SoloSights

Every year, as October turns to November, Paris glows in shades of gold. The leaves fall across cobblestones, the cafés fill with candlelight, and somewhere between La Toussaint and a night of parties, Halloween quietly makes its appearance. But has Paris always celebrated Halloween? The answer is… not really.

Long before pumpkins and costumes arrived from across the Atlantic, France already had a day devoted to the dead — La Toussaint, or All Saints’ Day, on November 1st. It’s a calm, reflective holiday. Families visit cemeteries, leave chrysanthemums on graves, and honor loved ones who have passed. No ghosts or trick-or-treaters here; just remembrance and peace. While Americans were carving jack-o’-lanterns, Parisians were buying flowers.

Halloween as we know it, with costumes, candy, and parties, didn’t really appear in France until the 1990s. It began as a marketing idea, with shops and cafés decorating their windows in orange and black. For a brief moment, it caught on: nightclubs threw themed parties, kids dressed up as witches, and bakeries sold ghost-shaped pastries. But the enthusiasm faded almost as quickly as it appeared. Many French people saw it as too commercial, too American. Still, in a cosmopolitan city like Paris, the spirit of Halloween found a few corners to call home.

Today, Halloween in Paris is more subtle; and a little more elegant. You might spot families in costumes walking through Montmartre, themed events at the Catacombs or Disneyland Paris, and even a few moody bars hosting soirées d’horreur. But most Parisians still focus on La Toussaint, a holiday of memory rather than mischief. For travelers, it’s the perfect time to wander the city’s quieter streets. Père Lachaise in the mist, the Gothic towers of Notre-Dame at dusk, or the silent courtyards of Le Marais;,these places hold a beauty that fits the season perfectly.

Whether you celebrate Halloween or La Toussaint, both remind us of the same thing: the connection between past and present. So next time you walk through Paris in late October, look beyond the decorations. The city itself, with its centuries of history, is the most hauntingly beautiful story of all. 🎃✨