French Movies are extremely renowned around the world for many reasons, and one of the main reasons for their popularity was that it was known for its auteurs. Moreover, the present French films have found a technique where they can mix modern trends with the French tradition, making the films much more interesting and entertaining to watch.
Ultimately, what makes the French capital, Paris, the capital of cinema is the curiosity and appreciation of films; the film set in Paris is in a league of its own and has the fantastic ability to keep its cinema culture thriving by encouraging and appreciating its domestic production. Here are the 20 best movies set in Paris that will crave viewers to watch more movies. The movies are arranged on IMDB Rating, and it was difficult to narrow down the list to mere 20 movies.
20) Amelie
- Directed By: Jean Pierre Jeunet
- Written By: Guillaume Laurant
- Cast: Audrey Tautou in the role of Amelie Poulain; Mathieu Kassovitz in the role of Nino Quincampoix; Rufus in the role of Raphael Poulain
- IMDB Rating: 8.3/ 10
- Available On: Amazon Instant Video
The movie tells us the story of Amelie, a young woman who works as a waitress. She lives in an imaginary world where she narrates the lives of people around her.
One of the most distinguishing features of the films set in Paris is that they prefer outdoor shooting rather than the sets, and it can be seen in this movie as it had been shot in over 80 places. This is a different film than one would have watched, but they wouldn’t be disappointed for sure.
19) The Red Balloon
- Directed By: Albert Lamorisse
- Written By: Albert Lamorisse
- Cast: Pascal Lamorisse
- IMDB Rating: 8.1/ 10
- Available On: HBO Max.
The Red Balloon, or Le Ballon Rouge, is a short film that showcases the adventure of a young boy who goes around the city of Paris following an ordinary-looking red balloon.
The film is incredible, and the plot, as well as the backstory of each character, is written beautifully. And the past of the boy makes this film much more emotional, and the color of the balloon is well-planned. This film has a wonderful narration of the city of Paris, and this will be one of the films that would move you, and you would return to the movie after intervals.
18) Before Sunset
- Directed By: Richard Linklater
- Written By: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke
- Cast: Ethan Hawke in the role of Jesse; Julie Delpy in the role of Celine; Veron Dobtcheff in the role of Bookstore Manager.
- IMDB Rating: 8.1/ 10
- Available On: Amazon Instant Video.
This is a sequel to “Before Sunrise,” and it is set in Paris nine years in the future. Jesse travels across Europe and reads a book he wrote when he spent a night in Vienna with Celine. Celine finds Jesse after reading Paris, and the two fall in love again, and both show longing.
This is the most beautiful romantic drama I have ever seen and is a personal recommendation to everyone. This film is probably the most realistic film ever created, and watching this film will make you realize what or how love feels like. The dialogues are strong and beautiful, and the music of this film is fantastic as well.
17) Charade
- Directed By: Stanley Donen
- Written By: Peter Stone
- Cast: Cary Grant in the role of Brian Cruikshank; Audrey Hepburn in the role of Regina; Walter Matthau in the role of Carson Dyle.
- IMDB Rating: 7.9/ 10
- Available On: Amazon Prime Video
This murder mystery thriller tells the fictional story of Regina Lampert, who falls in love with Peter Joshua during a ski trip, but when she returns to Paris, she finds out that her husband has been murdered. Regina finds that three men are constantly following her, but she gets help from Peter, who constantly changes his name.
This movie has been labeled as the best Hitchcock movie ever created, and the fact this is one of the famous movies set in Paris makes this movie more iconic. The director did a great job with his direction, and the cast did a fantastic job in playing their roles. their dialogue delivery, body language, and even their eye expression made the scenes much more intense, and you would not be bored watching this movie.
16) Cleo From 5 to 7
- Directed By: Agnes Varda
- Written By: Agnes Varda
- Cast: Corinne Marchand in the role of Florence “Cleao”; Loye Payen in the role of Irma; Sege Korber in the role of Maurice.
- IMDB Rating: 7.9/ 10
- Available On: Netflix.
This is the story of Cleo, an arrogant and selfish pop star who is awaiting her biopsy test result, and she needs to wait for two hours before she gets the result. However, when she goes to her friends for support, they fail to give her any. Cleo starts roaming around the streets of Paris, and she meets a soldier in a park. The two talked in the park, and gradually Cleo came to terms with her selfishness and arrogance.
