The haunted Louvre: the 3 ghosts that inhabit the world's most famous museum

Do you like ghost stories? If so, you might be interested in visiting the world's most famous museum: the Louvre. This building, which is nearly 800 years old, houses not only works of art, but also some spirits that refuse to leave its rooms. In this article we tell you who are the 3 most famous ghosts of the Louvre and why they still haunt it.

Jean l'Ecorcheur, the butcher of the Louvre

The first is Jean l'Ecorcheur, a butcher who lived in the 16th century and worked for Queen Catherine de Medici. Jean was a cruel and bloodthirsty man who enjoyed torturing and flaying his victims. The queen used him to eliminate her political and personal enemies, but one day she decided that he was too dangerous and ordered his execution. However, Jean did not simply go to the other world. His ghost still haunts the Tuileries Gardens, part of the Louvre complex. He is recognisable by his red attire, which has earned him the nickname "the red man of the Tuileries". Some say he can be seen walking through the trees, while others claim he can be heard whispering threats to visitors.

The Tuileries, renamed the "Jardin National" during the French Revolution: the Festival of the Supreme Being (1794).

Belphegor, the cursed mummy in the Louvre

The second is an Egyptian mummy called Belphegor. According to legend, this mummy was brought to the Louvre in the 19th century by a French archaeologist who found it in a tomb. The mummy had a curse that brought misfortune to anyone who possessed it or looked at it. The archaeologist died shortly after arriving in Paris, and the mummy was put on display in the museum. Since then, Belphegor is said to come out of his sarcophagus at night and roam the corridors of the Louvre looking for new victims. His appearance is terrifying: he has black, wrinkled skin, sunken eyes and sharp teeth. Some security guards have claimed to have seen her and even felt her icy breath on their necks.

Fotogram from the 1967 French miniseries Belphegor.

Pierre, the soldier who terrifies the Louvre

The third is a Napoleonic soldier who died during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. His name was Pierre, and he was a great admirer of Napoleon Bonaparte. Before he died, his last wish was to see once again the portrait of his favourite emperor, which was in the Louvre. However, he was never able to fulfil his dream, as he died on the battlefield. His spirit travelled to the museum, where it remained forever. He can be seen in the room where Napoleon's portrait is, dressed in his blue and white uniform. Sometimes he greets visitors with a military gesture, sometimes he weeps at the defeat of his leader.

The Battle of Waterloo, oil painting by William Sadler.

These are the three most famous ghosts in the Louvre, but they are not the only ones. Some say there are many more spirits inhabiting the museum, some benign and others malevolent. If you want to meet them, you just have to dare to visit the Louvre at night. Are you up for it?

If you would like to find out more about the Louvre Museum and, above all, information about the greatest works of art housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, we recommend "The Louvre Art Guide".

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