Background
The Dames Blanches is a French and Normandy variation of the Women in White, but with a twist. While Women in White are spirits who have been abused in life and are seeking revenge by kidnapping and injuring men and children, the Dames Blanches have no motive for their strange requests. Upon bridges typically, or by bodies of water, when encountered by a Dames Blanches, she will extend her hand in a request for a dance. If accepted she will dance a few turns with her partner, then let him or her pass. But if refused, immediately or after only one dance, she will throw the human into the river, lake, or the like, drowning her victim.
History
It is hard to place a date on when the Dames Blanches began appearing, for the legends have existed across the globe for centuries. The problem lies in distinguishing the actual Dames Blanches from the Woman in White, as the two types of ghost bear the same name in France. Both are popular ghosts in France, and both have their own stories and locations they are said to haunt, but they are very different, even for sharing a name. A stated before, a Woman in White is typically vengeful against men and sometimes children. She will stop cars in the middle of the woods and lead men astray, or cause accidents on dark highways. This is the typical version of the myth. The legitimate Dames Blanches, however, who kills those who refuse to dance with her, seems to have no preference of gender, and has little to no backstory. Usually the case with female spirits who murder others is a history of abuse in their former life, but there is no evidence to suggest, or expel such a backstory. All anyone can tell of the Dames Blanches is she like to dance and dislikes being refused.
France is home to a growing list of Dames Blanches, but the most popular is one who is an exception to the rules. La Dame d’Aprigny was a Dames Blanches who haunted not a bridge but a street, far from any body of water. Again, she has no backstory and no history, but somehow a legend began of her appearing on what is present day Rue St. Quentin, Bayeux in the northwest of France. Allegedly La Dame d’Aprigny would greet those who attempted to pass through the narrow ravine with an extended hand. If accepted she would dance several rounds of the most elaborate dances, keeping the human for extensive periods of time before eventually letting her partner go. If refused, however, she would pounce onto her victim before throwing him or her into a ditch filled with briars and thorns. Her story differs slightly from the original tale, with her being on a street, unlike the typical Women in White, but she still upholds the practice of the dance which is typically associated with the Dames Blanches.
Travel Information
The Rue St. Quentin is located in the 10th Borough of Paris in the neighborhood of St. Vincent de Paul.The street begins on 92 Boulevard de Magenta and ends at 17 Rue de Dunkerque. The street is also a path on the 10th arrondissement, which is a major spot in Paris for shopping. The 10th arrondissement is broken up into three categories: Do, Eat and Buy. So do visit the Palais des Glaces on 37 Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple. The ‘palace of mirrors’ contains two theaters and runs two shows similtaniously. For shopping, the most interesting place to visit is the Marché St-Quentin, a market on the Boulevard de Strasbourg which offers everything from candles to vegetables. And for food, plenty of restaurants are within walking distance, from Bang! at 112 quai de Jemmapes which offers meal from around the world, to Mukura on 79 quai de Valmy, which prides itself on its chocolate meals and coffee options, and is a legitimate non-smoking restaurant, a quality that is rare in Paris.
Temporary Citations:
https://books.google.com/books?id=nSuXAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=La+Dame+d%E2%80%99Aprigny&source=bl&ots=lTJI4c-i9y&sig=t0u3k7bwc6Rrbyp7s3GU40MoZU0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Zga5VOf0J5HjsATIi4KoAg&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ%20-%20v=onepage&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false#v=snippet&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false
https://books.google.com/books?id=3cByu3_ZtaAC&pg=PA474&lpg=PA474&dq=La+Dame+d%E2%80%99Aprigny&source=bl&ots=ztMxwVHgxU&sig=6KWWhawou4FGMSB858wj7P6FfME&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Zga5VOf0J5HjsATIi4KoAg&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBg%20-%20v=onepage&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false#v=snippet&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false
The Dames Blanches is a French and Normandy variation of the Women in White, but with a twist. While Women in White are spirits who have been abused in life and are seeking revenge by kidnapping and injuring men and children, the Dames Blanches have no motive for their strange requests. Upon bridges typically, or by bodies of water, when encountered by a Dames Blanches, she will extend her hand in a request for a dance. If accepted she will dance a few turns with her partner, then let him or her pass. But if refused, immediately or after only one dance, she will throw the human into the river, lake, or the like, drowning her victim.
History
It is hard to place a date on when the Dames Blanches began appearing, for the legends have existed across the globe for centuries. The problem lies in distinguishing the actual Dames Blanches from the Woman in White, as the two types of ghost bear the same name in France. Both are popular ghosts in France, and both have their own stories and locations they are said to haunt, but they are very different, even for sharing a name. A stated before, a Woman in White is typically vengeful against men and sometimes children. She will stop cars in the middle of the woods and lead men astray, or cause accidents on dark highways. This is the typical version of the myth. The legitimate Dames Blanches, however, who kills those who refuse to dance with her, seems to have no preference of gender, and has little to no backstory. Usually the case with female spirits who murder others is a history of abuse in their former life, but there is no evidence to suggest, or expel such a backstory. All anyone can tell of the Dames Blanches is she like to dance and dislikes being refused.
France is home to a growing list of Dames Blanches, but the most popular is one who is an exception to the rules. La Dame d’Aprigny was a Dames Blanches who haunted not a bridge but a street, far from any body of water. Again, she has no backstory and no history, but somehow a legend began of her appearing on what is present day Rue St. Quentin, Bayeux in the northwest of France. Allegedly La Dame d’Aprigny would greet those who attempted to pass through the narrow ravine with an extended hand. If accepted she would dance several rounds of the most elaborate dances, keeping the human for extensive periods of time before eventually letting her partner go. If refused, however, she would pounce onto her victim before throwing him or her into a ditch filled with briars and thorns. Her story differs slightly from the original tale, with her being on a street, unlike the typical Women in White, but she still upholds the practice of the dance which is typically associated with the Dames Blanches.
Travel Information
The Rue St. Quentin is located in the 10th Borough of Paris in the neighborhood of St. Vincent de Paul.The street begins on 92 Boulevard de Magenta and ends at 17 Rue de Dunkerque. The street is also a path on the 10th arrondissement, which is a major spot in Paris for shopping. The 10th arrondissement is broken up into three categories: Do, Eat and Buy. So do visit the Palais des Glaces on 37 Rue du Faubourg-du-Temple. The ‘palace of mirrors’ contains two theaters and runs two shows similtaniously. For shopping, the most interesting place to visit is the Marché St-Quentin, a market on the Boulevard de Strasbourg which offers everything from candles to vegetables. And for food, plenty of restaurants are within walking distance, from Bang! at 112 quai de Jemmapes which offers meal from around the world, to Mukura on 79 quai de Valmy, which prides itself on its chocolate meals and coffee options, and is a legitimate non-smoking restaurant, a quality that is rare in Paris.
Temporary Citations:
https://books.google.com/books?id=nSuXAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=La+Dame+d%E2%80%99Aprigny&source=bl&ots=lTJI4c-i9y&sig=t0u3k7bwc6Rrbyp7s3GU40MoZU0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Zga5VOf0J5HjsATIi4KoAg&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ%20-%20v=onepage&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false#v=snippet&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false
https://books.google.com/books?id=3cByu3_ZtaAC&pg=PA474&lpg=PA474&dq=La+Dame+d%E2%80%99Aprigny&source=bl&ots=ztMxwVHgxU&sig=6KWWhawou4FGMSB858wj7P6FfME&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Zga5VOf0J5HjsATIi4KoAg&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBg%20-%20v=onepage&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false#v=snippet&q=La%20Dame%20d%E2%80%99Aprigny&f=false