By the time October and the fall weather rolls in, it can only mean one thing for a great bunch of people: Halloween season is finally upon us. Out of the several holidays we have in one entire year, Halloween is definitely one of those that people look forward to.
There are some people who normally assume that this holiday is intended for the kids alone - especially this is a time where putting on costumes is normal and going Trick-or-Treating is the quintessential Halloween activity.
They even go to such lengths as planning their all sorts of costumes and get ups way ahead of time. Usually, they even put up elaborate displays in their homes for trick-or-treaters and there are those who even organize grand parties specifically in honor of this horrific holiday.
However, there are those people who think that this holiday is meant to serve as a reminder that supernatural presence is among us and ghastly beings can be found in the darkness - like ghouls, monsters and vampires.
If you are one of those people who prefer to spend the Halloween surrounded by spooky stuff and are looking for a spine-tingling attraction to visit then this museum is definitely for you. But you have to be warned - this is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Le Musée des Vampires (or the Vampire museum) is located in Lilas, just outside of Paris. It is a small, privately-owned place exclusively dedicated to anything and everything about vampires - not the popular sparkly ones mind you, but the type that sleeps in coffins during the day and sucks blood from unsuspecting humans.
The museum is founded and ran by Jacques Sirgent, a scholar concentrating on the Middle Ages. Though it is open year-round, the museum is only accessible by making an appointment firsthand and costs eight euros.
According to Manning Leonard Krull of Cool Stuff in Paris, if you cannot exactly speak and understand French, making an appointment is going to be quite difficult. This is because phone number listed only gives out a recorded instruction in French.
However, she suggests this: "So if you do want to make an appointment and don't speak French, try calling the cell number and very politely asking, "Parlez vous anglais, s'il vous plait?" and I'm sure Monsieur Sirgent will be happy to help you."
Inside the museum, you will find all sorts of artifacts that have some sort of relevance to vampires - this include art, antique books and even a vampire killing kit. However, it doesn't stop there; inside, you can also see a bunch of cool and highly unusual finds like an autographed photo of Bram Stroker, who is best known for the worldwide classic Dracula and even a mummified cat that was found from a cemetery nearby.
In an interview with Travel + Leisure, Jacques Sirgent explained what he believes makes vampires so fascinating to humans.
He says, "Vampires are the reflection of the evil that we all hold in our hearts. That's why people believe in vampires." He also says that the knowledge of what vampires represent makes the museum frightening and not really because of the possibility that they may exist.
Either way, Halloween fans and vampire enthusiasts are sure to flock to this interesting museum found on the outskirts of Paris. If you find yourself in France, be sure to secure an appointment first and explore it personally. Remember Bram Stroker's immortal words as written in Dracula, "Once again...welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring."
