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The Time Travelling Ghost Haunting Château de Versailles

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Château de Versailles in France is known for being the peak of decadence, royalty and luxury. But it is also known for being one of the more haunted places in France, and even has a potential time traveling story.

Château de Versailles, the stately French palace on the outskirts of Paris, is said to be one of the most haunted places in France. 

The Palace is a formal residence to the royal family of France that was built by King Louis XIV about 19 km west of Paris. It started out as a small hunting lodge in 1623, but it kept expanding until it was the luxurious palace we know of today. 

With Château de Versailles’ dark history and numerous reports of mysterious sightings and eerie phenomena, this magnificent building has become a haven for paranormal investigators and ghost hunters alike.

The Story of Louis XIV’s Ghost

It’s rumored that the ghost of Louis XIV, the Sun King who oversaw much of Château de Versailles’ construction, still haunts the halls. He loved this palace so much that he even moved the French Court and Government into it in 1682 from the Louvre Palace. 

Witnesses say that his specter can be seen in his favorite chambers and garden pathways, wearing a traditional robe de chambre and capotain hat. The sound of horses galloping on unseen paths have been heard too, dead silent at midnight – a ghostly reminder of Louis’ presence in the form of what some believe to be his funeral procession.

Mysterious Sightings of Marie Antoinette’s Ghost

One of the more famous ghosts in the world must be that of Marie Antoinette, who in her afterlife, also has a lot of rumors around her. She is mostly known for quoting that the people should eat cake instead as they didn’t have any bread. This is false as she never said this. It is also said she is haunting the rooms of the Versailles palace. But can this also be false?

It is widely believed that the ghostly figure of former Queen Marie Antoinette can often be spotted walking near the Grand Trianon and inside of the palace. Even more chilling, some have heard her sobs echoing throughout the empty halls in the dead of night. 

Others claim to have seen a woman wearing her famous white dress, complete with a white rose in her hand, sauntering along the grounds of Château de Versailles.

The Ghost of the Petit Trianon

The most famous haunting is of the Petit Trianon, the grounds outside the palace. Or is it really a ghost story as one of the theories is that it was actually a time slip. The story was written down and published in 1911 that fueled the rumors that a ghost was haunting the Château de Versailles. 

Two English women visited the palace as they traveled through France on a hot August day in 1901. Miss Moberly was a headmistress of St Hugh’s College for women in Oxford while Miss Jourdain was a former student of hers who was now her assistant. 

As they were having a pleasant trip through the gardens they asked for directions from two men they met dressed in green coats and three cornered hats with spades in their hands. Strange, but perhaps not too strange at an old palace. But the two women suddenly started to feel a strange sensation and growing distress as it was something they couldn’t quite pinpoint. They also passed a Chinese kiosk on their way. 

Photo by Leah Kelley on Pexels.com

They then encountered a woman wearing an old dress and a white hat while she was drawing in the garden. The women were overwhelmed by the experience, and they returned to Paris, agreeing that the place was definitely haunted. 

Another theory was that they had experienced some sort of time slip or time travel. One of the proofs they presented was their own ignorance over the palace and garden at their visit. But when they looked at plans for the Trianon, they found that there indeed had been a Chinese kiosk there in 1774.

Unseen Spirits in the Hallways at Night

In the darkness of the night, some visitors have reported hearing strange noises and feeling a mysterious presence when walking along the Château de Versailles dimly lit hallways. One such story is about an unseen spirit that supposedly haunts the palace’s famous Hall of Mirrors or in the gardens of Petit Trianon. Witnesses like cleaners, guides and visitors have claimed to see dark shadows lurking in the corner of their eyes or feel a chill whenever they step foot into this eerie place.

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The ghosts of Trianon | Palace of Versailles

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The History and Legends of the Haunted Abbaye De Mortemer

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Discover the secrets and legends of Abbaye De Mortemer, an infamous haunted abbey in rural France. Explore its haunting history from Dames Blanches, ghost monks, werewolves and a goblin cat guarding a treasure.

Hidden deep within the French countryside lies the Abbaye De Mortemer, an ancient structure with a chilling past. The former Cistercian Monastery in the Forest of Lyons is the home to eerie sightings and ghostly apparitions.

Origins of the Abbaye De Mortemer

Established in 1134, the Abbaye De Mortemer was an ancient abbey that was a gift to the Cistercians by Henry I of England. 

Read Also: There are many supposedly haunted abbeys and monasteries around the world. Check them out: Here

The name comes from the stagnant water of the lake that was dug out by the monks. It was called the Dead Pond which in French is Morte Mare. 

