Get to know one of the most iconic castles in France – Château de Chambord. The grand castle is, according to legend, designed by Leonardo da Vinci himself. And it is also said that the castle is haunted by the souls of the soldiers of the Franco-Prussian War.
Built by King Francis I in the 1600s, the Château de Chambord is one of France’s most iconic castles in the Loire Valley in the heart of France because of its distinct French Renaissance architecture.
The Château was originally built to be a hunting lodge for King Francis I and it is filled with centuries of history, the majestic site quickly became one of the country’s biggest attractions and remains a must-see destination for travelers today.
History of Château de Chambord
Château de Chambord was built by King Francis I of France from 1519 to 1547. The property took 14 years to build and stretch out an impressive 52,000 square meters (558,000 sq feet).
Its design was a blend of both Gothic and Renaissance architecture, with a blend of French and Italian elements the French brought home from Italy after the Hundred Years’ War. The castle is surrounded by a park 5 km (3 miles) in circumference and is home to 46 staircases, 282 fireplaces, and 440 rooms.
Designed by Leonardo Da Vinci?
The immense double staircase is an exceptional feature of the Château de Chambord, which according to legend was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, although the true architect behind it is much disputed. This design which blends together two symmetrical independent spiral staircases is perhaps one of its most remarkable features. In order to ensure this symmetry, both staircases ascend the same height and never meet each other.
Château de Chambord’s double helix also intersects with multiple rooms, creating spectacular illusions by allowing visitors to originate from any point of departure and remain completely unseen from anyone in the opposite staircase.
The Hauntings at Château de Chambord
Rumors about paranormal activity in the castle have been around since the 19th century and the castle has been abandoned many times during the long war years, revolution and so on. Many visitors reported seeing mysterious figures and hearing strange, unexplained noises inside its walls.
During the Franco-Prussian War from 1870-1871 the Château de Chambord was used as a field hospital. The war was between the Second French Empire and The North German Confederation that ended in German victory. It also ended in over 40 000 deaths on the German side and over 138 000 deaths on the French side.
Many were taken to the Château de Chambord that was a field hospital back then and ended their lives there. After this, people in the grand Château claim to see the ghosts of the dead soldiers still wandering the halls and the grand staircase.
The tragic story of Château de Brissac and the murder of Charlotte de Brézé is a haunting one, but not a rare one as it houses the ghost of a woman murdered by her own husband and is forced to remain as a ghost.
It’s no secret that the Château de Brissac holds centuries of ghostly secrets in the Loire Valley. As one of the highest, grandest and oldest castles in France, it has been home to some of the most mysterious occurrences in all of Europe, including that of the Lady in Green. Unearth the tales about its ghosts, spirits and supernatural activity inside!
Discover the History of Château de Brissac
Château de Brissac has a long, colorful history that provides a backdrop for its resident spirits. Built in the 11th century by the Counts of Anjou but renovated in the 16th century, it stands as an impressive monument to France’s past. Its past inhabitants have left behind a tale of murder and misfortune – one that still haunts the castle today.
Rebuilt in 1611 after the French Wars of Religion, the architecture of the Château de Brissac is unlike any other in France. It features a unique combination of early Renaissance and classic Renaissance styles. It’s surrounded by seven towers and many turrets, windows, and balconies.
Its main reception hall is one of the largest in Europe, measuring an impressive 80 feet long by 30 feet wide. The walls are actually double-walled to prevent fires and its design includes a mezzanine for extra storage space. Even its natural environment acts as a defensive wall against intruders since it’s located deep in dark forests!
The Ghost of the Green Lady or La Dame Verte
Many ghosts in French ghost story lore are said to be Dame Blanches or Ladies in White. And although the ghost of the Château de Brissac follows in the same pattern, the ghost is remembered and rumored to be a Lady in Green or La Dame Verte.
The spirits of Château de Brissac are said to still linger in its walls, though sightings of them have become rarer over the years.
