Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire

Flawless skin that never seems to age. Eyes that pierce into your soul. Never hungry, but always thirsty. Powerfully charming, yet peculiar. They draw you in with their fascinating stories and hypnotic voices; but you can’t help but think something seems a little strange.

You go anyway, down into the depths of their dark, eerie palace where their “treasures” lie, only to realize that you’re but a pawn. Your muscles clench as chills run down your spine.

Someone’s thirsty.

As they flash their crooked smile and you see teeth sharp as knives, you know you’ve found yourself in the midst of a monster you’ve only read about in books.

Vampires have long been fantasized in folklore and mythical tales. We can’t seem to resist the enchantment of these curious creatures. And (un)lucky for us, in Louisiana, vampires are closer to home than we think.

Though the earliest tales of vampires date back to Greek mythology, New Orleans is home to some of the most prominent vampire myths. Most prominent? The tale of the Comte de St. Germain, whom many believe to be Jacques St. Germain, Louisiana’s very own vampire.

Who is the Comte de St. Germain?

Picture this. It’s 1700s, France, and you receive an invitation to a dinner party filled with prestigious guests. You show up to a lavish mansion, bursting with conversation. A man walks in, almost gliding, as if floating on air.

He speaks in a way in which you’ve never heard before. His eyes lock you in. He speaks of events a hundred years’ prior with such detail you could swear he was there.

The Comte de St. Germain mysteriously came on to the scene in France in the 1700s. Although records suggest he may have been alive long before that, even during the time of Christ.

French historian and philosopher Voltaire, King Louis XV, and Italian writer and adventurer Casanova all claimed to know the Comte. Voltaire even said, “He is a man who knows everything and who never dies.”

Official records show that the Comte was born in 1710 and died in 1784, but many people claim to have seen him as recently as 1970!

The Comte was a man with undeniable intelligence and wit. He captivated the elite with his knowledge and charm.

Yet, he never seemed to age. He spoke six languages, possessed a brilliant artistry, played the violin effortlessly, and even GREW DIAMONDS.

Yes, you heard that right. The Comte was a very accomplished alchemist.

Alchemists worked in turning metal into gold and creating beautiful jewels out of small stones. Alchemists also searched for the fabled “elixir of life.” The Comte’s work in alchemy may explain his incredible wealth.

The Comte even trained other alchemists, including one under Queen Marie Antoinette’s rule. At the queen’s execution, the alchemist supposedly saw the Comte, years after he “died.”

The Comte wrote a book discussing his work with alchemy and symbols, but to this day some parts of it have yet to be decoded.

How did he get to Louisiana?

The Comte traveled all over Europe throwing magnificent parties. He mesmerized guests with marvelous stories. These same guests claimed that he never ate a bite of food.

Eventually, the Comte found himself in Germany where he lived in a castle for a while as a confidant to Prince Hesse.

During this time, a strange record of his death appeared. A priest under the king’s order wrote the death record which states that the Comte died in 1784.

Many people don’t believe this to be true.

The death record is slim, and people continuously claimed to have seen him. Rumors abound that the Comte did not die and instead travelled to the West in order to promote spiritual fulfillment. Some claim that the Comte first stopped in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Who is Jacques St. Germain?

Many consider New Orleans to be the most haunted city in the United States, and with good reason. Perhaps one of the most infamous, sinister figures claimed to roam the streets is Jacques St. Germain.

Some two hundred years after the “death” of the Comte de St. Germain, an immigrant from the South of France named Jacques St. Germain arrived in New Orleans and moved into a dwelling off of Royal Street.

Jacques’ knowledge, charming wit, and seemingly ageless presence made him well known. He spoke of events that happened hundreds of years in the past with great detail. He threw lavish parties with the finest foods, entertainment, and most prestigious guests, but never ate a bite of food.

Sound familiar? No one questioned his seeming immortality, but maybe they should have.

Not long after he had taken up residence in New Orleans, things got creepy, quickly. There’s a tale told by many vampire enthusiasts in the Big Easy that one night Jacques invited a woman over to his house for a party.

After a while, he asked her up to the balcony where he attempted to bite her neck. She freaked out and escaped by jumping off the balcony onto the pavement below.

The story goes that the terrified women had drops of blood trickling down her neck. People quickly surrounded her and called the police.

When the police arrived to investigate, they found something that made their blood run cold.

In Jacques’ home they found clothes from all different time periods stained in blood. There was absolutely no food or utensils in the house. Bottles of what seemed to be red wine, but were in fact human blood, filled the cabinets. What they didn’t find was Jacques St. Germain, who never returned.

Legend has it that Jacques St. Germain was actually the Comte de St. Germain, who people still claim to spot around the world.

Have you ever heard of the legend of Jacques St. Germain or any other vampire stories? Let us know in the comments below!

Ryn Middleton

Lover of yoga, traveling and live music. Writing is my passion, and I’m in love with this beautiful, beautiful life!

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