Abbaye De Mortemer Ruins: Most of the once grand abbay in France is now only ruins and is said to be haunted by more than one ghost. //Source//Wikimedia/Tango7174

Who owned the abbey depended on who owned the land from year to year. It was founded by the English king, but ended up under the French crown after the Hundred Year War ended in 1453. 

It held out despite it falling into disrepair until 1790 when it was dissolved under the French Revolution. Only 4 monks remained alive living in the abbey. They would end up remaining there, even in their afterlife.  

Dame Blanches of Mathilde I’Emperesse

The one thought to be haunting the place is the daughter of Abbaye De Mortemer founder, Mathilde I’Emperesse or Matilda of England.

Her father was King Henry I of England and she was one of those with a claim to the English throne in the civil war between England and Normandy between 1138 and 1153 which was known as The Anarchy. 

Why she is haunting this abbey is unclear as she died at an old age far away. She had close ties to this abbey as it was said she was a very spiritual woman and the order of the Cisterican monks because of the importance of the Virgin Mary, a saint of great importance to her. 

A picture supposedly depicting her ghost got well known in 1999, however French television has since debunked the image as lighting trickery. 

According to legend she walks by the ancient pools and mist is created on them. By local lore you do best to look away if you spot her. If she wears black gloves it means bad luck and misfortune. If she is wearing white, there is a happy event in the coming year. If you see her twice though you are condemned to death. 

The Helpful Ghost Monks

People have reported a number of sinister legends and stories about the Abbaye De Mortemer. One popular story involves sightings of the infamous Black Monks, which are said to appear on dark nights in the abbey’s ruins. 

This is believed to be the ghosts of four monks who were murdered during the French Revolution in 1789 when the churches and abbeys were robbed for their wealth to fund the revolution and the monks were hunted down and dragged to the old cellar were the last brothers of the orders were massacred. 

Other visitors have experienced ghostly apparitions, chills, strange voices, and other forms of supernatural activity. Both the Delarue family that were going to move into the former abbey reported about seeing the monks as well as an English paratrooper in the second world war. 

He said that he was spotted by the enemy and was running around in the forest to hide. A monk came forward and guided him to safety before disappearing. The people at The Resistant Cell the paratrooper found, knew it had to be a monk from the Abbey. 

The Goblin Cat Haunting the Treasure

The haunted abbey is also said to be the home to a certain Goblin cat you can meet in the ruins in the form of a black cat. 

According to the legend, the cat is guarding a certain treasure of the abbey said to be so grand it could restore the abbey to its former glory. 

The She-Werewolf

One of the most famous legends concerning the Abbaye de Mortemer is the story of a werewolf haunting its grounds. According to legend, a cursed woman transformed into a wolf every night and terrorized all who crossed her path. 

This was thought to be a female werewolf known as the Garache in French Folklore with yellow eyes. This is the only tale of a Garache in Normandy apparently, a weird thing perhaps as French Folklore is filled with legends of shape shifting werewolves. 

A man named Roger Saboureau was out poaching in the forest in 1884 when he encountered this werewolf and he shot it dead without hesitation. 

When the Garache died though it returned to its human form and he saw it was his own wife. 

The Demonic Pink Room

In 1863 the building, restored somewhat and made into a family home, was bought by a rich Parisian named M.Delarue. He moved into the place with his wife and two children, but they soon found that it wasn’t without its history. 

One of the most notorious stories revolves around Abbaye De Mortemer’s so-called “Pink Room.” The room is mentioned by some of the owners who experienced so much hauntings it even broke an engagement. 

A young girl who was the fiance of the son, Charles Delarue, the owner of the building and living there came to stay with them once. She was given the pink room as it was the only one available. She was found in the morning, terrified of all the paranormal activity that had happened during the night. She announced she would never live there, broke off the engagement and hurried back to Paris. 

M.Delarue’s daughter had been a nurse during the First World War and told her father she had never been afraid in the trenches and would not be afraid of the pink room either. She made it her own and lived in it, but said that she always felt observed, but not threatened in the same way the former fiance of the family had. 

The Exorcism of the Abbey

The Delarue family stayed in the former abbey for quite some time, but in 1921 they thought it was about time with an exorcism. Not the first one though, and they called once again upon Abbé Humbolt who had done the previous ones also. 

They ordered another exorcism of the Pink Room and the Abbey and it did become quiet for some time. But then it started again. How is it today?

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References

Mortemer Abbey – Wikipedia

Tales and legends – Mortemer Abbey 

The unquiet soul of Abbaye de Mortemer | History, ghosts and ruins

Empress Matilda – Wikipedia 

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The Enchanted Forest of Brocéliande

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Step into the fabled forest of Brocéliande, where tales of enchantment and eerie mystique surround you! Discover what lies deep in the shadows of this haunted forest that is said to be in the real forest of the Paimpont forest in Brittany, France. 