Legends of La Dame Verte, the Green Lady, are some of the most popular tales told about the Château de Brissac. It is said that she was murdered by her own husband and now wanders the halls in search of vengeance. Some believe these stories are real, while others think they’re far-fetched.
The Murder of Charlotte de Brézé
One of the reasons why Château de Brissac is so famously haunted is due to a tragic event that took place there. Charlotte de Brézé, the wife of Jacques de Breze and mistress of the castle, was mysteriously murdered inside one of its rooms.
She was the illegitimate daughter of King Charles VII and his mistress, Agnes Sorel. She married Jacques de Breze, the lord of Château de Brissac in 1462 and had 5 children with him. The match was not a success however and Charlotte found the boring country life too much.
Jacques de Breze suspected her of having an affair with another man, one of his huntsmen, Pierre de Lavergne. On the night of May 31 in 1477 she was murdered by her husband when he ran his sword through her as well as her lover because of his jealousy.
She is said to haunt the tower room of the chapel of Château de Brissac, wearing her green dress and it is said that Jacques de Breze had to move out from the castle as he was tormented by her ghost. Years later, visitors still report hearing cries in the night at Château de Brissac, perhaps forever labeling it as one of France’s most haunted places!
The story of the lost castle of Hollerwiese on Mariahilfberg Hill is still a mystery to this day. It is said that the ghosts of those living in the castle are still seen on the meadow where the castle once stood.
East of the city of Amberg in Bavarian Germany, there is a forest-covered ridge, reaching the top called Mariahilfberg Hill and has many mysterious legends surrounding it. The hilltop is crowned with a beautiful church, surrounded by a vast forest. Behind the church is a meadow known as the Hollerwiese or Hollow Meadow.
It used to be an unwooded area up until the 1800s but is now covered with trees like the rest of the hill, hiding away the name and the legend. But according to legend, the ground sounds strangely hollow when you throw stones on it.
Read Also: This is not the only mysterious forest in the world. Read about the haunted Romanian forest Hoia Baciu as well.
The Two Sisters
There is a legend that once there was a castle standing where two very wealthy sisters lived. They had also inherited the monastery in Amberg and the towns of Raigering and Neumühle from their father and had more than enough for both of them.
Their wealth was stored in huge barrels and chests in the basement of the castle of Hollerwiese. The two sisters decided to share their wealth with each other and together they promised to help each other and live in harmony.
One of the sisters was blind and the seeing sister was the one counting the money and keeping track of their fortune. In the beginning the blind sister trusted her sister without questions.
The Church on the hill: Here you see Wallfahrtskirche Maria Hilf in Amberg. The lost castle and the meadow are supposed to be right behind it. //Source: Campiana/wikimedia
The seeing sister got greedy however and started to keep more and more to herself, giving her sister less. This was something the blind sister started to suspect.
One day, the blind sister felt with her hand on the uneven stacks of gold and realized how her sister had deceived her. She cursed the castle, making it sink into the earth, still with both of them inside where none of them would have the opportunity to spend their fortune.
In some versions of the legend, the blind one got out of Hollerwiese and spent the rest of her life in Neumühle.
It is said that during holy celebrations many see the two sisters, sitting in the meadow, waving at those passing, reminding them about the barrels of gold that sits just underneath the surface.
The Robber Baron
Another version of the story of the lost castle of Hollerwiese is about the thief that supposedly lived in the castle on the mountain. He stole goods from merchants and harvests from farmers. His daughter was grieved by their fathers criminal acts and tried to undo everything he did wrong by giving back to those he robbed.
Often did she beg her father to stop, but he only laughed at her. And when she warned him about the Heavens vengeance, he only ignored her. But in the end, his greed was punished.
Under a terrible thunderstorm the entire castle was washed away with all the residents. According to legend, there can still be sound remains of it under the meadow.
Ever since that fateful night, a maiden in a white robe is seen sitting on a stone near the Hollerwiese on the evening of the solstice. Next to her is a black dog with a golden key in his mouth. This key is said to be able to open the treasure chambers of the sunken castle.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dive into the world of French castles and explore the Château des Fougeret which host paranormal evenings and nights in their supposedly haunted rooms. Each room has its own story with its own ghosts rattling the doorknobs, moving objects across the room and keeping a watchful eye on the guests sleeping.
