In the secluded hills of 18th-century France, a monstrous terror lurked. Known as the Beast of Gévaudan, this mysterious creature left a trail of fear and death in its wake.
In the summer of 1764 it struck, and the tranquil province of Gévaudan witnessed the brutal demise of villagers, torn apart by something they had never seen before. Witnesses described it as resembling an enormous wolf with rust-colored fur and a distinctive black stripe along its spine. Peasants, armed only with rocks and shovels, futilely attempted to fend off the relentless attacks.
As the body count rose, the French government intervened, dispatching Captain Jean Baptiste Duhamel from far-off Paris to quell the menace. His efforts proved fruitless, leading to the eventual arrival of renowned wolf hunter Jean Charles Marc Antoine Vaumesle d’Enneval. The relentless pursuit through icy terrains and dense forests intensified, but to no avail, with the elusive Beast claiming the lives of 29 villagers in just three months.
The climax came when a Royal gun bearer succeeded in killing a large wolf, believed to be the Beast. However, doubts lingered, and over time, skepticism grew regarding the existence of a singular monster.
Modern analyses even propose the possibility that the Beast was an escaped adolescent male lion, challenging the traditional narrative. The Beast of Gévaudan, whether a mythical creature or a series of wolf attacks, left an indelible mark on local folklore.
Top image: Image of the Beast of Gévaudan eating a villager while a French dragoon tries fires his musket at it. Source: Unknown Author / Public Domain.
