10 French Urban Legends

Discover the fascinating connections between France’s history and some of the most infamous French urban legends.

Urban legends are interesting and often bleak, yet they offer a fascinating perspective of a country’s culture.

These tales, including those of the Phantom of the Opera and the Beast of Gévaudan, have been passed down through the generations.

Today, we’ll look into some of France’s most well-known and terrifying urban legends.

10 French Urban Legends

1. The Barber and the Baker

A lovely café restaurant with views of Notre Dame Cathedral may be found on the street called Rue Chanoinesse, which is at the center of the urban legend known as the Affaire de la rue des Marmousets.

The street, however, was notorious for a bloody event in its earlier history. The tale goes that in the 14th century, a barber and a pastry cook shared an establishment.

There was a rumor going around that the barber of Rue des Marmousets kidnapped students. Then, he’d usher them via a secret passage that ended in the meat pie baker’s basement.

After several years of this horrible routine, something bad finally had to happen.

A dog owned by a German student named Alaric would bark nonstop outside the store until its owner came back. Authorities looked into the commotion since it drew their attention.

As time went on, people learned the horrible reality about the popular pastries: they contained human flesh. The criminals’ implements as well as the secret passageway linking the two businesses were uncovered.

Therefore, the butcher and the baker were both executed by having their respective businesses torched. The street’s dark past is now obscured by the pretty café and the blooming wisteria that adorn the building.

2. L’Ankou

L’Ankou is a legendary character with Celtic roots who was born in the French region of Brittany. “Ankou” comes from the Breton words “Anken,” which mean “grief,” and “Ankoun,” which means “forgetting.”

He looks very much like how Death is usually pictured in art and literature. L’Ankou, rather than being Death itself, is Death’s faithful servant.

Thus, the people of Brittany are just as terrified of L’Ankou as they are of the tall, recognizable ghost with the scythe.

L’Ankou rides around on a cart, visiting cemeteries and transporting the fallen to the afterlife. According to urban legend, the sound of his cart’s wheels grinding throughout the night is a sign of his imminent demise.

If you see L’Ankou, you will die before the end of the year, guaranteed.

Plus, the last person to die every year becomes his temporary replacement for a year and a night. Taking on L’Ankou’s responsibilities is an added burden on top of the threat of death they already face.

3. The Babysitter

This is a humorous urban legend that the Parisians frequently use to stress the need for proper table manners.

A pot-loving Parisian teen was given responsibility for a 10-month-old child. The parents gave her specific instructions to make a beef roast and have it ready to eat when they got home.

They found a clean, fed, and soundly asleep youngster upon their arrival. They were also pleasantly surprised to see a well-cooked meat roast waiting for them at the table. But when she entered the kitchen, the wife screamed and fainted, and her husband immediately collapsed in astonishment.

The cheese platter and bottle of red wine were accidentally stored in the fridge by the young babysitter. A true Parisian horror story, dinner was spoiled as a result.

There’s humor in this tale, but it also highlights the importance of following mealtime rituals and making sure everything is served in the right way.

This tale is often told in Paris to emphasize the significance of food traditions and the dangers of ignoring them.

4. The Beast of Gévaudan

 Legend has it that between 1764 and 1767, this ferocious beast terrorized the plains and achieved horrible renown. The exact character of the Beast is still unspecified.

Many people have speculated that it was a huge wolf, a crazy dog, an escaped hyena from a circus, or something much stranger.

There were rumors that a person or beast had bred, and there was also the horrifying sight of a cannibal dressed in animal skins.

The newspapers of the day sensationalized the subject to the point where the monarch himself took involved, sending teams to try to address the problem. As suddenly as they had begun, the attacks ended, and life went back to normal.

Writers and filmmakers have put forth their theories over the years, frequently adding romantic flourishes to the plot.

Nonetheless, the mysterious Beast of Gévaudan has never stopped fascinating new audiences and challenging old ones.

5. The Mysterious Lady of the Seine

A young woman’s body was pulled out of the Seine in Paris at the end of the 19th century.

The deceased person’s body was taken to the mortuary, which at the time was situated on the Ile de la Cité, in the hopes that a member of the deceased person’s family would recognize it.

The forensic pathologist found no evidence of foul play and concluded that it was a suicide.

Legend has it that the pathologist was so captivated by the beauty and calmness of her face that he decided to model a death mask after the lady. He did this by molding the mask directly on the woman’s face.

After some time, this mask was sold all over the world, and the “Unknown of the Seine” became well-known among artists because of its tranquil beauty and the unsolved death that was associated with it.