Overlooking the Vienne Valley on a high cliff, Château des Fougeret is an amazing example of French medieval architecture, looking like it came straight from a dark fairy tale with its round towers and rumors of being haunted by the previous occupants.
The castle in Queaux has been through many centuries of tumultuous history and caters today to those seeking the thrill of ghosts and the paranormal inside of the old French châteaus as they are roaming the corridors and crying about the past and fearing the present.
Discover the History of Château des Fougeret
First mentions of the Château des Fougeret dates back to the 1300 has a varied history as this castle has seen countless battles from the Hundred Year Wars and seen many changes throughout its history.
The Château des Fougeret is located in the verdant Vienne Valley of central France. Follow the winding river and explore the charming villages dotted along its shores. Spend an afternoon wandering through the breathtaking forest which encompasses this magical castle.
Read More: Château des Fougeretis not the only castle that are thought to be haunted. Read more ghost stories from the haunted castles around the world.
Inside the Haunted Rooms: The Château des Fougeret is filled with old trinkets and stuff from way back, helping to uphold the haunted aura from the gothic castle that have been restored since 2009.//Source: Wikimedia.
Admire the abundance of wildlife which roam freely in these parts and take in nature’s ever-changing colors. The big park around the castle was filled with plants from the New World like American Walnut Tree and giant sequoias, and must have looked otherworldly to people visiting this seemingly exotic place.
However, when the dark befalls on this Château, shadows in the corners and whispers in the dark take over. Today, the Château des Fougeret is mostly known because of the alleged paranormal activity.
Paranormal Activity Nights at the Château des Fougeret
Much like other historic French castles, Château des Fougeret is no stranger to tales of paranormal activity. Many locals claim to have seen ghosts wandering the grounds and some even report hearing strange noises emanating from the chapel. Whether you believe these stories or not, there’s no denying that this legendary castle is an enchanting experience, full of culture and history.
In 2009, Véronique Geffroy and her husband François bought the empty Château des Fougeret, after it had sat alone for years of abandonment and decided to restore it to move in. After they moved in, they claim that they experienced a lot of paranormal activity in their home, and instead of fighting it, they decided to welcome it.
The House of Spirits: The owners felt a paranormal presence and to help pay for the renovations, they decided to held workshops, and ouija board sessions with their guests to try to come in contact with the spirits said to haunt the castle.// Source:Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com
To help pay for repairs of the old and decaying castle, they started organizing paranormal nights in the château, even despite lack of safety like emergency exits, fire alarms and the weak floors. However, the nights turned out to be a success and they attracted a lot of media attention to their supposed haunted château.
Spend a Night in the Haunted Rooms
Now visitors can join workshops inside of Château des Fougeret of the paranormal sorts were mediums shows you the art of the turntable as well as a seance of the ouija board. After an evening of this you can spend the night inside one of the haunted rooms. The mediums that have held seances and tried to communicate with the castle claimed to have come in contact with not only one ghost, but many, each sitting in their former homes.
Paranormal Evenings: Care for a board game of Ouija board to summon the dead in the haunted castle? The owners of Château des Fougeret have become known for catering towards paranormal activity and are hosting seances to connect with the dead.//Source: wikimedia
Today the Château des Fougeret operates as a guest house and they have a few rooms they claim are more haunted than others, like what they call the Knights Room for instance that used to be a guard room and where they allegedly got in contact with a knight asking them to recite Our Father in latin.
There is also the Nurse’s Room where the former occupant is said to caress visitors’ hair in their sleep, crying children in the Master’s Room and the ghost of a little girl playing with the toys in one of the rooms and a man in a bowler hat in the Room with Watchtowers.
Read More: Ghost stories set in hotels and bed and breakfast places you can spend the night.