Step into the mysterious and legendary forest of Brocéliande, a place steeped in myth and mystery. In this mythological forest lies a cursed as well as magical woodland, where fairies and powerful spirits lurk, and dark secrets await in its depths. Enter if you dare, for many strange tales have been stamped upon this fairytale land.

Background of The Forest of Brocéliande

Brocéliande is a mythical enchanted forest found in the Arthurian legends, primarily in French folklore. Many often think that ARthurian legend only exists in English mythology, but in Brittany in France there is a long tradition of ARthurian folk tales. The very idea of King Arthur is shrouded in mystery in if and where he lived.  

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from France

So even the existence of this enchanted forest is both a legend and a myth. Or is it? It is said to be the home of the Lady of The Lake, Viviane, who taught Merlin magic and other secret knowledge of the spirit world. 

The forest is also said to hide numerous magical objects like Excalibur, and even contain supernatural or enchanted creatures like werewolves. A wealth of legends and stories include this haunted forest; lending it an unnerving atmosphere that has enticed adventurers through its doors for centuries.

The Haunted Forest: This ancient forest have all of the stories, from beautiful fairy tales to haunted ghost stories.

Arthurian Legends of The Forest of Brocéliande

In literature we first heard the name of the forest in the Roman de Rou chronicle by Wace from 1160. He had heard legends about this place and even went to Brittany to see it for himself. He came back disappointed though and wrote:

 “I saw the forest and the land and looked for marvels, but found none. I came back as a fool and went as a fool. I went as a fool and came back as a fool. I sought foolishness and considered myself a fool.”

It was in this forest that Merlin, King Arthur’s advisor, was said to have been taught magic by Viviane, The Lady of The Lake and where his tomb is said to be. 

Furthermore, both Excalibur and The Holy Grail were supposedly hidden somewhere within the depths of this forest. Today, Brocéliande is also known as ‘The Valley of No Return’, a phrase derived from its mysterious and enchanting stories that keep people coming back time after time to explore what lies in its shadows.

The Real Paimpont Forest

But is this a real forest filled with legends, or is the forest itself just a fairytale? There have been different theories about exactly where it is supposed to be. An though many think of the Brocéliande as a purely mythological place, many points to the Paimpont Forest in Brittany as the one from the fables. 

In the 15th century it was known as the Brocélien forest and is located in the northwestern French region of Brittany. 

Philippe Manguin

Vale of no Return

One of the more magical sights of the Brocéliande forest that we can actually find in the Paimpont forest is the Vale of no Return or Vale of False Lovers. This is a place where Morgan le Fay from the Arthurian legend felt disappointment in her love for Guimar and as revenge created the Val sans Retour where unfaithful knights would be imprisoned. 

It is located in a deep valley and it is said the entrance to the Val is near the town of Tréhorenteuc among the oaks and pines surrounded by a rocky moor. 

The Val sans retour: The legend attached to it is primarily recounted in the Lancelot-Grail: in it, Morgan le Fay experiences a disappointment in love with the knight Guiomar, and, in retaliation, creates the Val sans retour in the forest of Brocéliande, where any knights unfaithful in love are imprisoned.//Source:Tsaag Valren/

Vivien the Fairy – The Lady of the Lake

One of the most famous characters from Brocéliande’s fables is Vivien the Fairy Queen. She goes by many names. Nimue is another name that has been attached to him. She is perhaps best known as the Lady of the Lake that gave King Arthur the Excalibur sword.  

Legend has it that her magical powers are so great that she was able to imprison Merlin in a tree and keep him there until he died. There is actually a place that are called the Tombeau de Merlin from this story.

Vivien, or the Lady of the Lake was said to have a fierce temper and is not to be trifled with – once, when two men attempted to steal the golden apple from her orchard, she cursed them both to wander the forest forever in pain.

Château de Comper and the Magical Lake

The Paimpont Forest also gives us the location of her magical lake as well in the northern part of the forest close to the Concoret village. 

Her lake is said to be the Lake of Diana close to the castle Château de Comper. This is a castle that saw a lot of fighting throughout the years as one of the strongest positions of Upper Brittany as well as riots during the Revolution in 1790.  

There it is a large pond where it is said she lived in a crystal palace built by Merlin that was hidden under the waters of the lake. 

Fairies and Creatures of the Forest

Brocéliande is home to many creatures, both real and mythical from the Breton myths. Fairies in particular, are believed to be the main inhabitants of this forest like Vivian. There are also these little protectors and child-like creatures of the forest. They are small human-like creatures that live deep in the woods, protectors of its secrets with their mischievous behavior. Meanwhile, fairies cast illusions over travelers who pass through the forest – luring them away from safe paths into an endless spiral of treacherous obstacles and bramble thickets.

