Things to do in Paris for Halloween

Are you looking for things to do in Paris for Halloween? If you’re coming to Paris during Halloween, you should know that it is not celebrated as much as in the United States or any other English-speaking country. It is a rather recent phenomenon and, let’s be honest, today it mostly is a reason for Parisians to throw a good party and to dress up as scary characters! If you’re not in a partying mood, there are plenty of other things to do in Paris for Halloween!

Be aware as well that if you are traveling with your children to Paris, because the “trick or treat” tradition is not very popular so it will be very difficult to find good spots to get some candy around the city. If you are in the suburbs or in a small town, you will have more luck finding some locals willing to give some candy away.

Whether you’re coming to Paris with children or not, there are plenty of things to do in Paris for Halloween! So if you are looking to have a fun time in Paris but still want to celebrate Halloween with unique experiences, here are a couple of ideas!

Spend a day at Disneyland

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For Halloween, you can enjoy some fun and some spooky activities. For example, you can plan a day trip to Disney theme parks. In Marne-la-Vallée, there are two theme parks: Disneyland Paris and the Walt Disney Studios Park. So, don’t hesitate to buy the tickets that give access to the two parks, because they are both worth it! They offer Halloween decorations every year and it is quite enjoyable, especially when night starts to fall.

The Halloween Festival actually happens the whole month of October, which means that during the whole month of October, all your favorite Disney characters will be dressed accordingly to the event. The most fun, original and as spooky as possible. Many Halloween parades happen during the month every day. If you have the opportunity to go there, you really should! You will have a great time at Disneyland. The atmosphere is the most joyful one you’ll ever experience. You and your relatives will thoroughly enjoy the day!

Honor the dead at Parisian cemeteries

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If you prefer to stay inside Paris, you can try several things in order to get in the mood. Paris is reputed for having incredible cemeteries. If you have to visit one, I would definitively recommend the Père Lachaise cemetery.

It is probably the most famous and the most visited cemetery in the world. Many important figures have been buried there, such as Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Jean de La Fontaine, Eugène Delacroix and many others!

The Père Lachaise cemetery provides a lovely walk and it’s particularly stunning during the fall. Otherwise, the Montparnasse or the Montmartre cemeteries are also interesting to check out.

>> Read more about the Pere Lachaise cemetery.

>> Read this article if you want to know how to find Jim Morrison’s grave.

>> Read a few secrets of Parisian cemeteries.

Visit the Catacombs of Paris

 

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Next on my list of things to do in Paris for Halloween is to go to Les Catacombes de Paris. If you’ve never heard of it, you are in for a treat! Entire walls are covered with skulls and bones. Be careful though, the lines can be very long so I would recommend you to buy your tickets online in advance. This will avoid waiting for hours to get inside.

 

What exactly are Les Catacombes de Paris? Centuries ago, there was the “cimetière des Innocents”, which means the cemetery of the Innocents in English. It was found in Paris First District, close to the Église Saint-Eustache. But it was turning into a source of infections for the inhabitants of the neighborhood, so in 1785, the State Council announced the removal and the evacuation of the cimetière des Innocents.

What happened next? All the bones and remains were moved to old quarries, which are now the Catacombs.

If you’re curious, you can learn a lot more about it visiting this peculiar place. It is located at 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy. It is open to the public every day of the week, but Mondays, from 10 am to 8.30 pm.

>> Read this article to get a few tips on how to visit Paris catacombs.

Get goosebumps at Manoir de Paris

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If you’re looking for an immersive Halloween experience, go to the Manoir Hanté de Paris, the “Paris Haunted Mansion”. It’s located in the tenth district of Paris, at 18 rue de Paradis. You can enjoy various experiences about the legends of Paris, crime and murder, ghosts and witches. Shivers are guaranteed!

This haunted mansion opened its doors on the 6th of May in 2011. It is kind of recent, so they are constantly innovating and providing the guests with new entertainment. You are led through the different rooms of the mansion. In each room, you meet new characters that are as terrifying and as fascinating as the next!

All the characters got their looks and histories inspired by the capital. You will be introduced to, for example, Quasimodo and the Phantom of the Opera. Plus, their acting skills are pretty impressive. You will be plunged into a mysterious and scary universe. From time to time everyone enjoys a little fright, that is why it is a great thing to do in Paris for Halloween!

Don’t forget it is a haunted mansion so get ready for some screams and cold sweat! Nonetheless, the visit is highly inadvisable to children under the age of 10.

Get invited to a House party

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Another fun thing to do on Halloween night is to go to a house party! Most Parisians celebrate Halloween hosting a party or going to one. They love to dress up as horror characters and dance the night away. If you are lucky, you will get invited to a Parisian house party. You will have to pick a costume then. You are free and you can choose anything, but in France, it is relatively more common to dress according to a horror theme. You will probably see lots of witches, pumpkins, Freddy Krugers, vampires, roaming the streets of Paris on October, 31st.

Several costume shops scatter the streets of Paris such as Le Fou Rire – 22bis rue du Faubourg Montmartre -, Au Clown de la République – 135bis boulevard du Montparnasse – or any Viva Fiesta store around town. However, you should definitely book your costume several days before Halloween, because the stores are often crowded or sold out on October, 31st.

Have fun in Night clubs

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Many nightclubs and bars also offer Halloween parties so you will be able to make a good use of your costume. They often offer shots to whoever comes dressed! Many neighborhoods in Paris are perfect for a night out, such as Montmartre, Marais, Latin Quarter, and plenty others!

So Much to See in Paris…

-> With so much to do in Paris, it’s difficult to choose what to visit. You want to have an amazing experience whilst in Paris…

-> You don’t want to miss Paris’ main attractions

-> Your time is limited

-> Start with a free (tip-only) walking tour of Montmartre – it’s the best way to explore “the old Paris”.

Book your spot now for free (no payment needed). We just want to know how many people will join us! We run Montmartre tours every day at 11am and 2.30pm.

You now know some of the things to do in Paris for Halloween! A night tour of Paris can also be a great idea! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and that it has been useful! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information about anything! Happy Halloween everyone!

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


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