The Ax Murdered Usher’s Room
One of the haunted rooms called The Usher’s Room is one where a man was killed in the 18th century with an ax and has haunted the rooms and the guests staying there ever since. The owners of Château des Fougeret claims that people sleep poorly when visitors stay the night.
According to the legend it all happened in the 18th century when the Lord of Fougeret at the time, Louis Taveau didn’t pay his taxes and when the usher threatened to seize his property the lord of the Château killed him and buried him in the crypt.
People who have stayed in this room tell about being disturbed throughout the night, hearing footsteps and that objects in the room are moving and even being thrown around. Some even claim that they have been left with scratches.
The Ghost of the Sickly Alice and Marie’s Room
This is the room that used to belong to two young girls in different spots in history that are said to haunt the Château des Fougeret. They believe that the room is haunted by the girls because an alleged voice recording of a female voice calling for a Marie.
The first of the ghosts haunting the room is thought to be one named Marie who died suddenly in 1854 of meningitis in a time were this disease could be an epidemic outbreak.
The other girl who is haunting this room is a girl named Alice who died when she was 23 in 1924. After her death her body was moved back into this room, and it is said you sometimes can smell the church incense used back then. People report feeling watched as well as the door handle turning by itself.
According to the legend the daughter of the current owners moved into this very room and ended up developing the same kidney disease as Alice died of when she was the same age. Thankfully the disease is curable today.
Haunted Porcelain Dolls: In the former bedrooms for the young girls, a porcelain doll are said to just appear in the middle of hte room. //Source:Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com
In this room it is said that a funeral box suddenly appears and leaves a strange smell. It is said that this was a thing Marie had were she stashed her clothes and teeth.
Another strange thing known to appear in the room is a porcelain doll with a smashed head in the middle of the room. And we can perhaps agree that a haunted porcelain doll can be some of the scariest things there is.
Read also: There are plenty of stories about haunted dolls. Read about the haunted Okiku in Japan growing hair, Ruby that are making people sick, the crying doll called Mandy or Letta the doll from hell in the Moonmausoleum.
The Heartbroken and Bankrupt Felix’s Room
The most famed ghost in the Château des Fougeret is the heartbroken and broke Felix. He was weighed down after his father went bankrupt, losing his fortune as well as being heartbroken over a love he couldn’t have. He ended up taking his own life in 1898 and is said to haunt the room which was his former office.
The people that have stayed in this former office talk about moving objects, turning door handles and stamping footsteps in the hallway outside. Someone also claims to have seen Felix’s ghost in the corridors outside his former office.
Celebrating the Haunted Rumours
Today the Château des Fougeret is celebrating the paranormal and haunted legends that came with the place and keeps expanding during the course of the workshops by the mediums as well as their countless of ouija sessions, welcoming the thin veil between this life and the next.
Find out about the Red Man haunting the gardens that has reportedly been seen by visitors to Louvre Museum since before its opening and many strange and haunting rumors started to unfold from this world famous museum. But how many of them are actually rooted in other than fiction and fear?
Since its opening as a museum in 1793, Louvre Museum has had a mysterious supernatural entity lurking within its walls even before they started to bring all the historical artifacts inside. It is the most visited museum in the world and around 15 000 people visit this museum each day, many of them claiming to have seen a ghost or two.
It is said if you spend 30 seconds looking at each piece of art without any sleep or breaks it takes 100 days to see all the artwork they display to this day inside of the Louvre. The museum is covered in urban legends, everything that Mary Magdalene is buried underneath, That the Mona Lisa is bigger than she is and that the pyramid in the courtyard contains 666 panes of glass like the mark of the beast.
Read about more Haunted Museums across the world: Here
The History of the Louvre Palace in Paris
The building that Louvre in Paris is in has been a part of French history since 1190 when it was built as a fortress against the vikings by King Philippe Auguste. From the 1300s it worked as the official royal residence and was known as Palais du Louvre and saw kings and queens come and go for centuries.
The Louvre palace in Paris was the palace where the royal family resided and held court until the sun king Ludvig XIV had built the Chateau de Versailles and moved there in 1682.
