Traveling to Paris and want to get in the mood for your trip?
Or maybe you can’t travel to Paris right now, at least not physically, but still want to experience its charms?
Movies have a way of transporting us to another world. And with its charms and beauty, it’s little wonder that Paris has served as inspiration for filmmakers for decades.
Whether you’re on the plane jetting to the French capital itself or just cozy at home, here are my picks for the best movies set in Paris!
Table of Contents
1. The Red Balloon (1956)
A sentient red balloon follows a young boy around the Ménilmontant neighborhood in Paris. Taking place in post-WWII Paris, the movie gives a glimpse into the city in 1956. (Those old buses were quite something.)
It’s a bit of weird a story, but touches on the themes of innocence and loneliness. It won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay as well as a Palme d’Or.
Kid friendly, if you also want to get the kiddos excited for a visit to Paris. (But maybe don’t let them follow a red balloon around town once you get there.)
Watch a scene here.
2. Amélie (2001)
Amélie is an eccentric young Parisian waitress who goes around Paris bringing happiness to others.
The film was a hit when it was released, winning several European awards and nominated for five Academy Awards.
Set in Montmartre and filmed mostly on location in Paris, you can visit the real-life Café des 2 Moulins, where the Amélie character works as a waitress in the film.
Watch the trailer here.
3. An American in Paris (1951)
This musical romantic comedy was a huge success when it came out. Starring Gene Kelley and Leslie Caron with music by the jazz great George Gershwin, this movie will not only inspire you to visit Paris, but make you want to dance your way through it as well.
Watch the trailer here.
4. Paris, Je T’aime (2006)
Paris is known as the “City of Love” so a movie about love naturally has to be set in Paris.
An anthology film, 22 directors tell 20 different love stories set in each of Paris’ 20 arrondissements.
It stars many famous actors, including Natalie Portman, Willem Dafoe, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Elijah Wood.
Watch the trailer here.
5. The Intouchables (2011)
In present-day Paris, The Intouchables tells the real-life story of quadriplegic Philippe and his caregiver. The duo come from opposite sides of Paris – Philippe is a wealthy aristocrat, while Driss, his caregiver, is black and from the rougher parts of town – and form an unlikely friendship.
Watch the trailer here.
6. Ratatouille (2007)
Paris is known as the culinary center of the world and who best to showcase that heritage than…a rat.
Ratatouille tells the story of Remy, who dreams of becoming a chef. Of course, being a rat makes realizing this dream infinitely more difficult. But nothing is impossible for Disney and Pixar.
In case you’re wondering, ratatouille is a traditional French dish.
Kid friendly (we are talking Disney and Pixar, after all), watch the trailer here.
7. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
This musical romantic drama stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won two.
Set in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris in the late 19th century, Nicole Kidman’s character is the star actress at the Moulin Rouge, a cabaret. The Moulin Rouge is a real historical location, opened in 1889, and known as the birthplace of the can-can.
Watch the trailer here.
8. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
There aren’t many movies set in medieval Paris that I know of. This one does and, as the name suggests, takes place in and around Notre Dame Cathedral.
The film is based on Victor Hugo’s famous novel of the same name from 1831. While the novel has been adapted several times, Disney’s version earned both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for its musical score.
Kid friendly, watch the trailer here.
9. La Vie en Rose (2007)
This French biographical film tells the story of Édith Piaf, France’s most popular singer and one of the greatest singers of the 20th century.
Édith was a Parisian. The movie, starring the incomparable Marion Cotillard, is named after one of Édith’s most famous songs.
Watch the trailer here.
10. Taken (2008)
If action-thrillers are more your style, there’s still a Paris movie for you!
Taken tells the story of an ex-CIA officer who sets out to save his daughter from human traffickers in the City of Light.
Liam Neeson stars in the film. And while speaking French isn’t among them, he does have a very particular set of skills.
Watch the trailer here.
11. Gigi (1958)
If you’d rather go back to musical romantic comedies, why not give Gigi a look?
Set at the turn of the 20th century during the Belle Époque, Leslie Caron stars as the title character, a girl being raised to become a courtesan.
Considered the last great Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical, the movie won all nine of the Academy Awards it was nominated for.
Watch the trailer here.
12. Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie (2023)
It’s a long flight to Paris, so if the kids still need entertaining, Lady & Cat Noir: The Movie is a good choice.
Superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir must work together to save their city of Paris from a group of supervillains. The movie is an adaptation of a French animated series.
Watch the trailer here.
13. Is Paris Burning? (1966)
WWII was a major chapter in Paris’ history. The city was overtaken, and nearly destroyed by, the Germans.
Is Paris Burning? is set during the liberation of Paris in 1944. Starring an international ensemble cast (including Kirk Douglas, Orson Wells, and Gert Froebe), the movie was nominated for two Academy Awards.
Watch the trailer here.
14. Midnight in Paris (2011)
A Parisian once told me that Parisians love this movie, as they believe that it captures the spirit of the city itself.
This Woody Allen fantasy comedy is about a screenwriter (played by Owen Wilson) who goes back in time each night at midnight. He meets figures from 1920s Paris, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Gertrude Stein.
The film won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture.
Watch the trailer here.
15. Anastasia (1997)
This animated historical fantasy movie tells the story of Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.
Though (spoiler) the real Anastasia did not survive the Bolshevik Revolution, movie Anastasia gets a different, happier ending in this film (which was also later adapted into a Broadway musical). After escaping Russia, Anastasia makes her way to Paris to try and reunite with her grandmother.
Kid friendly, with a fabulous score, watch the trailer here.
16. Inception (2010)
Another action film for those who prefer that genre, much of the action in Inception takes place in Paris (when it’s not taking place in its characters’ dreams). It’s a sometimes trippy view of Paris, but certainly never a boring one.
One of my all-time favorite movies, it was directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, and Michael Caine.
Watch the trailer here.
There you have it! My pics for the best films set in Paris. Have any more films to add? Let me know in the comments!
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