But not everything that lurks in the forest is said to be of the child-like manner and innocent. There are also tales about ghosts, revenants and the will of the wisps that will lure you away and can harm you. Were druids gather in ancient holy places and giants are said to be entombed.  

The Brocéliande forest, or as we know it as today, the real Paimpont Forest is said to be a place of supernatural power and places, where those brave enough to enter can hear strange murmurs in the night, or catch glimpses of apparitions within its depths. 

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Brocéliande – Wikipedia

Val sans retour – Wikipedia

Château de Comper – Wikipedia

Paimpont forest – Wikipedia

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The Buried Alive Ghosts of Château de Trécesson in the Enchanted Forest

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Château de Trécesson, the ancient castle in Brittany has more than one ghost haunting the place. Perhaps it’s not too strange to be haunted by the mysterious Dames Blanches when the location of the castle is in an enchanted forest.

Château de Trécesson is an ancient castle tucked away in the French countryside that has been the source of fascination and speculation among locals for centuries. 

The castle in Brittany has a mysterious past and its origin is lost in the mists of time, replete with tales of hauntings and supernatural phenomena, has attracted visitors far and wide hoping to get a glimpse into its paranormal secrets.

History of Château de Trécesson?

Château de Trécesson is an ancient castle situated in the French countryside, and it dates all the way back to 810 AD. The castle is built on the foot of the Buttes de Tiot and has stood for more than two millennia and endured the passing of time, but its rich history and ghostly lore still remain a mystery.

It’s rumored to be haunted by ghosts, and visitors have reported having odd experiences while visiting the castle grounds.

Legends and Ghost stories of Château de Trécesson?

There are many rumors and tales about Château de Trécesson that have been passed down through generations. One of them is of several guests at the castle that have seen a group of ghosts playing cards. Who the winner will be in the eternal game they are playing or what game of cards they have been on for ages are uncertain. 

There is also talk of an unknown monk wandering nearby close to the meadow by the castle and on the roadside leading up to it. He is sometimes described as headless. Perhaps not so surprising as the Château de Trécesson is built in the The Enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, a place of wonder and supernatural in every tree stem.

The Enchanted Forest of Brocéliande

The Castle is close to a part of the mythological forest known as Brocéliande. The real forest connected to this is the The Paimpont Forest. It is located around the village of Paimpont in Brittany. 

It contains the castles Château de Comper and Château de Trécesson as well as the Forges of Paimpont, a national historic site. It has been associated with the forest of Brocéliande and many locations from Arthurian legend, including the Val sans retour, the tomb of Merlin, and the fountain of Barenton as well as The Lady of the Lake. 

Dames Blanches French Folklore

There’s also a long-standing local legend involving the castle’s ‘Dames Blanches’, or ‘White Ladies’. According to folklore, these female ghosts are said to inhabit the castle and torment its inhabitants with misfortune, calamity, and sometimes even death in many stories in French folklore.

This castle has also been said to have one of these Lady’s in white or Dames Blanches in residence from the time the castle was in the hands of Monsieur de Trécesson. 

People tell stories of hearing strange whispers in the walls, feeling cold chills running through the rooms, and seeing shadowy figures of beautiful women in a muddy white dress with a flower crown roaming around in the night air.

It is said it was her brothers who murdered her in 1750 that buried her alive on her wedding day as they felt they had accepted a wedding that dishonored the family. 

The whole event was spotted by a couple of poachers that saw the carriage with the woman was out in the woods and the men started digging the grave they sealed her in before driving away. Why they didn’t have the decency to kill her before burying her is unclear. 

The poachers found the courage to tell the people in the nearby village about it, and they came for her rescue. They were too late and she died, but didn’t really leave. It is said she is seen close to the castle, and floating on the waters still wearing her wedding dress. 

Her name or where she came from was never discovered. 

The Heartbroken Lovers

Another popular tale tells of two lovers being separated due to their families’ objections. The man was forced by his father to go fight in the crusade of 1249. He was killed in battle and his young wife died of grief only a few months after the news reached her. 

The spirit of the two lovers have been spotted replaying their final farewell scene close to the castle’s gateway. 

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Brittany’s Most Haunted Castles

The Castle of Trécesson – Tourist Office of Brocéliande (Brittany, France)

Château de Trécesson – Broceliande Castle

Château de Trécesson – Wikipedia 

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The Legend of the Phantom of Opéra Garnier

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Get ready for an eerie adventure through Opéra Garnier Paris where the legend of the Phantom of the Opera originated from. How much from the musical and the novel was from real life and just how haunted is the opera house today? 