Too much Art from all over the World to See in one Lifetime
Putting all this culture and history into the same building kicks off the dust of the haunting these artifacts bring with them, and many of the haunted rumors in the Louvre come from stories about haunted objects or paintings or cursed artifacts from the ancient world.
One of the most iconic features of the Louvre Museum is its vast collection of famous paintings, including Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese.
In addition to these celebrated works, visitors can also explore the museum’s numerous galleries filled with masterpieces from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome; 18th century French art; and many more. Despite being known for its wealth of artworks, the Louvre also holds its place in history as one of Europe’s most haunted buildings.
Reports of visitors experiencing supernatural occurrences have been documented since the museum’s opening in 1793 after the French Revolution and the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture decided this was where they would show the masterpieces the nation had to offer.
Belphegor, Phantom of the Louvre – The Mummy Haunting the Museum
One famous story comes from fiction, just like the pyramid actually contains 673 panes, not 666. It is true that the Louvre Museum has a mummy inside, but the haunted legend that is about the spirit of a mummy at the Louvre comes from fiction.
Stories about mummies coming back to haunt or leaving curses at those who disturb their graves are plentiful, and the Louvre has one of them. Belphegor was a 1927 crime novel by the French writer Arthur Bernede and was made into a tv-series as well as a film later.
The Louvre museum actually does have a mummy embalmed and it is the only mummy there is in the Louvre. Throughout the years there have been more mummies displayed at the Louvre, but today this is the only one.
It is a man who lived in the Ptolemaic Period (305 BCE). The mummy is called the Mummy of Pacheri and has been at the Louvre since 1826. His name is either Pacheri or Nenu as the writing is hard to make out and his face is covered with a mask and many attribute the supposed hauntings to the mummy.
This story has made people actually think that the Louvre is haunted by a vengeful mummy. Or was it the haunting that inspired the novel?
Another supposed ghost that is often talked about in connection to the Louvre is the Red Man of the Tuilerie gardens that are adjacent to the museum. According to this legend there was a henchman of Catherine de Medici who was assassinated because he knew too many of the dark secrets of the royal family.
After his death he came back to curse the entire royal family and the people living there in the palaces that existed, including those living in the Louvre Palace.
Uncover the hidden shadows of England’s majestic Tower of London, home to stories of more than one ghost haunting the rooms, the hallways and the prison cells from many dark parts of England’s history.
Shrouded in centuries of fear and mystery, the ancient walls of the Tower of London on the north bank of the River Thames, hide within them a plethora of ghost stories that have been passed down through generations.
From secret passageways to encounters with mysterious apparitions, visit the legendary Haunted Ghosts Tower to uncover its dark history and uncover its spine-tingling tales of beheaded royals, tortured prisoners and missing princes as well as menacing forces following the guards.
The History of the Tower of London
Since its inception in 1066, the Tower of London has served as a royal residence, prison, armory and execution site. The White Tower gave the castle its name and was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. It was a symbol of the oppression over London after the new Norman ruling class.
Over the centuries it has seen kings and queens come and go, watched prisoners be tortured and witnessed countless executions within its walls. It ended up being a symbol of royal power and one of the most secure fortresses in the country. It is not only a stronghold of history but also an enduring source of horror stories that continue to haunt us today.
The Tower of London is known for its grisly past, having been the home to many famous and infamous prisoners until 1952. These included some of England’s most treasured monarchs, such as Anne Boleyn who was beheaded on May 19th 1536 and Sir Walter Raleigh, imprisoned in 1603 by King James I.
Other more notorious prisoners held at the tower were Guy Fawkes and conspirators involved in the Gunpowder Plot, who were later hung, drawn and quartered.
Ghosts in the Tower of London
The Tower of London is reportedly one of the most haunted places in England, possibly due to its long and dark history. Ghostly figures are said to wander the dungeons, some even claiming to have seen Anne Boleyn’s headless ghost roaming its corridors.
