The Headless Horseman in Paris

You have made two new acquaintances in an online ghost hunter forum. They have found an old journal and are trying to solve the mysterious disappearance of its owner. Teacher Ichabod Crane’s two-hundred-year-old notes contain descriptions of a headless horseman and what seems to be a curse plaguing Paris. Maybe the journal offers the clues needed to find out what happened to Ichabod?

You are invited to join an investigation, which starts by the Moulin Rouge in Montmartre. Your new friends have mapped out the locations of relevance in Ichabod’s life, and you plan to follow all the leads the journal provides. But, one of the people you were supposed to meet never shows up at the agreed location…

Go on a ghost tour and solve a mystery

Walk in Ichabod Crane’s footsteps through the Paris area of Montmartre. Participate in the story in each location through gamification. Control conversations between characters, examine mysterious items and crack secret codes while you explore the city’s historical surroundings. Your companion will tell you everything he knows about the journal and the Headless Horseman as you walk.

Will you be able to reveal why Ichabod disappeared, and find your friend?

The StoryTourist app will show you the way

To walk this tour, you’ll download the user-friendly StoryTourist app. The app is equipped with a map, GPS, a narrator and digital guide which makes sure you walk in the right direction. Once you have purchased the tour it is yours to keep. You can use it at any time and as many times as you wish.

Through the StoryTourist-app, you’ll hear the story of how the Headless Horseman haunted Paris. The only thing you need to be able to explore the city in a brand-new way is a smartphone with headphones.

This self-guided city exploration game is an adaptation of Washington Irving’s short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. You will find practical information about the tour under the “instructions” tab.

How this tour works:

Your smartphone is your guide on this tour! Once you have purchased a tour, this is what you do:

Download the StoryTourist app from Apple App Store or Google Play, while connected to Wi-Fi.
Log into the app using the same email address you filled in when purchasing the tour. You will create your password the first time you log into the app. The tour you have purchased will be ready to download in the tour library once you have logged in. Make sure you are still connected to Wi-Fi while downloading the tour.
Go to the starting point of the tour, open the app, put your headphones on and head out on your StoryTour adventure!

Important information:

This is a location based experience. You have to be at the tour starting point by the Moulin Rouge at Place Blanche in Paris, France, to start this walking tour.
The tour ends outside the Sacré-Cœur church.
Once the tour is downloaded to your phone, you can use it offline.
There is a map, GPS and a digital guide in the app, making sure that you’ll walk the right way.
This tour is available in English.
Once you have purchased the tour, it is your to keep. You can use it whenever you want and as many times as you would like. You can start, pause and end the tour whenever you would like.
This tour is pet friendly – feel free to bring your dog on this walk!
Public transport is available close to both the tour start point and end point.
This tour is not accessible with a wheelchair due to stairs.
We recommend participants to be 15 years old or over, due to the dark theme of the tour.

What to bring:

Your smartphone, with the StoryTourist app and the tour you purchased already downloaded.
Headphones, for the best possible listening experience
Make sure that your smartphone battery is fully charged. If you know that your phone has poor battery capacity, it can be a good idea to bring a powerbank as well.

Moulin Rouge

The Moulin Rouge (the red mill) opened in 1889, and became world famous for its can-can dance shows. The original venue was destroyed in a fire in 1915 and rebuilt in the 1920’s.

Ichabod's home

This street, Rue Aristide Bruant, is named after the French cabaret singer, comedian, and nightclub owner, who was a fixture of the Montmartre nightlife in the late 1800’s.

Ichabod's school

This grey stone building is the public Lepic school. A bit further down the street, at nr 54, is the apartment where Vincent van Gogh lived with his brother Théo from 1886-1888.

Place Émile Goudeau

This square was renamed from Place Ravignan to Place Émile Goudeau in 1911. Up the stairs is Bateau-Lavoir; the squatted building where Picasso and many other artists set up workshops.

A Montmartre windmill

This windmill was owned by the Debray family in the 1800’s. During the sieges of 1814 and 1870, members of the family were killed and nailed to the wings of their mills for defending them.

Allée des Brouillards

Allée des Brouillards, the lane you just walked through, translates to “fog lane” in English. There used to be springs here, which resulted in the area often being enveloped by fog.

Place du Tertre

According to legend, the french bistro was “invented” in this square. If you look under the awning of La Mère Catherine across the square, you can find a memory plaque there.

Rue Saint-Rustique

Rue Saint-Rustique, the alley you just walked through, is the oldest street in Montmartre. It dates back to the 1100’s, when it was simply a path in the village of Montmartre.

Saint-Pierre church

The famous Sacré-Cœur church is on your left, but to your right is the second oldest church in Paris; the Saint-Pierre de Montmartre. It dates back to 1133, while Sacré-Cœur dates to 1914.

Bronze statue

Over this fence, you can see the bronze statue of a young nobleman named Jean-François de la Barre. He was beheaded and burned here in 1766, for not saluting a Catholic procession.

The Sacré-Cœur church

The Sacré-Cœur church was built on this hill in part because of its association with the patron saint of Paris, Saint Denis. He is said to have been beheaded here by the Romans.

Locations you'll visit on this tour:

The Moulin Rouge
The street where Vincent van Gogh stayed with his brother
Place Émile Goudeau, where Pablo Picasso and other world famous artists had their workshops
A preserved Montmartre windmill
The cozy Place Tertre, filled with bistros and cafes
Rue Saint-Rustique, which is the oldest street in Montmartre
The Saint-Pierre de Montmartre church, which is the second oldest church in Paris
The famous Sacré-Cœur church, with a stunning view of Paris