This is an interesting movie that has a strong plot, and the story of Cleo is amazing. The dialogues of the characters are sharp, yet they are so natural. The cast made the characters hard to forget. Moreover, the editing and cinematography of this film are top-notch, and the audience would enjoy this movie.
15) The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1939)
- Directed By: William Dieterle
- Written By: Sonya Levien, and Bruno Frank
- Cast: Maureen O’Hara as Esmeralda; Charles Laughton as Quasimodo; Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Frollo
- IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
- Available On: Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, and Google Play.
The film takes place in 15th century France where Claude Frollo, the evil archdeacon of Notre Dame, orders Quasimodo, his subordinate who is a deformed Hunchback, to capture a gypsy girl called Esmeralda, who was framed for murdering Phoebus. The film showcases how the unrequited lust of Claude Frollo for Esmeralda will make him take severe steps, and when Hunchback learns the truth but his master, he will confront him.
This movie is a classic, and for all the good reasons, this film is considered the Best Picture of 1930s. The plot of the film is based on the popular novel of the same name by Victor Hugo that was published in 1831. The director has done a marvelous job with his direction, and with their acting, the cast added the cherry on top of the cake. For me, it was thrilling to read the novel, but the movie was made in such a way that it equals the novel in all aspects.
The film also has an animated version by Disney, and the plot of the film is the same as the original screenplay, and the animated version has songs that are fun to listen to.
14) Breathless
- Directed By: Jean-Luc Godard
- Written By: Jean-Luc Godard
- Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo in the role of Michel Poiccard; Jean Seberg in the role of Patricia Franchini; Daniel Boulanger in the role of Inspector Vital.
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/ 10
- Available On: Vudu and Amazon Instant Video
The plot of the movie revolves around the lives of Michel, a small thug who believes himself to be a bad guy similar to Humphrey Bogart. One day when he stole a car, he was chased by a policeman; he panicked and killed the officer. He chose to hide in his girlfriend’s house. Michel started finding ways to save enough money to travel to Italy from France along with his girlfriend, Patricia. But things started to become rough when she learned that Michel was being investigated by the officers for murder.
This film is an evergreen classic, and in this film, Jean-Paul Belmondo made his film debut, and Jean Luc-Godard made his debut as a director. The film was named ‘ A bout de souffle’ in French. In 2010, a fully restored version of the film was made to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and to date, it has the best original screenplay ever created for a movie. The film features a strong storyline in Paris with visually appealing spots.
13) Midnight in Paris
- Directed By: Woody Allen
- Written By: Woody Allen
- Cast: Owen Wilson in the role of Gil Pender; Rachel McAdams in the role of Inez; Marion Cotillard in the role of Adriana.
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/ 10
- Available On: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
The movie is set in Paris and is a narrative of Gil Pender, a young novelist, on a vacation with his fiancee. Gil explores the city of Paris at night every day, and one night he finds strangers who showed him the past and iconic era of art and literature, and as he spends time with his new friends, he starts hating the present and longs to live in the past.
Midnight in Paris is one of the movies present on the list that you should check out immediately. Primarily if you are a fan, great literary figures like Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Dickens, Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, and many more. Secondly, if you prefer the old times to the modern era, this movie is amazing and has won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
12) La Vie En Rose
- Directed By: Olivier Dahan
- Written By: Isabelle Sobelman, and Olivier Dahn
- Cast: Marion Cotillard in the role of Edith Piaf; Sylvie Testud in the role of Simone Berteaut; Pascal Greggoy in the role of Louis Barrier
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/ 10
- Available On: Netflix.
This film is a musical biography of the famous French singer, Edith Piaf. Edith was born into poverty and she was raised in a brothel, but she managed to earn fame and love for herself by becoming one of the most charming and renowned French singer around the world. Her sweet and marvellous voice opened her many opportunities and in the movie we would all about her life, that includes her friendships and her romantic life as well.
This is one of the best biography films ever created, and the viewer should not worry about the acting by Marion Cotillard, who played the role of Edith Piaf. For her role, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role; the film also won other Academy Awards, such as Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and won prestigious awards like Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, BAFTA Award for Best Makeup, Best Costume Design, and many more.
The cinematography of the film was spot-on, and the dialogues of the film were fantastic, but the amount of accuracy and detail put in this film is too good, and that makes the film much more amazing than it really was. Overall, it is a great watch, and you can watch this movie either alone or with your friends and family.
11) Moulin Rouge
- Directed By: Baz Luhrmann
- Written By: Baz Luhrmann
- Cast: Nicole Kidman in the role of Satine; Ewan McGregor in the role of Christian; Jim Broadbent in the role of Harold Zidler.