“Then their ears suddenly perceive celestial harmonies, a divine voice, which they remember all their lives.”
– Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux

Step inside the haunted walls of Opéra Garnier Paris that were said to be haunted by an opera ghost. Was it a living man hiding behind the walls of the opera or was it in fact a supernatural ghost haunting the building. Was the Phantom of the Opera a fact at all? 

The iconic building is full of mysterious stories and eerie legends that have been passed down throughout the centuries. Discover what makes this grand theater one of France’s most spine-tingling places, as you explore its many dark histories and ghastly tales.

The History of the Opéra Garnier

Opéra Garnier Paris, also known as The Palais Garnier, is an iconic and historic building that stands as a symbol of French culture and sophistication and is perhaps the most well known opera house that exists. Today the Opéra Garnier is mainly used for ballet.

Opéra Garnier was built in the Second Empire of France, it was designed by renowned architect Charles Garnier, as part of a massive construction project undertaken during the reign of Napoleon III. 

Since its inception, many strange and ghastly legends have surrounded the building – from tales of mysterious disappearances to reports of a deep underground lake said to be populated by fantastical creatures. Beyond these stories lies the undeniable fact that there are things about the building that remain unexplored and unknown, leaving much of its enigmatic past shrouded in mystery.

Much of Opéra Garnier Paris’s legendary aura comes from its mysterious structure and certain features of the building architecture. The architecture is a quintessential Napoleon III style with a mix of both Baroque, Palladio and Renaissance all in one building. It has a labyrinthine design, with hidden passages and secret passageways – some of which may have been used for illicit activities during the opera house’s earlier times. 

The grand stairway is nothing short of breathtaking and there are unique implications to this powerful piece of architecture. These days, it serves as an inspiring backdrop for any number of theatrical performances.

Discover the Phantom of the Opera’s Terrible Curse

Legend has it that the spirit of an unknown figure lives in the auditorium, where he haunts theatrical performances with a terrible curse, walks the grand staircase of the opera and hides in the basement. 

His name is often Erik or Ernest from the legends, but we perhaps know him best from the Gaston Leroux novel, the Phantom of the Opera published in 1910. Today it is perhaps the best known opera house in the world thanks to this novel and the 1986 musical with the same name. But was there a legend that inspired this work, and was the legend true?

Those who are brave enough to enter may feel a presence they can’t explain or even hear mysterious and chilling music! No one knows what this masked phantom looks like or why he cursed the theater – but those brave enough to try might just find out!

The Strange Deaths in the Opéra Garnier

“Oh, to-night I gave you my soul, and I am dead!”
– Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux

Stories of the Phantom are not new–theater-goers, performers and staff have been experiencing eerie encounters in Opéra Garnier Paris since its opening in 1875 where a series of unexplained deaths took place and it is said that the writer Gaston Leroux were inspired from these legends when he wrote his novel.

Very soon after the opening a stagehand was found hanged. Then in 1896 during a performance of Faust an enormous crystal chandelier fell from the ceiling and struck a spectator or a concierge who died instantly. Garnier said of the chandelier: 

“What else could fill the theatre with such joyous life? What else could offer the variety of forms that we have in the pattern of the flames, in these groups and tiers of points of light, these wild hues of gold flecked with bright spots, and these crystalline highlights?”

Now the incident was one of the highlights of the novel by Gaston Leroux and so many legends came from this incident. Rumour has it that the person who died sat on seat number 13. 

The Phantom of the Opera

All of the accidents and more were attributed to Ernest. He was supposedly a young piano prodigy that worked in the Le Peletier Opera House that was before Opéra Garnier. On October 28th 1873, a terrible fire broke out there and burned his face terribly. His fiance, a young ballerina, died. 

Filled with pain, sorrow and anger, the pianist took refuge in the maze-like building of the new opera house that was being built and wanted to finish his grand masterpiece. He is said to have lived in the underground lake under the building and only eaten the fish he caught there. 

Did Ernest really exist? There have been many speculations and too many legends to separate false from facts. There is not a natural lake underneath the opera house, but there really is an enormous cistern that firefighters use to practice swimming in the dark. 

There has also been an unidentified body discovered in the basement of the opera building. Could it be that the Phantom of the Opera was real?

The Unsolved Legend of the Phantom of the Opera

From strange noises to magical music that suddenly appears out of nowhere, there’s no doubt that something supernatural is at work here. Whatever it is, it terrifies audiences and mesmerizes those brave enough to enter the palatial halls of Opéra Garnier Paris. 

The mystery of the Phantom of the Opera remains unsolved – yet one thing is certain: the legend has been passed down through generations and will remain chilling for centuries to come.

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Un fantôme hante-t-il toujours les souterrains de l’opéra Garnier?

