There are plenty of spooks and scares to be experienced in haunting destinations across France and Belgium this October half term. DFDS has rounded up the ultimate list of Hallowe’en thrills that lurk across the Channel.
Walibi Belgium: A theme park turned House of Horrors
Normally the only screams you’ll hear at Walibi are coming from the rollercoasters, but this Halloween they’ll be ringing in your ears when you enter Ibilaw, a terrifying world of twisted horror and nightmarish creatures. Escape the claustrophobic darkness of an abandoned mine then join its mad inhabitants. Learn a lesson in survival at the creepy abandoned school and make your way out of the ruins to break the deadly ancient curse, pursued by the minions of a long-dead evil.
The park is open daily from 10am to 6pm and special Hallowe’en activities run from 11 October to 2 November. Entry is from €52 per adult, or from €48 per person when booking for four people. The park is approximately two hours and 15 minutes from Dunkirk port by car.
Torture Museum, Bruges
Descend beneath the ancient streets of Bruges and into the depths of an 11th century building that formerly housed Europe’s oldest prison. You won’t find ghosts and ghouls here, but the Torture Museum chronicles the darkest and most depraved periods of human history. With authentic torture instruments and a dungeon in the medieval cellar, visitors can discover the cruel fate that criminals and occasionally the innocent faced.
This is not a museum for the faint-hearted or weak-stomached but shows in vivid detail the horrifically true story of what humans are capable of in the name of justice. Combine a visit with the Witchcraft Museum for a spine-chilling look at how witches evolved from respected goddesses to figures of fear who were persecuted for centuries.
The museums are open daily from 10.30am to 6.30pm and entry is €9 per adult, or €25 for a family of five. Combined tickets for the two museums are €15.00. Reach Bruges in under 75 minutes from the ferry port of Dunkirk.
Parc Asterix – Fear on the Park
From 4 October to 11 November, Parc Asterix will be the spooky setting for monsters and terrifying creatures during its Fear on the Park nights.
Late night scares are available at the theme park between 7pm and 1am every day with themed attractions, Haunted Houses and spectacularly spooky sound and light shows. Among the new sights this year is the ‘Enfers de Pompei’ (Underworld of Pompeii), a haunted house set in the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius where visitors will encounter the undead. Guests can also experience the wrath of the ancient Egyptian Anubis in a special haunted exhibition, or flee from monsters, and skeletons in the tunnels and dark halls of the catacombs.
Book a day pass with overnight stay for a family of two adults and two children from €88.40 per person, including accommodation, breakfast and entry tickets. Late night opening tickets for 12 night-time events during Fear in the Park are from €51 per person.
Throughout the autumn the park’s 50 regular theme park rides, rollercoasters and attractions remain open to visitors, with shows and adventures retracing the adventures of Asterix in Gaul, the Roman Empire, Ancient Greece, Egypt and the Vikings.
Parc Asterix is just under two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Calais ferry port or from Dieppe.
Revolting Rouen
Rouen’s Aitre Saint-Maclou marks the Day of the Dead, inspired by the Mexican festivities of the same name, from 21 October to 5 November. Held at the site of an ancient burial site and former plague pit dating back to the time of the Black Death, a special program of colourful and musical events including a photo exhibition, light show and guided tours are available during the ‘Fetes Macabres.’ Join in the festivities with a macabre costume to join the parade, ball and concerts on Saturday 28 October. Guided visits to the Aitre Saint-Maclou are from €7.50, with free entry for children under 12.
Also in Rouen, the immersive Viking experience centre offers guaranteed thrills and Hallowe’en horror on 31 October with an exclusive event. An immersive sensory journey through the horrible history of the Vikings’ occupation of Normandy awaits visitors to this attraction, which opened in 2024. Tickets for the centre are €14.90 per adult or €9.90 per child.
Getting there
Ready for a fright-filled European adventure? DFDS offers up to 54 crossings per day on its Dover-Calais and Dover-Dunkirk services, or two daily sailings from Newhaven to Dieppe. Short break fares are from £119 return for a car and up to four people. Book your eerie escape at www.dfds.com
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DFDS provides ferry and transport services in and around Europe, generating annual revenues of EUR 4 bn.
DFDS delivers high reliability to freight customers through ferry and port terminal services and transport and logistics solutions.
For more than six million passengers, it provides safe overnight and short sea ferry services.
Our 16,500 employees are located on ships and in in offices across 20 countries. DFDS was founded in 1866, is headquartered in Copenhagen, and listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.
In the UK, DFDS operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Newhaven to Dieppe.
DFDS has been named ‘Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for 13 years running (2012-2024), as well as the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for the last 14 years (2011-2024).
DFDS currently operates up to 54 sailings a day between Dover and Calais and Dunkirk. DFDS also offers two daily sailings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. In addition, the UK network includes a passenger and freight service between Newhaven and Dieppe, which has four daily sailings. The network also includes passenger and life-line services to Jersey of the Channel Islands.
In the UK, DFDS operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Newhaven to Dieppe.
DFDS has been named ‘Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for 13 years running (2012-2024), as well as the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for the last 14 years (2011-2024).
DFDS currently operates up to 54 sailings a day between Dover and Calais and Dunkirk. DFDS also offers two daily sailings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. In addition, the UK network includes a passenger and freight service between Newhaven and Dieppe, which has four daily sailings. The network also includes passenger and life-line services to Jersey of the Channel Islands.
For further information about DFDS, or to find out about the latest sailing times, fares and offers across all routes from the UK, visit www.dfds.com.