Are you a fan of Dark Tourism, the concept of visiting the creepiest, most macabre, darkest, sleaziest, creepiest places? Do you already know the Père-Lachaise Cemetery and the Catacombs inside out, and would like to discover other places belonging to the Dark Tourism category? Then this article is for you. Since life in Paris isn’t always rosy, the editors of Paris Secret, certified trend-spotters, have donned their black cloaks and gone in search of the capital’s most terrifying places to bring you their ultimate list. Ready to discover the city’s dark side? Grab your flashlight and let us guide you!
1. Picpus Cemetery
Nestled in the heart of the 12ᵉ arrondissement, hidden behind a discreet facade at number 35 rue de Picpus, lies a place steeped in history and memory: the Picpus Cemetery. It’s the largest private cemetery in Paris, and one of the few. Known as the cemetery of the guillotined in Paris, it has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1998. It is the final resting place of 1,306 victims of the Terror, including 159 nobles, 178 soldiers and 136 monks, executed between June and July 1794. Among them, the Marquis de La Fayette, hero of American independence, rests alongside his wife, under an American flag flown in his honor. Every July 4, the American ambassador pays tribute to him. The cemetery is open to the public Monday to Saturday, 2pm to 5pm, and admission costs €2.
📍Address: 35 Rue de Picpus, 75012 Paris
2. Montmartre Cemetery
At the foot of Montmartre, in Paris’s 18th arrondissement, lies a secluded cemetery less well known than its more illustrious contemporaries, Père-Lachaise to the east or Montparnasse to the south. It’s a verdant spot where many of the artists who lived in the neighborhood are laid to rest , including Degas, Heinrich Heine, Berlioz, Alexandre Dumas, François Truffaut, Emile Zola and Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone. But don’t be fooled by appearances: this cemetery is creepier than it looks. Built below street level, much of the cemetery lies beneath the busy Rue Caulaincourt, giving it an isolated air. Mausoleums covered in cobwebs, with dozens and dozens of cats lounging on the gravestones, nestle beneath the blue wrought-iron bridge. Montmartre Cemetery opened in 1825, on the site of an abandoned quarry that had been used as a makeshift mass grave during the Revolution.
📍Address: 20 Av. Rachel, 75018 Paris
3. Musée des Moulages
The Musée des Moulages houses an unrivalled (and rather creepy) collection of dermatological wax models. Dedicated to “moulage” (wax models of diseased body parts), this museum boasts two spectacular floors featuring only wax models of diseased flesh. Opened in 1867, the museum began by presenting drawings and photographs of dermatological diseases. After experimenting with modeling diseases using papier-mâché, the museum hired a wax fruit modeler by the name of Baretta. Over the next 40 years, the fruit modeler turned disease researcher produced over 3,500 wax models of pus-covered skin, boils and rashes. Today, the museum houses the world’s largest collection of dermatological wax. For anyone interested in the crossroads between art and science, or simply looking to see a dizzying array of skin diseases, this is the perfect place.
📍Address: Hôpital Saint-Louis AP-HP, 1 Av. Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris, France
4. Serial Killer at Galeries Montparnasse for those into dark tourism
Sensitive souls abstain. This is the True Crime exhibition par excellence! At Galeries Montparnasse in the 15th arrondissement, Serial Killer: L’Exposition features detailed reconstructions of iconic crime scenes . In an ultra-creepy 100% immersive setting, it features over 100 original artifacts and personal items that belonged to some of the most notorious serial killers of all time, including Ted Bundy, Guy George, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer and the Zodiac Killer, as well as documents and sketches of the most famous killers by the killers themselves! Don’t delay: the exhibition closes on June 9! Further information and ticket link here.
📍Address: Les Galeries Montparnasse, 22 rue du Départ, 75015 Paris