Airbnb Offers Chance To Win Halloween Night In The Eerie Paris Catacombs
For anyone looking for something different this Halloween, accommodation website Airbnb has just the thing. Two lucky people can enter to win an eerie stay in the ghostly Paris Catacombs for just one scary night.
You too could spend the night of Halloween 65 feet under the romantic City of Light, staying in style in the Paris Catacombs among the remains of thousands of dead Parisians.
The popular accommodation platform Airbnb is offering the chance to win a stay among the dead in the Paris Catacombs, surrounded by excellent company, including famous literary icons like Jean de la Fontaine, Charles Perrault, and François Rabelais, along with a personal tour of the labyrinth containing millions of skulls and bones.
Imagine how cool this would be??? https://t.co/dIURBnt2jt
— rapunzel (@ainexkelly) October 6, 2015
Only two people are allowed, and Airbnb has given warnings not to try and summon bad spirits during the stay. They also say it is not a good idea to try and follow any ghosts in the labyrinth, as the guests may never find a way out and be doomed to wander the Paris Catacombs forever.
Reportedly, the two lucky people will enjoy a remarkable culinary experience, backed with the sound of violins. At bedtime, the winners will have the pleasure of listening to a storyteller endowing them with scary legends of the Paris Catacombs, almost guaranteed to keep them awake the whole night.
Even better, when the lucky pair wake the next morning, they will officially be the first ever people to wake up in the catacombs — officially recorded, anyway.
The Mirror quotes Nicolas Ferrary, France Country Manager of Airbnb, as saying, “Our travelers are always on the lookout for original experiences and what could be more unique for Halloween than spending a night among the bones and ghosts below Paris.”
The Paris Catacombs, located south of the former city gate, is the largest cemetery in the world, with the remains of around six million Parisians stored inside. Reportedly, the bones were gradually transferred to the catacombs in between the 18th and 19th centuries, when the city’s graveyards were closed due to health risks to the general public.
Looking for a home this Halloween? We have some ideas, if you have the stomach for it. http://t.co/eRzjK47KAz pic.twitter.com/jDFcnPUrxA
— Airbnb Philippines (@Airbnb_PH) October 6, 2015
The Paris Catacombs annually see around half a million visitors from over the world, but this is the first time tourists will be allowed to spend a night among the dead.
Airbnb stresses that special measures will be put in place to ensure the safety of the guests, as well as the preservation of the ossuary itself.
On their website, Airbnb says, “Looking for a change from the usual Halloween festivities? Escape the pint-sized pirates and mini goblins in the world’s largest grave— Paris’ famous catacombs, the final resting place of 6 million souls.”
“On Halloween night, journey to the center of the earth and learn about the hair-raising history of this mysterious subterranean labyrinth. Satisfy your thirst for adventure in the sprawling network of skulls and bones. Next, savor a dazzling culinary experience while enjoying a private concert in the most incredible acoustics under the earth.”
When describing the amenities, they say there will be a real bed, but no bathroom. Besides the spooky dinner, breakfast will be served on the morning of November 1.
Anyone feeling up to the challenge and keen on having the ultimate Halloween experience can visit Airbnb’s website to sign up for a chance up until October 20. The competition is open to anyone worldwide, and the winners will consist of a maximum of two people.
To get a feel of what it would be like to visit the Paris Catacombs, the video below tells the tale of a video camera found by a visitor in the catacombs — no one knows who it belonged to or what happened to them. Watch if you dare.
[Images: Featured CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Nathan Rupert – Wall of skulls and bones CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Vu Bui]
