In 1450, like many other cities at the time, Paris was protected from outside forces by a city wall. This wall, however, had fallen into disrepair over time and developed multiple breaches.
For some reason, the powers in Paris at the time were not overly concerned with repairs, a decision they would come to regret. These breaches allowed the advent of a true horror novel-esque problem for the Parisians of the day.
Rather than marauding foreign armies raiding the city through the gaps, they were pestered by an even more fearsome foe. A pack of wild wolves, which lived in the forests surrounding the city learned that humans made an easy-to-catch, convenient snack during leaner times.
The forests around Paris had been hunted bare by the occupants of Paris, and the wolves needed something new to gnaw on. After the Hundred Years War, farmer’s livestock was at a low and it didn’t take long for wolves to work out that people might make a tasty option.
During the winter of 1450, a particular wolf pack, led by an individual known as Courtaud, meaning “Bobtail”, terrorised Paris’ inhabitants. Forty people were hunted and eaten by the wolves during just one cold season.
The Parisians were terrified and knew they needed to take matters into their own hands. After all, no one else was going to help out. A group of brave Parisian men lead the wolf pack into the heart of the city and surrounded them in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. The enraged crowd stoned and speared the pack of wolves to death right there and then.
This wasn’t the last wolf problem that Paris would have to deal with, though.
In 1765, no less than 18 people were attacked by wolves in Paris’ north east region of Soissons, four of whom were killed. The first victim was a pregnant woman. The locals hastily removed the foetus from the dead woman to baptise it, adding an additionally gruesome twist to the tale.
Just moments later, a few hundred yards from the original attack, Madame d’Amberief and her son got the same treatment from the wolf but managed to fight for their lives and survive.
The wolf continued its terrible line of work, biting the face off of a farmer on horseback, slaying a 17 year old boy, and partially decapitating a young woman.
A desperate group of four Parisians set up an ambush next to the body of one of the wolf’s victims and waited patiently for his return. When the wolf did return, the four men found themselves fighting for their lives against the powerful wild beast.
More people arrived and helped beat the wolf into submission, it ran into pasture where it killed some sheep and mutilated some cattle and a solitary servant.
Finally, a member of the local militia — Antoine Saverelle — managed to corner the wolf in an alley. The wolf pounced at Saverelle but he pinned its head to the ground with a pitchfork. He held the animal for 15 minutes until someone came along and finally killed the creature. Saverelle received a reward of three-hundred livres from Louis XV of France for his bravery.
Paris’ historical scrapes with wolves have not yet finished. This year, wolves have been sighted just 40 miles from the gates of Paris. Grey wolves were wiped out in France in the 1920’s, but 10 years ago, they started entering the country again via Italy.
There are around 300 wolves in France today and they are estimated to have killed more than 6,000 sheep in the last 12 months. Forty miles is the closest they have been to Paris during their resurgence. The woods around Paris are now well stocked with deer and boar and make an ideal hunting ground for wolves.
In the modern era, it is almost definitely the wolves which will come off worst; modern humans are a lot more adept at killing beasts these days, and a bustling modern city will not be impressed with the idea of a marauding wolf pack in their midst.
Despite opposition, the French Minister for Environment has already signed off a wolf culling, so this influx may well be the wolf’s last hurrah in Paris.
MORE:
