Halloween Paris: When the City of Light Turns Dark
Halloween isn’t really a thing in Paris – locals don’t celebrate it, only some shops decorate, and there are no jack-o’-lanterns on doorsteps. But that doesn’t mean Halloween in Paris is quiet.
Paris offers something darker: centuries of legends, ghost stories, and mysteries hidden in the city’s shadows. From catacombs filled with millions of bones to ghost tours through medieval streets, Paris’s dark side comes alive on Halloween.
And if you prefer to embrace full Halloween celebration, there are also theme parks and dedicated Halloween experiences where you can enjoy Halloween in Paris exactly as you want it to.
Last update: October 2026
Why Halloween in Paris is Different
Halloween is not celebrated in France – it’s regarded as a commercialized American festivity. French people celebrate La Toussaint (All Saints’ Day) on November 1 and La Fête des Morts (All Souls’ Day) on November 2 instead, a time to remember and honor the dead.
This is why you won’t find orange and black decorations everywhere or pumpkins on every corner in Paris. But for visitors looking to celebrate Halloween, there are ghost tours, dark history experiences, and theme park celebrations available.
Ghost Tours and Dark History
To uncover the more mysterious side of Paris, join one of the Paris ghost tours. These walks delve into the darker chapters of the capital’s history, bringing to life centuries-old legends, unsolved mysteries, tragic stories, and tales of the supernatural.
As you wander through the atmospheric streets after dark, you’ll hear about tragic loves that ended on the Seine, the legends surrounding the Phantom of the Opera, and the mysteries and stories hidden behind Notre Dame. These night tours in Paris are less about chasing ghosts than discovering the obscure and fascinating side of Paris that most visitors never see, making it a particularly atmospheric experience for Halloween in Paris.
Book well in advance to secure a spot for the night of 31 October!
- Paris Halloween Walking Tour through the Dark Streets
- Ghosts, Mysteries, and Legends: Night Walking Tour of Paris
- Dark City Secrets Walking Tour
- Haunted Père Lachaise Guided Tour
- The Hidden Heart of Paris (in French)
- The Dark Side of Paris tour with Edgar Allan Poe (option in English, Spanish, and French)
- Murders and Mysteries tour of the Louvre (semi-private tour)
- Opéra Garnier Mysteries private tour
- Ghosts, Legends, and Mysteries walking tour
- Humorous Guided Tour of Criminal Paris (daytime tour)
- Paris Haunted Ghost Walking tour along the Seine River (option in English and French)
Unique Paris Experiences
Legends of Père Lachaise Cemetery
What’s better than a walking tour in a cemetery for Halloween? Only a visit to one of Paris’ quirkier landmarks, the Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Père Lachaise Cemetery, with its winding cobblestone lanes and beautiful graves and memorials, is one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Paris and the most visited cemetery in the world, with over 3.5 million visitors yearly. Perfect in every season, the Père Lachaise is home to many legends of Paris, so visiting the cemetery during the spooky season is just magical.
Take a walking tour with an expert guide to discover all the secrets of the famous artists and historical figures buried here (there’s also a haunted Père Lachaise guided tour). Or visit the cemetery yourself (self-guided audio tour) to experience a mysterious side of Paris, hidden from the passing of time. Quaint cobbled paths and elaborate tombs evoke the memory of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Maria Callas, among other famous cemetery residents.
Père Lachaise Cemetery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Explore the Paris Catacombs
One activity that fits the idea of Halloween in Paris is a visit to the Catacombs, and Paris is particularly famous for them.
Since the late 18th century, the bones of millions of Parisians have rested under the city. The Catacombs became a vast cemetery in 1785 when authorities decided to transfer the dead’s remains from Paris’s cemeteries to this underground site for public health reasons.
Today, the Catacombs of Paris are the most visited site of Paris’ underground, attracting millions of tourists every year. Once in, you will descend 130 winding steps into damp, dark, and creepy quarries and tunnels. Walking among the bones will be a great way to spend Halloween. The Catacombs only allow 200 visitors at a time, so book your tickets as soon as possible.
