Wiki says that they ask to be buried in a churchyard but any poor sap who agrees to carry one yardwards will find the myling growing heavier and heavier until the bearer risks sinking into the ground and dying as well. Creepy stuff.
Wait, isn’t that a monster in D&D?
Nah, it’s probably spelled different.
Sounds much like the Irish aughisky (“water horse”). I gather that elfkin is looking for critters that appear (or can appear) human, though.
For France, how about mandragores/mandrakes, the supposed human forms of mandrake rook? The translated passage from Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie in the mandrake Wiki article mentions them, and they crop up in the Monstropedia article as well. France (or Gaul, at any rate) also offers woodwoses or dusios, wild men of the woods sometimes equated with fauns.
Nicolas Sarkozy.
According to the book, “The Unexplained; An Illustrated Guide to the World’s Natural and Paranormal Mysteries,” by noted cryptozoologist Dr. Karl P.N. Shuker, there are several French-linked myths that might fit your bill.
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Homunculi - artificial golem-like beings created by alchemists. One was supposedly exhibited at the court of King Louis XIV by royal physician Dr. Borel. They are also reported from elsewhere in Europe, particularly Austria.
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Werewolves - several well-documented cases in France in the 1500s. Particularly, Gilles Garnier (1573), Jacques Rollet (1598), and Jean Grenier (1604) were all accused and tried of being werewolves. According to the book, there were 30,000 werewolf trials in France between 1520 and 1630.
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The Beast of Gevaudan - a giant wolf-like creature that terrorized the district of Lozere in south-eastern France. Known for ripping women and children to shreds. Speculation was that this was also a werewolf, but not one with a known human identity.
Edit: oops, I see this one has already been mentioned.
There are plenty of other beasties listed, but those are the only ones that are remotely humanoid.
Yes. And yes.
Or the Scottish kelpie.