6. Notre Dame Cathedral and the Devil’s Door

A talented blacksmith named Biscornet was given the responsibility of forging the massive side doors for the famous Notre Dame cathedral in France in the 13th century.

He attempted to find an amazing answer to the enormous challenge before him and formed a fatal agreement with the Devil.

According to legend, Biscornet made a pact with the Devil to have the Devil help him make the extraordinary doors if he would give up his soul in exchange.

Biscornet set to work after the deal was concluded, calling upon the forces of darkness to aid him in his endeavors. The cathedral neighborhood was buzzing with excitement as the day of the big announcement drew near.

Biscornet’s handiwork on the doors completely blew everyone away. Intricate in design and flawless in execution, they were a work of art.

However, the doors stayed shut during the consecration until they were sprayed with holy water.

The blacksmith’s soul was spared from damnation thanks to this holy deed, which accidentally negated the bargain between Biscornet and the Devil.

The perseverance of faith and morality in the face of temptation is exemplified in this compelling fable, which continues to attract tourists.

7. Mortemer Abbey, Normandy: The Spooky Myths and Legends

Mortemer monastery, also known as L’Abbaye de Mortemer in French, is rumored to be the most haunted monastery in France because of its remote location in the mysterious forest of Lyons in Normandy.

Tragically, four monks were murdered in this ancient monastery during the Revolution. Their ghosts, it is said, still roam the abbey’s basements in search of the red wine that tastes like blood.

Empress Mathilde, also known as the White Lady of Mortemer Abbey, is said to haunt the grounds of the abbey, according to local folklore.

Mathilde, the grandmother of Richard Lionheart and granddaughter of William the Conqueror, passed away in 1167. Legend says that if Mathilde appears with white gloves on, it’s a sign of an impending baby or wedding.

However, if she wears black gloves, a death will occur during the next calendar year.

Due to numerous paranormal incidents at the monastery in the early 20th century, the proprietors had it exorcised in 1921. After experiencing such mysterious events, it’s easy to see why they turned to the supernatural for help.

8. The Phantom of the Opera

The terrible story of Ernest’s life at the Paris Opera continues to enchant those who visit the legendary site associated with the Phantom of the Opera.

In 1873, a teenage pianist named Ernest was at the center of what would become the legendary Phantom of the Opera.

Ernest’s tragic disfigurement in the terrible Music Conservatory fire was a devastating blow to the community. His pain was compounded by the fact that his fiancee, a gifted ballerina, also perished in the blaze.

After suffering physical and mental disfigurement, Ernest took refuge in the Opera Garnier’s underground crypts.

It is said that Ernest found refuge in the building’s bowels and stayed there until his death.

The Phantom, as Ernest became known, is said to have hidden out in what is now a lake tank beneath the Opera Garnier.

Strangely, no one ever found his body.

9. Le Rocher de la Sorcière

The mythology of Le Rocher de la Sorcière (The Witch’s Rock) in Montmartre’s bohemian area is enthralling. This mysterious tale takes place in the Passage de la Sorcière, a small, hidden alleyway off of rue Lepic.

An old lady haunted one of the manors along this passageway in the 19th century, causing little children to run away in terror.

The kids in the vicinity quickly began calling her “the witch” (la sorcière in French) as their fear of her grew.

This enormous, peculiar rock was once a water feature known as “la sourciere” (the dowser). Its proximity to the witch’s house and its peculiar shape led to the rock’s swift renaming as “Witch’s Rock.”

The road to this rock is gated and private, unfortunately. To see Le Rocher de la Sorcière, reserve a room or a table at L’Hôtel Particulier. This quaint inn is located in the former witch’s mansion.

10. The Phantom of the Tuileries

The legend of the Tuileries Phantom, which has its roots in French mythology, tells the story of Jean, a butcher who lived in the area around the Tuileries Palace during the time of Catherine de Médici. 

Following the queen’s orders, Jean was brutally murdered by her henchman Neuville. Jean’s premature demise was motivated by the fact that he knew various secrets that could be used to discredit the royal family.

A powerful presence engulfed Neuville as he prepared to report the mission’s success., Overcome with fear, Neuville turned back and saw Jean lying in a pool of blood.

Jean, driven by a raging need for retribution, vowed to terrorize Queen Catherine right up until her death. He was dubbed the “little red man,” an ominous symbol of oncoming disaster.

Jean is feared by those who cross his path, and it is said that seeing the Tuileries Phantom foretells a bad catastrophe. 

As a cautionary story of the uncanny and the unyielding force of revenge, the legend of the Tuileries Phantom never ceases to captivate.