Like every October 31st, you have a mission: to scare yourself! And you're too old for just trick-or-treating or getting dressed up in an outfit for the evening. This year, for Halloween, you'll get even more thrills in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Carcassonne and Brocéliande... Here are 10 scary places to discover in France accessible by train.
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10 lieux effrayants en France :
- The Barenton Fountain in Brocéliande
- The Paris Catacombs
- The haunted Château de Commarque in Périgord
- The Carcassonne Museum of the Inquisition
- Lyon's ultra-creepy escape game
- Château de Fougeret near Poitiers
- Marseille escape game
- The house on avenue de l'Hippodrome in Lille
- Château de Veauce in Auvergne
- Château de Combourg in Brittany
The Barenton Fountain in Brocéliande
In Brittany, around 45 minutes from Rennes, the Brocéliande forest is known as a mystical place marked by astonishing legends. Ghosts are said to roam among the trees, particularly near the Barenton fountain. Merlin, the White Lady and the fairies... Many mysterious stories haunt the area. So what could be better than a little trip into the woods on Halloween night, Blair Witch Project-style, to give yourself a thrill?
The Paris Catacombs
In the city, you can give yourself a fright as well. In Paris, you just need to go a few meters beneath the city's concrete into the Catacombs. We're off on an unusual underground tour of the 11,000 m2 that house the remains of millions of Parisians... Claustrophobics should avoid.
The haunted Château de Commarque in Périgord
Built in the 12th century, Château de Commarque overlooks the small commune of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, in the heart of the Dordogne. In addition to the beautiful walk through the ruins, the troglodyte dwellings and its imposing keep, the château is especially intriguing for its chilling legend. Isolated near a forest in the Beune Valley, the site is said to be haunted on evenings when there is a full moon by a horse seeking its master, unjustly beheaded by the lord of the château.
Legend has it that anyone who spots the ghost horse will die under strange circumstances... Best not to set foot there on an evening when there is a full moon!
How do I get to Château de Commarque?
Go to Sarlat-la-Canéda by train, then take the line 13 bus.
Carcassonne Museum of the Inquisition
What could be more frightening than the truth of History? At Carcassonne's Museum of the Inquisition, you'll take a trip back to the Middle Ages and its sordid instruments of torture. With the iron chairs, the pillories, the guillotine and the iron cage, you'll feel somewhat uncomfortable. For even greater realism, all the instruments are staged with mannequins, leaving little to the imagination. A terrifying tour, not recommended for children at all!
Lyon's ultra-creepy escape game
If you're ever in Lyon, try the city's creepiest escape game! Locked in a room, you have 60 minutes to escape. The concept of an escape game needs no introduction. Only here, "La Disparue" (The Missing Girl) immerses you in a story that's as creepy as it gets, and forbidden to under 16s. The disappearance of a little girl near the house of a voodoo priestess, a dark and frightening basement... In short, be prepared!
The Château de Fougeret in the Vienne department
If you're into the paranormal, the Château de Fougeret in Poitou is the place to be for your Halloween evening! Known as the most haunted in France, it is the site of apparitions, unexplained presences and mystical manifestations. You can spend the evening and even the night there (perhaps without sleeping too much!). Choose from 3 packages: overnight stay and breakfast, overnight stay and breakfast and dinner, or overnight stay and breakfast and dinner plus medium and workshops.
To get to Château de Fougeret, the nearest train station is the Lussac-les-Châteaux TER station. Our advice: take the train to Poitiers, and rent a car to explore the region.
Marseille escape game
The Dark Dreams is a complex that will bring you face to face with your worst nightmares. In this house of horrors in Marseille, it's up to you to conquer your fears as you encounter zombies and evil clowns in a dark and creepy setting full of pitfalls. The goal? Emerge from Europe's largest labyrinth (600m2), lulled by the soft cries of victims and other spine-chilling sound effects.
The house on avenue de l'Hippodrome in Lille
Heading north, a stone's throw from Saint-André station, north Lille. A strange house hides behind the trees on a busy street. The events that took place there are very unclear. All we know is that all the families who used to live there moved out within a year. They were forced out by tragedy. So, do you want to take a look around?
It is one of the Art Deco architect-designed villas on Lambersart's famous avenue de l'Hippodrome.
Château de Veauce
Legend has it that the famous Château de Veauce, less than 1 hour north of Clermont-Ferrand, is haunted by Lucie, a young maid killed by the Baroness de La Fayette. Starving and freezing to death in a fortress tower, she is now said to be wandering the corridors... It is possible to take a guided tour of the château's exterior via the park.
How to get to Château de Veauce
From Bellenave station, you're 5 kilometers from the château.
The ghosts of Château de Combourg
Head for North Brittany for another spine-chilling story. Just a stone's throw from the Brocéliande estate, between Rennes and Saint-Malo, the Château de Combourg is said to be haunted by a man with a wooden leg and his black cat. Their first apparition dates back to 1721, the year in which the château's former owner died, who had lost his leg in battle...
Guided tour of the château and themed park for Halloween. Closed November 1st.
How to get to Château de Combourg
Take the train to Combourg TER station.