Palais Garnier – Wikipedia

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Ghost Stories from Greoux-les-Bains and the Château des Templiers

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Discover spooky tales and legendary ghost stories from Greoux-les-Bains, France. Tales from the haunted castle of the knight templar are said to be plentiful and the entire historic town is rumored to be haunted.

Gréoux-les-Bains in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in France is not for the faint of heart. It dubbed itself as a picturesque Provençal town known for its therapeutic thermal mineral water and the old building of Château des Templiers. 

The old fortress town in southeastern France has certainly been a significant place in France during the course of history and a lot of bloody, tragic and events have scarred the place over the years. Even healthy mineral water has been unable to cure. 

Greoux-les-Bains is a mountain town located in Provence, France. Not only is it famous for its thermal baths and Roman ruins, but it is also home to many tales of hauntings and mysterious encounters. Many of the stories involve old castles that still stand around the area, as well as other haunted locations throughout the region.

The Haunted Town of Greoux-les-Bains

For centuries, this small town has been home to a multitude of eerie tales and haunted locations. From empty castles to spooky cemeteries, there’s no shortage of places to explore in search of paranormal activity, and Greoux-les-Bains is said to have all this.

But where do these ghosts really reside? People say that you can encounter a haunting in every street in the town, but there is especially one place that is said to have a paranormal aura bigger than other buildings. 

The Haunted Château des Templiers

The most well known place in Greoux-les-Bains is the Château des Templiers, or the castle of the knight templars, often remembered as a mysterious group of knights who traveled far away and ended up coming back with many secrets of the occult. 

Located by the right bank of the river Verdon is the castle that once belonged to the knight templars where it got its name from. The castle which is the third largest in the region was built in the 12th or the 13th century and today the square courtyard is now a place where they host shows and concerts. But it is also the place they say has the most paranormal activity attached to it. 

People that have taken a nighttime stroll on top of the hill close to the stronghold claim that they have heard whispers from the shadows belonging to no one, and there has even been spotted one or two shadows over the stone walls that didn’t have any real body attached to it. 

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References

Featured Image: Wikimedia/Calips

Greoux-les-Bains : A picturesque provençal town

Le château et sa légende – Gréoux-les-bains

The Most Scary Places to Visit in France

10 Most Terrifying and Haunted Places in France – ConnollyCove 

Gréoux-les-Bains – Wikipedia 

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The Ghost Monks at Lyseklosteret

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In the ruins of Lyse Abbey there are rumors about the ghost monks haunting the ruins as well as a white lady roaming the roads around it. 

Lyse Abbey or Lyseklosteret is a former cistercian monastery that was built in Os, right outside of Bergen in Norway. There are only ruins of it today, as many of the monasteries were destroyed during the reformation from catholicism to protestantism in 1536. 

In 1578 stones were removed from the monastery and shipped to Denmark and used in Kronborg Castle, as Norway at the time was a colony in Denmark. The stones were also used to build the Rosenkrantz tower in Bergen.  

Ghost Monks

The monastery called  Coenobium Vallis Lucidae ( The Monastery in the Valley of Light) in Latin and named after the fjord, Lysefjorden (The Light Fjord) was founded by English monks in  From Fountain Abbey in North Yorkshire 1146 and the building was built over the next hundreds of years. They also brought fruits like apples to Hardanger, a place now renowned for its tasty apples. 

Lyse Abbey: The ruins of the old monastary is said to be haunted by ghost monks// source

It is said that the monks that first built the monastery never left and haunts the location even to this day. Many have reported about seeing cloaked silhouettes walking about as if they are working on the building. 

There have also been heard moans from the ruins of the once great monastery, especially on foggy nights, making people believe that the old ruins are haunted by Ghost Monks. 

Lyse Abbey is not the only place supposedly haunted by a monk in Norway. Read also about the ghost monk haunting Nidarosdommen. 

The White Lady In the Ruins

The ghost monks are however not the only ones that are rumored to haunt the place. Apparently there are stories about a “white lady” that walks around in the ruins of the monastery at night time and in the evening. According to legend there was a terrible accident involving a tractor in 1960 when she was bicycling along the road nearby and a tractor ran her over. 

It is unclear if it actually was an accident since it was her neighbor driving the tractor. Anyway, since then, there have been multiple reports about a woman in white around the weeks leading up to Christmas, often described as a white morning robe, wandering restless around the monastery, just looking straight ahead. 

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References

Her finner du spøkelser i Bergen – Let’s get lost

Lysekloster – Wikipedia

Kven er den skumle dama som skremmer vatnet av folk ved Lysekloster-ruinane?

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Joan of Arc Haunting the Basilique du Bois-Chenu

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Explore the mysterious Basilique du Bois-Chenu, a church dedicated to the French national hero and saint Joan of Arc, where rumor has it is haunted by her spirit.

