To be fair, this is a list of films that may not be the best films made in France, and they are also not all films by French directors, but they are the movies to watch before visiting France. They are films to inspire wanderlust or perhaps remind you of the good times you have had here. Some films were huge blockbusters and are really well known, and perhaps you have seen them already. They are certainly not the darkest nor objectively real-life descriptions of life in France (one of them is the aptly named La vie en rose). Most are not Oscar winning or Palme D’or winning. Some are.
Again these films are a background to travelling in France and should be used to tickle your fancy, and encourage travel here. I have made a choice to not include TV series in this list, but 2020 has seen Emily in Paris and Lupin reach an incredible level of popularity. Time will tell if they also pass the test of time and create wanderlust to travel as much as the films on this list below!
Amélie Poulain (2001) and known in France as the fabulous destiny of Amelie Poulain, shows the wonderful images of village life in Montmartre, just minutes away from central Paris. Unlike most films about Paris it avoids the Seine and instead focusses on the bars and bistros of the hilly quartier. The gigantic success of this film in France made an international star of its then 23-year-old lead Audrey Tautou, who plays the young women employed as a waitress in a Montmartre cafe. Bizarrely, it is supposed to be modern Paris, or at any rate the Paris of 1997, at the time of Princess Diana’s death. But what with the accordion music and the cafes and the sepia tint that soaks through panoramic shots of the city skyline, it could be the Paris of 50 years before. This is a Paris with all modern life digitally removed: no McDonald’s, no Pompidou Centre, certainly no glass Bibliothèque Nationale towers or Grande Arche de la Défense and you will love it.
One of the best films about Paris is Before Sunset (2004) starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. The film picks up the story of the Before Sunrise film (1995) of a young American man and French woman who spent a passionate night together in Vienna nine years earlier. Their paths intersect in Paris, and the film appears to take place in real time as they spend an afternoon together. It is not only the natural chemistry between them but the beauty of Paris that creates the romantic atmosphere to the film. The script is witty and a bit poignant and while the film has a few near cliches (the actor does a reading at Shakespeare and Company bookstore on the left bank) but their walk together shows off the beauty of Paris, and you will want to visit and fall in love with someone yourself after watching it. The locations they wander through are the Marais district, Le Pure Café in the 11th arrondissement, the Promenade Plantée park 12th, on of course on board a bateau mouche!
Chocolat (2001) is a film starring Juliet Binoche and Johnny Depp, playing a hunky riverboat traveller called Roux with a hunky ponytail and hunky facial hair. A French village gets turned upside down as these newcomers who bring life and zest to the sleepy town through chocolate in her chocolate shop.
A good year (2006) is the kind of film that some people love and others hate. it has some terrible reviews online, but it shows off Provence and could be described as a pitiful anglo-saxon caricature ; It It stars, Russell Crowe as the Brit who inherits a sumptuous house and vineyard in the south of France he comes over intending to sell it but finds himself falling in love with the locals and their adorable life. Watch it, but keep in mind that it’s not really that close to being real. It was adapted from the book by acclaimed author Peter Mayle.
Ratatouille (2007) is a family-friendly favorite and the only cartoon on this list. Ratatouille is a work of art. Pixar’s winner of the 2007 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, is the story of an adorable rat in Paris. Not just any rat, however, but a rat who is a connoisseur of good food, much to the chagrin of his trash-eating family. This light-hearted film takes place in Paris, and has some spectacular animated views of the city that are sure to inspire your next visit. A must-see for kids and adults.
La Vie en Rose (2007) known as the la Mome is the biopic of Édif Piaf. It’s a window into another era, of an artist who raised by her grandmother in a brothel, she was discovered while singing on a street corner at the age of 19 and became a french legend. Despite her success, Piaf’s life was filled with tragedy. The film has some faults but the life of France’s most successful entertainer opens an eye onto the life and times of 20th century France. Her signature songs, La vie en rose, and Non, je ne regrette rien will move you and make you want to come and know more about this legend.
The Intouchables (2011) was the breakout role for Omar Sy (from Lupin fame) and the cultural event of that year. The plot of the film is inspired by the true story of a wealthy handicapped man and his French – Moroccan caregiver. Philippe, a wealthy quadriplegic who owns a luxurious hôtel particulier, and his assistant Magalie are interviewing candidates to be his live-in caregiver. Driss, a candidate, has no ambitions to get hired. He is just there to get a signature on a document showing he was interviewed and rejected so that he can continue receiving his welfare benefits. Philippe’s dull, clinical world is flung into disarray as Driss delights in driving his supercars, flirting with Philippe’s assistant and disbelievingly pouring hot water onto his boss’ unfeeling legs. It’s not a film aimed to provoke wanderlust, but with glamorous Parisian apartments, opera houses and a trip to the windswept beaches of Dunkirk to inspire you, France will once again be at the top of your bucket list.
Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen (2011) is another love letter to the French capital. A harmless yet blundering American author prefers to spend his time in Paris exploring its literary and artistic history than with his wife. He time travels and meets F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Picasso, and Dalí as he wanders around the City of Lights, searching for inspiration for his writing. An opening montage of Paris immediately sets the film up as one deeply invested in the city’s greatness.
In conclusion; there are many many other films that are also inspiring movies to watch before visiting France and I am disappointed that my list is very Paris-heavy. The country comes across as being wonderful in cinema and yet holidaying here is even better in real life.
Come to France with us and we can transport you from the big screen to experience the café lifestyle, taste the wine and food, and explore even more than just the monuments and sites you have seen on screen.
