Celebrating Halloween in Paris

Looking to celebrate Halloween in Paris? I admit, you may be in for some disappointment. Halloween is not a deeply rooted tradition in France-- it's a recent import that seems to be driven by moderate enthusiasm among young kids eager to get their hands on more candy (and an equal measure of weary acceptance from parents). You won't see many elaborate decorations, spirited Halloween parades or hordes of adults gleefully regressing to childhood in the streets of Paris. However, if you're determined enough to summon the spirit(s) of Halloween here, there are still ways to get ghoulish. Here are a few ideas.

Celebrating Halloween in Paris in 2011

• For the Kids: Halloween at Disneyland Paris is probably the easiest way to satisfy kids' Halloween fantasies while in Paris. In 2011, the entire theme park will be made over for Halloween throughout the month of October.
• For the Adults: Try dressing up and hitting a Halloween party at one of the city's clubs this year. See this list of 2011 Halloween parties in Paris. The list is in French, but don't be daunted-- click on the event title for locations and contact details.
• Not up for the club scene? Head over to the Studio Galande cinema the Friday or Saturday night before Halloween in costume to watch and re-enact the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It's not Halloween-y in the strictest sense, but may satiate your urge for flamboyant, creepy fun.
• All Saint's Day on November 1st is a solemn, peaceful holiday commemorating the dead. At Père Lachaise cemetery, Montparnasse Cemetery or Montmartre Cemetery, a long stroll among the flower-decorated graves is a more culturally authentic way of marking the season.

What About Trick-or-Treating in Paris?

Again, you're likely to run into disappointment here. Parisians rarely stock up on candy to hand out to children on Halloween. Even if they do, it's likely to be allocated exclusively for the children who live in their own building, since most people live in apartments protected by one or more door codes. What to do if you don't want your kids to miss out on trick-or-treating then? You'll probably have to be inventive. Buy some candy yourself and hide it around the hotel room, or have your kids dress up and go for a walk around the city, inventing spooky stories about the old sites you come across.

More Ideas for Halloween in Paris

Manning Leonard Krull's spirited website documenting the weird and unusual in the city of lights, Cool Stuff in Paris, has an entertaining and helpful guide to Halloween in Paris. Krull's a true expert on all things Halloween, so I highly recommend this article.