The French House

The French House in Soho holds a unique place in British and French history as the headquarters of the Free French Forces during World War II. It was here that Charles de Gaulle wrote his famous “À tous les Français” speech and where the French Resistance was planned and coordinated. The pub’s walls absorbed decades of clandestine meetings, passionate debates, and the tension of wartime London. According to numerous reports, some of those wartime spirits have never left.

Staff and patrons report seeing figures in 1940s military uniforms, both French and British, appearing throughout the pub. These apparitions are most commonly seen in the upstairs rooms where de Gaulle and his associates held their secret meetings. Witnesses describe the ghosts as appearing intensely focused, engaged in hushed conversations and examining papers spread across tables. Some report hearing French being spoken urgently in low tones when no French speakers are present, accompanied by the rustling of papers and the clink of glasses being raised in solemn toasts.

The paranormal activity intensifies on significant dates related to World War II and the French Resistance. Objects move on their own, particularly in the rooms associated with de Gaulle’s presence. The smell of French cigarettes (Gauloises) appears despite the smoking ban, and some witnesses report the distinct aroma of cognac in areas where no such spirits are being served. Footsteps are heard pacing the upper floors late at night, as if someone is walking while deep in thought. Cold spots form inexplicably, and some visitors report feeling overwhelmed with emotion, particularly feelings of determination and patriotic fervor. A few witnesses claim to have seen the ghost of de Gaulle himself, tall and imposing in military uniform, standing by the windows as if looking out over wartime London. The haunting is considered a benign manifestation of the pub’s extraordinary history.