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/ 10
- Available On: Starz and DIRECTV.
The film is set in Paris in 1899, where Christian, a young English Writer, travels to Paris to join the Bohemian Revolution. Christian decides to visit the biggest bar of that time, The Moulin Rouge, and he falls in love with Satine, the star performer of the bar and its courtesan. They fell in love, but she did not tell Christian that she agreed to marry the Duke when the manager of the bar told her that the Duke would fund them for their next production.
This 2001 musical drama is a hit at the Box Office, and it has an Academy Award and several other awards to add to its prestige. This is the most visually stunning film one would ever see. This feel-good film is on the watch list of many fans, but they do not return to the movie for its acting or dialogues. They return to it for the music of the film. This distinct feature of the film makes the film stand apart from the films of this genre.
10) Hotel Du Nord
- Directed By: Marcel Carne
- Written By: Jean Aurenche, Eugene Dabit, and Henri Jeanson
- Cast: Annabella in the role of Renee; Jean Pierre Aumont in the role of Pierre; Louis Jouvet in the role of Edmond
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/ 10
- Available On: Amazon Instant Video.
Set in Paris after a real-life hotel, and it is situated on Canal Saint Martin. The movie tells us about a couple with a suicide pact and the series of mishaps that takes place while completing their pact.
This 1938 masterpiece from French filmmakers is not renowned among many cinephiles, and many people would not have heard about Marcel Carne. The movie was on a different league because creating the streets of a city during that time that showcases the Eiffel Tower as well makes this film an entertaining watch.
9) Camille Claudel
- Directed By: Bruno Nuytten
- Written By: Bruno Nuytten
- Cast: Isabelle Adjani in the role of Camille Claudel; Gerard Depardieu in the role of Auguste Rodin; Laurent Grevill in the role of Paul Claudel
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/ 10
- Available On: Amazon Instant Video.
The story tells us about the famous sculptor Auguste Rodin, who notices the talent of Camilie Caudel. He makes her his muse and his assistant. Eventually, the two had a love affair, and she sacrificed her work to add to Auguste’s work collection. Eventually, things do not work out between the two. She is left by Auguste and sinks into mental illness.
The film is hard to judge as it is more concerned about her personality and her art, and it can be seen in the film as well. Isabelle Adjani, the actress who played the role of Camille Caudel, did an excellent job. It felt as if she were living the role. The film is a great watch; you can watch it if you’re looking for a romantic drama.
8) La Cage aux Folles
- Directed By: Edouard Molinaro
- Written By: Marcello Danon, Edouard Molinaro, Jean Poiret, and Francis Veber
- Cast: Ugo Tognazzi in the role of Renato Baldi; Michel Serrault in the role of Albin Mougeotte; Claire Maurier in the role of Simone Deblon.
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/ 10
- Available On: Paramount Plus, DIRECTV, and Epix.
In this unconventional film, Renato and Albin, a gay couple, celebrate their son’s upcoming marriage despite the conservative views of the father-in-law. Albin plans that he will use his skill to play the role of a drag mother, but they learn that things are not as easy as it seems.
This is an interesting watch because of the plot; that was new during the year, and people didn’t expect such films. The actors did a fantastic job in their roles. The film adaptation derives from Jean Poiret’s play of the same name.
7) An American in Paris
- Directed By: Vincente Minnelli
- Written By: Alan Jay Lerner
- Cast: Gene Kelly in the role of Jerry Mulligan; Leslie Caron in the role of Lise Bouvier; Oscar Levant in the role of Adam Cook
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/ 10
- Available On: HBO Max
This musical romance on HBO tells the story of Jerry Mulligan, a struggling artist who lives in Paris. Lise Bouvier, a young French woman, captures the artist’s attention, but his paintings attract Milo Roberts, a wealthy American lady who is interested in Jerry rather than his artwork. Jerry has to choose between Lise and Milo.
This stands as one of the greatest musicals ever created, with the on-screen romance of the couple appearing incredibly authentic. Moreover, the music used in this film was original, and every song used in this movie was fun to listen to. Audiences can watch the movie if they are looking for a good romantic musical.
6) Paris, Je T’aime
- Directed By: Bruno Podalydes
- Written By: Bruno Podalydes
- Cast: Bruno Podalydes, Florence Muller
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/ 10
- Available On: iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu.