Have you ever heard the dark and mysterious tales of the haunted Basilique du Bois-Chenu? This neo -Romanesque style church in Domremy is dedicated to Joan of Arc close to her hometown and is also called Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc de Domrémy-la-Pucelle. 

Bois-Chenu basilica is rumored to be a hotbed for paranormal activity where it is nestled far away from the crowd in the French countryside. Learn about its history and legends here, and find out why it’s one of the most haunted spots in Europe!

History of Basilique du Bois-Chenu

The Basilique du Bois-Chenu was originally built in 1881 close to the place where it is said that Joan of Arc started hearing voices in the hills where she was herding sheep. These visions were those that would eventually lead her to fight the English. It took a long time to build the Basilica and it wasn’t completed until 1926.

It was originally meant to be dedicated to SAint Michael as Joan of Arc wasn’t made into a saint until 1922. Since the building of the Basilica, many strange events have been reported at the church, attributed to the saint that it was dedicated to.

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Saint Joan of Arc and her Prophetic Visions

But who was really Joan of Arc before she became a symbol? The young girl were a French heroine and now a patron saint of France who fought against the English in the Hundred Years War before being burnt at the stake. 

Before becoming this iconic warrior of her country under God’s command, Joan of Arc was born into a peasant family in Domremy in northeastern France in the middle of the long war. She didn’t read or travel much, but was regarded as a very intelligent person and well spoken that would convince even the King of France that she was the chosen one. 

Prophetic Visions: Joan of Arc claimed she was visited and given visions from God when she was a young girl. The portrait depicts Joan of Arc’s awe upon receiving a vision from the Archangel Michael. Painted by Eugène Romain Thirion

In 1425 when Joan of Arc was around 13, she started having these visions from the archangel Michael that she was chosen to be guided to help save France from English attacks. But where did this girl even get this idea from? Was it really from an angel, or did she have a personal ambition to be the country’s savior?

The Prophecies about the Maiden Saviour

During Joan’s youth, a prophecy circulating in the French countryside, based on the visions of Marie Robine of Avignon, promised an armed virgin would come forth to save France from the English. Marie Robine, known also as Marie of Gascony, or of Avignon, had arrived at Avignon in 1387, on a pilgrimage in the hope of being cured of an illness.

Another prophecy, attributed to Merlin from the Arthurian Legends, stated that a virgin carrying a banner would put an end to France’s suffering. 

Joan of Arc herself meant she was this promised maiden, reminding the people around her that there was a saying that France would be destroyed by a woman but would be restored by a virgin. Now the only thing that remained was to make people believe in her. 

Becoming a National Hero Before Being Burnt at the Stake

Joan of Arc claimed that she was under God’s guidance and became a military leader despite her gender, her social status and gained recognition as a savior of France. Her arrival had already been predicted by multiple so-called prophets before her and when she came as a hope it was much needed as France was in turmoil politically and financially and needed a hero.

Battle Heroine: Joan of Arc is well known for leading France to victory during the battle of Orleans. Painted by Eugène Lenepveu .

She insisted on going to Charles VII of France and he was convinced of her and sent the 17 year old girl to Orleans to fight. The battle was a French victory and helped boost the morale of the troops and the Hundred Years War ended in French victory a couple of decades later. Because of this she is also known as The Maid of Orléans.

However, all of her battles were not as successful and she failed under the siege of Paris in November 1429 and siege of La Charite in November. This made the court lose faith in her. 

In 1431 Joan of Arc was put on trial for heresy, blasphemy because of wearing men’s clothes, acting upon demonic visions and not doing as the church told her. She was declared guilty and burned at the stake on 30 May in 1431, just 19 years old. 

The Paranormal Phenomena at Bois-Chenu

After her death there have been a number of reports that claim they have seen the spirit of Joan of Arc around in France. Little girls in particular claimed they have spoken to her, and there are between 50 to a 100 people written reports of it. 

There have been several claims that people have seen her ghost close to the Basilique du Bois-Chenu as well as around her birth home and the church she attended and started having visions.

It is said that strange noises and apparitions have been experienced throughout the grounds of Bois-Chenu, both during the day and in the dead of night. Mysterious presences have been spotted roaming around the desolate Basilique du Bois-Chenu and it’s thought that at least two ghosts are permanently resident here. 

Visiting the Basilique du Bois-Chenu Today

Today, a visit to Bois-Chenu is still an experience filled with mystery and intrigue. The Basilique du Bois-Chenu is far out in the French countryside where a young and illiterate girl started out before becoming one of the most famous people in history.