Elisa’s Tip: All the Paris Catacombs tickets are sold online. You can purchase tickets directly on the Paris Catacombs website. However, due to ticket fraud, tickets are only released for booking up to 7 days in advance. Booking a Paris Catacombs tour or ticket through travel activities websites like GetYourGuide, Viator, or Tiqets can save you this hassle and give you more flexibility with your dates. These websites buy bulk tickets for their tours, which is why they can offer availability beyond the 7-day time window. If tickets are sold out on the official Paris Catacombs website for your dates, try this skip-the-line Paris Catacombs VIP tour, which has special access to sections that are not included in the standard itinerary. In my opinion, these restricted sections are the best part of the tour! Alternatively, you can buy these entry tickets with an audio guide.
Address: 1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy. Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Halloween Parties & Events in Paris
Looking for the ultimate Halloween party in Paris that’s a scream above the rest? There are always some Halloween events in Paris – scary experiences and drinks fests. While you indulge in many of the haunted experiences, don’t forget your killer costumes!
Here’s the list of the most promising Halloween parties in Paris:
- Welcome to Hell at Musée Rodin. Apparitions and disappearances: encounter the spirits of the Musée Rodin. The Rodin Museum & garden will take a spooky turn, with dark installations, and a special atmosphere.
- Halloween Open Top Bus Tour with live guide
- Le Bal des Monstres de l’Horreur, YOYO at Palais de Tokyo
- Halloween Pub Crawl in Paris
- Escape Games in Paris
Theme Parks Halloween
Halloween in Disneyland Paris
There is no better place to indulge in your Halloween celebrations than at Disneyland Paris. From 26 September to 1 November 2026, the world-famous Disney Park will change its look and become the perfect place to enjoy the spooky season! – Click here to buy your tickets to the Disneyland Halloween Festival
Here, the protagonists are the most popular Disney villains, such as Cruella and Maleficent. The park will also have plenty of spooky attractions, such as the Phantom Manor, and fantastic Halloween-themed shows suitable for children.
For complete guide, see my dedicated article on Halloween at Disneyland Paris.
Elisa’s Tip: Spend one night in one of the Disneyland hotels, adorned with Halloween-themed decorations, and enjoy the Halloween Party until the end!
Día de los Muertos at Jardin d’Acclimatation
The Día de los Muertos is a popular festival rooted in Mexican culture. The streets are decorated with extravagantly colored flowers, calaveras (skulls), and papel picado mingle, and Mexicans gather to sing and dance in honor of the dead.
From 4 October to 2 November 2026, visit the Jardin d’Acclimatation to join in this frightfully festive event! The park, with its 42 rides and attractions, 450 animals and birds, and 18 hectares of promenades, welcomes skeletons, mariachis, dancers, and “fire artists” is an experience you won’t forget! – Click here to buy your tickets
Address: Bois de Boulogne, Route de la Porte Dauphine à la Porte des Sablons. Opening times: Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Terror in the Park at Parc Astérix
Astérix and Obélix are two of France’s most beloved comic characters from the 1959 comic book series “Astérix,” created by writer René Goscinny and illustrator Albert Uderzo. The funny Gaulish character and his best friend Obélix have their own theme park in Paris, Parc Astérix, which makes an easy day trip from Paris.
For Halloween Paris 2026, Parc Astérix changes its face to wear a spooky mask: phantoms and monsters will haunt the adventure of Astérix and Obélix and the ones of the park’s visitors. From 3 October to 8 November 2026, don’t miss Terror in the Park, where you will find many attractions, street shows, and haunted houses at Parc Astérix that will make the whole family shiver!
Visit Parc Astérix with your family or friends and be ready to meet the Grim Reaper. If you don’t get scared too easily, try the park’s fourth haunted house, Les Catacombes or La Maison de la Peur (“The House of Fear”). And if you have little ones, don’t miss the monster parade at the end of the day! – Click here to buy your tickets
And there you have it, And there you have it, what to do in Paris for Halloween to get your spooky fix. Which activity tempts you the most?
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