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As one of the oldest cities in Europe, holidaymakers will find that Paris is full of things that go bump in the night. From labyrinthine tunnels carved from human bones to the city’s most famous hunchback, there is a wealth of spooky attractions for holidaymakers seeking a bone-chilling experience close to the main Paris hotels: The Hunchback of Notre Dame Many children might recognise the Hunchback of Notre Dame from the Disney movie of the same name, but it seems that the main protagonist in Victor Hugo’s novel may have actually existed. It recently emerged that a hunchback worked in the famous cathedral during the 1820s carrying out post-revolution restorations to the cathedral. You can take a tour around Notre Dame Cathedral or simply visit it in your own time in order to take in the stunning architecture at your own pace. Every Sunday evening mass takes place at the church from 6.30pm and visitors are welcome to attend, just be warned that most of the services take place in French. The Phantom of the Opera With its central location, the Place de l’Opera is in close proximity to many Paris hotels and is said to be the theatre that inspired the musical “The Phantom of the Opera”. However, the ghost that lurks in these walls is neither male nor deformed; instead the theatre is home to a grey-haired woman who is often seen wandering the streets around the opera house looking for her lost love. Pere Lachaise The majority of people who visit France’s most famous cemetery do so in order to visit Jim Morrison’s grave. The frontman of The Doors may have been dead for 40 years but he still manages to attract a lot of visitors with the grave considered to be the fourth most visited site in Paris. However, the cemetery is also home to several other famous graves including those of Oscar Wilde, Frederic Chopin and Marcel Proust. If you’d like a guided tour then make sure you phone up and book well in advance as at only €6.00 they tend to fill up fast. Taking a tour is perhaps the best way to explore some of the highlights as with over 300,000 graves the cemetery can seem a little daunting for first-time visitors. The Catacombs The catacombs are probably the spookiest attraction in Paris and are located a short metro ride away from the city centre. Holidaymakers should be sure to leave their hotels early as the queues have been known to get quite lengthy. The catacombs were an underground burial site for more than 6 million 18th century Parisians. The bones of these former city dwellers have been placed in a macabre style around the old labyrinthine chambers in a decorative style with tibias and femurs interspersed with the odd human skull. Although they attract around 200 visitors a day, the catacombs are eerily quiet. Touring the area takes around 45 minutes and admission is €8.00 with the attraction closed on Mondays.
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