Lady Jane Grey
One of the most recorded ghost sightings is that of Lady Jane Grey, a young girl who was crowned Queen for nine days before she was imprisoned and eventually beheaded at the ripe age of 17.
The Execution of Lady Jane Grey: An often spotted ghost in Tower of London is Lady Jane Grey. This is an oil painting by Paul Delaroche, completed in 1833, which is now in the National Gallery in London. It was enormously popular in the decades after it was painted
She was originally put as a queen to prevent the Catholic Mary Tudor from sitting on the throne. She first came to the Tower for her coronation, but was soon back as a prisoner. Mary I was ready to spare both her and her husband’s lives if they converted to catholicism. Lady Jane, a devout protestant refused. She was executed on 12 February in 1554 on Tower Green.
She is seen as a lonely ghost, wandering the battlements of the Tower. Her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley is also supposedly haunting the place. He can be seen in Beauchamp Tower, sitting in his cell and crying in the middle of the night.
Ghost of Henry VI
Henry IV was the only English monarch to have been crowned King of France as well and he inherited the Hundred Years War from his uncle. He was crowned king of England at only nine months, the youngest person to have succeeded the English throne.
This was also the start of The War of Roses, a series of civil wars and Henry VI was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1465, reinstated as king in 1470, but then imprisoned again in 1471.
Henry VI died that year, possibly killed on orders from King Edvard IV who took his crown.
Henry VI: Depiction of Henry enthroned, from the Talbot Shrewsbury Book, 1444–45. Although the official death was that he died of melancholia, however, many think he was assassinated in The Tower of London.
Strange legends started to form around the late king after his death and he was hailed as a martyr and a saint that had done plenty of miracles. It is also said that he is one of the ghosts still haunting the tower.
It is said that he is seen at the last stroke of midnight in the Wakefield Tower, where some say he was praying when he was stabbed to death.
Margaret Pole
Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury was a powerful woman who was one of the few of the House of Plantagenet to have survived the Wars of the Roses.
She was tried and sentenced to death to be executed whenever the king wanted. She spent two and a half years in the Tower of London as a prisoner before her execution happened in 1541.
Margaret Pole claimed her innocence until her last hour. This poem was found carved on the wall of her cell:
For traitors on the block should die; I am no traitor, no, not I! My faithfulness stands fast and so, Towards the block I shall not go! Nor make one step, as you shall see; Christ in Thy Mercy, save Thou me!
Margaret Pole: This is an Unknown woman, formerly known as Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, by unknown artist, given to the National Portrait Gallery, London in 1931. Margaret Pole led an especially bloody execution in the Tower of London.
The execution is said to have been bloody and grisly and the proud lady refused to kneel on the scaffold as that was for traitors, and she was none. The executioner had to chase her around as she tried to run and hacked her to death. She is now thought to be one of the many nobles that are haunting the Tower of London with her screams echoing on the Tower Green.
The Many Ghosts of Anne Boleyn
Many believe that the ghost of Anne Boleyn haunts the Tower of London due to her untimely demise. She married Henry VIII and altered the British church forever when she did so as the king had to divorce his original queen and wife for it. They were only married for three years though and she was unable to give him any sons. What she did though was give birth to what would be Queen Elizabeth I that would be one of the longest regents in the country.
During King Henry VIII’s reign, she was famously arrested, accused of treason and beheaded in 1536 at the Tower and has since become one of the most famous people in England’s history.
Haunted: The ghost of Anne Boleyn are said to be haunting, not only the Tower of London, but have been seen on several locations. Here is a painting depicting Anne Boleyn imprisoned in the Tower.
Anne Boleyn is supposedly a very busy ghost and she is said to haunt not only the tower but Hever Castle, Blickling Hall, Salle Church as well as Marwell Hall.
In the Tower of London she supposedly haunts the chapel of Church of St Peter ad Vincula in the tower where she is buried. She is also said to walk around the White Tower and on the Tower Green where she was held captive until her execution.
