolen from The Louvre on August 21st 1911. Vincenzo Peruggia, a former employee of the museum, took the renowned painting with hopes of bringing it back to Italy where it was painted. It wasn’t until 2 years later that The Mona Lisa was returned and then kept in the museum’s largest room, never to be taken again.

The glass pyramid that has come to be an instantly recognisable symbol of Paris’ museum has a myth surrounding it, which gained further traction thanks to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.

The pyramid is alleged to have 666 panes of glass, a number often associated with Satan, in the book it refers to the sign of “the beast.” In reality, there are 673 glass panes.

Yet another haunting tale of The Louvre is related to a mummy called Belphegor. The story goes that an archaeologist was in search of mummies and tombs in Egypt and found one called Belphegor.

In the 19th century, the archaeologist brought Belphegor back to The Louvre…and then died shortly after. It’s now believed that anyone who sees or possesses the mummy is cursed for life! It’s also said, that each night once the Louvre closes and everyone has gone home, Belphegor strolls the empty corridors.

The Red Goblin of Jardin des Tuileries

The Jardin des Tuileries is one of the largest and most popular parks in Paris. This delightful garden is so-called because it was once the site of a tile factory. But, should you visit, be wary of the Red Goblin that roams the gardens.

The Red Man, as he’s also known, is said to be the ghost of Jean l’écorcheur (John the Skinner). Skinner was the personal hitman for Catherine de Medici, so as you can imagine, he knew a few too many secrets.

And, as you did in the 16th century, the Queen hired a new hitman to take out her old hitman. Today, the Red Goblin is said to wander around the gardens in blood-soaked clothing, and you should be wary as if you see him, it’s a sign of your imminent demise…

An unfortunate accident at the Eiffel Tower

One of the sadder urban legends to haunt Paris is the tragic tale of two lovers who got engaged at the top of Paris’ most iconic symbol. The story goes that a man and woman went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and shortly after he proposed, the woman fell from the tower.

Now, whether she was so surprised she stepped backwards and fell or said “no” and was pushed remains a mystery. What is known is that a woman allegedly still haunts the Eiffel Tower, wandering around in her 1920s attire.

Affaire de la rue des Marmousets

One of the prettiest streets on Île de la Cité is home to a dark and sordid legend which is told in hushed tones during sombre candlelit evenings. Often referred to as the “Original Demon Barber”, from 1384 until 1387, Paris had its very own version of Sweeney Todd.

The gruesome 14th-century tale goes that a Butcher Barber and Baker lived next door to one another, and together in cahoots, they produced and sold pies. However, alarms were raised when students of the nearby Sorbonne University were going missing!

It was later found out that the city’s famous pies contained human remains, which were of course, those of the missing students. Read our guide on the Butcher Barber and Baker of Île de la Cité here.

Paris Catacombs

The winding maze of tunnels filled with bones that lie beneath the French capital is said to be haunted, with several visitors claiming to have experienced strange phenomena. The Catacombs of Paris are home to some 6 million souls.

One of the most notable ghosts that is said to haunt the catacombs is Philibert Aspairt. The doorman of the Val-de-Grâce military hospital entered the catacombs from the courtyard stairway in 1793 and was never seen again.

That was, until 1804, when Aspairt’s body was discovered. His mysterious death is undetermined to this day, but legends say that his ghost haunts the tunnels every year on November 3rd.

The Devil Doors of Notre Dame

The Notre Dame is one of the world’s most famous churches; this was obvious when the world cried out after seeing it on fire in 2019. Inaugurated in 1345, over the centuries many myths and legends have come to surround the ecclesial sight.

The most famous being about its doors. In the 13th century, it was typical for the altar to be built first and the facade to be completed last. An avid worker and young blacksmith by the name of Biscornet wanted to prove his worth, working day and night on the main doors- he wanted them to be the best doors to ever be seen.

As it was quite the feat, out of desperation, Biscornet made a pact with the Devil himself and sold his soul for the doors to be completed. The stunning doorways which can be seen today remain a mystery, as no one quite knows how such architectural details were completed with the tools available of that time.

Even weirder so, Biscornet if broken down translates from French as ‘two-horned’, so it’s possible that the Devil built the doors to our beloved Notre Dame…

The Phantom of the Opera

From falling chandeliers, hidden lakes and love triangles, there’s no shortage of eerie tales when it comes to the story of this Gothic horror.

Few people realise that the popular musical of a disfigured genius is partly inspired by true historical events and rumours (as well as the novel it’s based on). All of which took place at the Paris Opera in the 19th century. But what really happened at the opera house?

Lying beneath the Palais Garnier, as it’s known in French, is an underground lake. Indeed, the “lake” is a cistern built there to maintain and balance the buildings’ foundations. Gaston Leroux heard a rumour of this lake and ran with it, thus why it features as the Phantom’s lair in the story. Instead, today all that inhabits the water below Palais Garnier are large white cat fish!

In 1896, a tragic accident (or was it) happened when a chandelier fell from the ceiling and killed a member of the audience.

Another legend is of a love triangle that got messy. The story goes that a ballet dancer named Boismaison fell for a ballerina named, Nanine Dorival. However, a French sergeant, Monsieur Mauzurier, also fell in love with Dorival. The solution? He decided to remove Boismaison from the picture.

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