Dark Tourism in France: 9 Eeriest French Destinations

While the French remain rather conservative in most aspects related to death and tragedy, France is definitely one of the world’s best destinations when we speak of dark tourism. 

Otherwise known as black tourism and Thana tourism, dark tourism is also sometimes referred to as grief tourism or morbid tourism.

It is not very popular among the French, but people from all over the world are getting attracted to the country’s most frightening destinations.

Dark Tourism in France: 9 Eeriest Destinations In France

From creepy burial places to spooky castles and places forever scarred by war, here are 9 eeriest French destinations for you to explore.

1. The Catacombs (Paris, France)

Created in response to a shortage of burial space in Paris, the catacombs were opened to the public in 1874. This eerie site in the French capital has drawn millions of visitors every year since.

With over 6 million dead bodies, it is not possible that the Catacombs of Paris is not haunted, inspiring legends and folklore that lure more and more people to visit. 

Legend has it that the walls begin to speak inside the Catacombs of Paris after midnight. These disembodied voices are said to lure people to venture deeper and deeper into the Catacombs until they get lost and can’t find their way out.

Buy your ticket online here.

2. Père Lachaise Cemetery (Paris, France)

Hands down the most famous and most visited cemetery in the world, the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is home to the graves of famous people throughout history – Frederic Chopin, Édith Piaf, Marcel Proust, Honore de Balzac, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison to name a few.

Its fabulous gravestones, ghoulish sculptures, and serene ambiance make it ideal for exploring and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the French capital.

Named after Louis XIV’s confessor, Père Francois de la Chaise, the cemetery has been around since 1802.

People who come to visit regularly report spectral lights and translucent figures roaming through the cemetery. Jim Morrison, definitely one of the most famous celebrities buried here, is often said to be seen wandering near his tomb. 

READ MORE: 15 Famous People Buried In Père Lachaise Cemetery

3. Les Égouts de Paris (Paris, France)

If you fancy exploring off the beaten track in Paris, this is the best place for you. 

Here you will discover the underside of Paris from ancient times through to the time of Eugène Belgrand in the 19th century. Belgrand designed the sewer system in its current form. 

Les Égouts is an active sewer facility and you’ll be surprised to find a museum here. Definitely a different and interesting window into another part of the French capital.

I have to warn you, though. Since Les Égouts is a working sewage for real, it can be a bit smelly down there.

4. Oradour-sur-Glane Post-war Ghost Town and Memorial Museum (Oradour-sur-Glane, France)

This ghost town in central France is left as a memorial to German atrocities during World War II. The Nazi soldiers massacred 642 villagers, then looted the village before setting it on fire.

The village of Oradour was declared a memorial and museum after the war, as a reminder to future generations of the atrocities of war. 

Above the entrance of the martyred village, visitors can read the French word “Souviens-Toi,” which means “Remember.” 

5. The Somme Battlefield (Somme, France)

Forever scarred by war that ravaged the place over 100 years ago, exploring the Somme Battlefield is an incredible experience with all those graves of the fallen Allied soldiers.

More than 3 million men fought in the Battle of the Somme in Picardy in northern France, one third of whom were wounded or killed, which makes it one of the deadliest battles in human history.

Whether you’re a history buff or not, you will love a tour of the Somme Battlefied. It will certainly provide a lot of insight and leave you wanting to know more.

6. Château de Brissac (Brissac-Quincé, France)

Originally built as a castle in the 11th century, the Château de Brissac is a French château in Brissac-Quincé in the Pays de la Loire region. It is listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. 

With its 7 stories altogether, the Château de Brissac is the tallest castle in France. It is also among the most haunted.

According to legends, a gruesome event took place in the Château de Brissac sometime in the 15th century. Nobleman Jacques de Brézé caught his wife with another man, murdering both in a fit of rage. The wife became “la Dame Verte” or Green Lady after death, the château’s resident ghost.

7. The Palace of Versailles and the Gardens of Petit Trianon (Versailles, France)

About 20 kilometers southwest of the center of Paris lies France’s most famous chateau, once home to the French royal family. 

The Palace of Versailles is said to be haunted by the ghosts of King Louis XVI and his consort, Marie Antoinette, who were beheaded during the French revolution.

Tourists and employees also report seeing people dressed in 18th-century clothing.

The gardens of Petit Trianon is also claimed to be haunted by ghosts from King Louis XV’s time, including a woman wearing “a white hat and an old-fashioned, unusual dress” and “a disturbing man sitting near a Chinese kiosk,” as reported by two English women in 1901. They published these experiences in 1911.

8. Château De Marçay Hotel (Marçay, France)

Easily the eeriest castle hotel in France, Château De Marçay Hotel is housed in a 15th-century castle in central France. The château holds a dark past that has left paranormal activities in its trail.

Legend says that one of the ladies of the castle was a werewolf. A farmer saw her when she transformed one night, shooting her dead. 

The lady became the residence ghost of Château De Marçay Hotel –  the white lady that haunts the hotel guests.

9. Parc Montsouris (Paris, France)

This public park in southern Paris doesn’t look like a spooky destination at all. However, this peaceful place that’s popular with joggers has a dark past that has spawned numerous ghost stories.

Said to be where the guillotine tests were first conducted, these morbid events have supposedly resulted in paranormal activities. 

There are countless sightings of headless apparitions wandering around the park, thought to be ghosts of guillotine victims. The man the park was named after, Isaure De Montsouris, was murdered here by bandits and is said to have stuck around after death.