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References

Joan of Arc – Wikipedia

Joan of Arc Returns

Women Prophets and Visionaries in France at the End of the Middle Ages | Encyclopedia.com

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The Haunted Château de Commarque

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Tales of longing linger within Chateau de Commarque’s ancient ruins and tell of a ghost wandering among them from a legend sounding like a Romeo and Juliet story. However, this ghost is said not to be a human

Lurking among the breathtaking vineyards and cobblestone streets of southwestern France, Chateau de Commarque stands starkly against the fading horizon on a rocky hill. 

Its defensive towers still stand tall despite its age, but it has also silently become a land steeped in mystery – many believe it to be haunted by ancient terrors, while others seek to unravel its mysteries. 

Château de Commarque history

Château de Commarque has a long and storied history. It was first built by the Lords of Commarque in the 12th century built to protect the nearby abbey. But the castle expanded and the wooden towers were built into stone and was a strategic place during the Hundred Year War, where it was taken by the English which held the castle for many years.

Château de Commarque was in and out of the hands of the Beynac family who were essential to the ghost story the castle had. The Beynac family were once again robbed of the castle during the French Wars of Religion in the 1500s because they were a protestant family and partisans.

The Castle was later abandoned in the 18th century as many castles were during that time in the midst of all the revolutions going on. 

Unearth the Castle’s Dark History

With centuries of mystery and events shrouding the Château de Commarque’s walls, it has become more than just another ruin. Its dark past reveals that, over the years, it has been home to numerous secrets – some more macabre than others. 

There is even a prehistoric cave underneath the cliff supporting the Château de Commarque ruins. The cave had around 150 drawings etched into the stone from a man made some 15 000 years ago that wasn’t discovered before 1915. 

From stories of ghostly figures appearing in the now ruins of the former castle to tales of lost souls and torture chambers hidden beneath the castle grounds, there are many stories left untouched as we uncover what truly lies within.

The Horse Haunting the Ruins

The most famed legend told about Château de Commarque is almost like a Romeo and Juliet story of star crossed lovers who were pitted together because of their family’s feud. It is even said that those witnessing the ghost have died under strange circumstances. 

The legend is about the daughter of the Count of Commarque living there at the time. He and the Baron of Beynac were fighting about territory, and his daughter ended up falling in love with the son of her rival family.

The Count of Commarque did not approve of this match at all and ended up putting the young man and his enemy in prison in the dungeons of the castle. He had to be there in the darkness alone for a couple of months until they had him beheaded. 

It isn’t the daughter haunting the ruins of Château de Commarque though, in search of her lost lover who her father killed. It isn’t even said to be the young man who died because of his father and his rival’s battle. It is his horse. The loyal and loving horse once belonging to the man is said to wander in the ruins of the Château de Commarque in search of his former master. 

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Featured Image: Wikimedia/Xfigpower

Gite Château de Commarque haunted, tragic love storyChâteau de Commarque — Wikipédia

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The Redshirt Soldier in Biennale Gardens

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A ghost in a red shirt used to haunt the Biennale Gardens in Venice. The former soldier had to uphold his promise to protect his hero, Garibaldi, even in death. 

In the Castello district in Venice, in the Giardini della Biennale there is a statue of a soldier of Garibaldi, a hero of the Italian Unification. If you look closely though, there is another statue to see. Right behind Garibaldi’s statue there is a bronze statue of a lesser known soldier that is still standing guard, right behind Garibaldi’s back in the garden. 

Garibaldi himself was an Italian general, patriot, revolutionary and republican. He is remembered as a big contributor to the Italian unification and the creation of the Kingdom of Italy in the 19th century. 

The statue of the soldier was once a man named Giuseppe Zolli. He was a local and studied at the University of Padua before joining Italy’s independence war in 1859. He joined what became known as the Camice Rosse, or the Redshirts. These were volunteering men that followed Garibaldi and fought against the Austrian Empire, The kingdom of Two Sicilies and the Papal States among others and were very famous at the time. 

RedShirts: A typical redshirt worn by Garibaldi’s men

The young soldier, Giuseppe Zolli was so dedicated to this man that he swore an oath to always guard him, even in his death. Because he did die in service during the Mille Expedition or the Expedition of the Thousand, a mission to take back Southern Italy from Bourbon rule. 

After he died he was buried on the island of San Michele, which is the cemetery of Venice. 

The statue of Zolli wasn’t placed there until 1921, when people started to notice strange things happening around the war heroes monument. People reported of a ghostly soldier all dressed in a red shirt tripping and tugging at people passing by the monument. An elderly man living close by recognized the soldier as Zolli and told them all about his promise. The city then decided to erect a statue in his honor. 

However, if you are looking for the ghostly soldier, he is probably nowhere to be found. After they placed the statue of the soldier, there were apparently no more sightings of the ghost, as he would be able to always stand guard of his hero, just as he promised. 

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