This collection of 18 anthologies showcases love in the streets of Paris. The movie shows what love is in the streets of Paris and showcases heartbreak and despair.
This fantastic movie creates a sense of having experienced France before with its engaging vignettes that are fun, emotional, and uniquely beautiful.
5) The Pink Panther (1963)
- Directed By: Blake Edwards
- Written By: Maurice Richlin, and Blake Edwards
- Cast: Davide Niven in the role of Sir Charles Lytton; Peter Sellers in the role of Jacques Clouseau; Colin Gordon in the role of Tucker.
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/ 10
- Available On: Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.
The plot of the film revolves around Sir Charles Lytton, a European renowned for his famous robberies around the world. This time he has set his eyes on The Pink Panther, a pink diamond that has his eyes set on by many thieves around the world, and one of them is James, the nephew of Charles, and he wants to frame Charles for the crime he committed. During an assignment, Dick Avery, a fashion photographer, falls in love with Jo Stockton, a shy bookstore employee.
Set in Paris, The Pink Panther film delivers entertaining and precise cult-classic enjoyment. Watching the hilarious film, viewers immerse themselves in the Parisian setting of The Pink Panther franchise, showcasing numerous French attractions. Each installment in the franchise offers comedic and enjoyable moments, evoking nostalgic memories of the beloved childhood cartoon.
4) Funny Face
- Directed By: Stanley Donen
- Written By: Leonard Gershe
- Cast: Audrey Hepburn in the role of Jo Stockton; Fred Astaire in the role of Dick Avery; Kay Thompson in the role of Maggie Prescott.
- IMDB Rating: 7.0/ 10
- Available On: Amazon Prime Video.
Fashion photographer Dick Avery falls in love with Jo Stockton, a shy bookstore employee, during an assignment. Avery believes that Jo’s unparalleled beauty can make her the most renowned model around the world, and he persuades her to come along with him to the French capital to click more photos in the iconic backdrops of Paris. While making her the most renowned model, the two fell in love with each other.
This is a blockbuster from 1957, and the films set during this time were iconic and evergreen. This musical drama showcases original music and Audrey Hepburn’s captivating portrayal of a shy young woman.
3) The Devil Wears Prada
- Directed By: David Frankel
- Written By: Aline Brosh Mc Kenna
- Cast: Anne Hathaway in the role of Andrea Sachs; Emily Blunt in the role of Emily Charlton; Meryl Streep in the role of Miranda Priestly.
- IMDB Rating: 6.9/ 10
- Available On: Hulu.
The plot of the film is about Andy, a recent college graduate with dreams soaring high. She landed a top job as a news editor in New York but became the assistant to a demanding boss. Andy questions her ability to survive under her.
The film imparts valuable career lessons to freshers entering the corporate world, serving as a beautiful guide. The film is based on the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger. The film’s impressive set features references to real-life popular organizations and individuals, adding to its allure.
2) 2 Days In Paris
- Directed By: Julie Delpy
- Written By: Julie Delpy
- Cast: Julie Delpy in the role of Marion; Adam Goldberg in the role of Jack; Daniel Bruhl in the role of Lukas.
- IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
- Available On: Amazon Instant Video.
The plot of the movie is about Jack, an American designer, and Marion, a French photographer. The two couples were having relationship problems and decided to visit Marion’s hometown, Paris, to mend their relationship. In Paris, Marion’s past resurfaced as they encountered her ex-boyfriends in every cafe they visited.
An intriguing non-stereotypical movie set in Paris, offering a genuine portrayal of love beyond romantic comedy clichés. Woody Allen did a fantastic job with his direction, and the cast did a fantastic job with their roles. Unlike the movie Funny Face, this movie shows how the most romantic city in the world can end a relationship.
1) The Da Vinci Code
- Directed By: Ron Howard
- Written By: Akiva Goldsman
- Cast: Tom Hanks in the role of Robert Langdon; Audrey Tautou in the role of Sophie Neveu; Alfred Molina in the role of Bishop Aringarosa.
- IMDB Rating: 6.6/ 10
- Available On: Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.
A Louvre murder reveals cryptic clues in Da Vinci’s paintings, unraveling an ancient secret society and questioning Christianity.
Dan Brown’s film adaptations, including “Angels and Demons” and “Inferno,” achieved commercial success but faced varied critical reception. Boasting a stellar cast, their performances and charisma garnered a devoted fan base. Despite the critics’ reservations, the film remains a beloved favorite, resonating with audiences even in 2022.