Her ghost is often spotted wearing a gray dress and walking with her head tucked under her arm—mirroring how she was killed. According to legend, if you see her apparition it means that death is soon to come.
The Mystery of the Missing Princes
One of the greatest mysteries in English history remains unsolved—the fate of the two young princes whose uncle, Richard III, had them sent to the Tower of London in 1943 where they were never seen again.
The Murder Mystery of the Tower of London: King Edward V and the Duke of York (Richard) in the Tower of London by Paul Delaroche. The theme of innocent children awaiting an uncertain fate was popular amongst 19th-century painters.
They were the sons of the late King Edward IV and were 9 and 12 years old when their father died and they were sent to the Tower of London. They grew up in great political turmoil during the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars of two branches of a family were fighting for the seat of the throne.
During their disappearance many assumed that Richard III was responsible for their murder, although this has since been disproven, or at least, bare little hard evidence to. But the most talked about theory is still that they died or were murdered pretty soon after they disappeared. To this day no one knows what happened to them, giving rise to a host of different theories about the missing princes.
Many of the paranormal activity and ghost sightings have been connected to the two missing princes, and many believe they are some of the ghosts that never left the tower at all. They are seen holding hands and wearing nightshirts in the White Tower as well as playing and giggling on the battlements.
Sir Walter Raleigh
Other ghosts that are said to haunt the Tower is that of Sir Walter Raleigh who were imprisoned in the tower once for a secret marriage and the second time for treason. The second imprisonment ended in an execution and his ghost is said to haunt the Bloody Tower where he was held.
The Ghost in the Bloody Tower: Many of the prisoners were political prisoners, often charged of being traitors. Sir Raleigh just before he was beheaded – an illustration from circa 1860.
The Ghost of Sir Walter Raleigh is also said to be seen along the battlements who is now known as Raleigh’s Walk
Arabella Stuart and the Unknown Ghosts
The Gray Lady is an unidentified ghost as well, but she is haunting the Queen’s House of the Tower and her presence is only seen by female visitors. This place is also where the ghost of Arbella Stuart is seen after she was either murdered or refused to eat at all.
Lady Arabella Stuart: She was at one time considered heir to the English and Scottish thrones, though she did not aspire to them. She died of self-inflicted starvation in the Tower of London, in 1615.
Other unnamed ghosts that have been reported on are the White Lady whose presence is made known by the smell of cheap perfume that has made visitors sick.
The Legendary Guy Fawkes
Remember, remember the Fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot, I know of no reason Why the Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot.
Fawkes led the infamous Gunpowder Plot with a group of English Catholics that planned to kill the Protestant King James by blowing up the parliament. They were found out though and the plot failed and Fawke was arrested and sent to the Tower.
After torture, possible “on the rack” a famous torture instrument in the Tower, he gave in and told them all about their plan and named his accomplices as well.
Interrogated and Tortured: Guy Fawkes 1570-1606 interrogated by James I 1566-1625 and his council in the King’s bedchamber, from Illustrations of English and Scottish History Volume I (1884).
For his execution in 1606 he was dragged from the Tower to Westminster to have the last sight be the building he tried to destroy. He was the last to die and had to watch his accomplices be hanged. He begged forgiveness of the King and the state as he walked to the scaffold. He was hanged and his body parts were distributed to the four corners of the kingdom as a warning sign to others that had their mind on treason.
Guy Fawkes are also one that are said to haunt the grounds and some claim to hear his screams from where he supposedly was tortured. .
The Animal Ghosts
Can animals become ghosts? According to the lore in the Tower of London, there are plenty of them. Having exotic animals like lions, pumas, tigers and elephants were something the rich often were gifted and a popular thing to have in your home to show off your wealth and power.
The most famous animal ghost in the Tower was a grizzly bear that supposedly charged at a guard around the Jewel Room who died of a fever two days later. There have also been spotted a Black Bear near the Martin Tower in 1816.
An online magazine about the paranormal, haunted and macabre. We collect the ghost stories from all around the world as well as review horror and gothic media.
