10 Films And Shows That Will Transport You To France
If the Paris Olympics have put you in an “I’d love to be on a flight to France right now” kind of mood, and you’ve been eyeing a trip away, then let us give you an extra bit of travel inspiration.
We’ve put together a list of some of the best films and TV shows that’ll make you want to hop across the channel and visit. You might spot a location you’d like to go to yourself, or maybe you just want to imagine yourself sitting in a Parisian café eating a croissant- Allons-y!
Amélie
Perhaps THE movie that makes anyone outside of France immediately want to go, Amélie is very much a whimsical love letter to Paris, and might’ve contributed more to the French tourist industry than anything since the Eiffel Tower (maybe). It’s all about a waitress named Amélie, who often feels isolated and lonely but has a limitless imagination. Audrey Tautou plays our heroine, and it’s as much about the French capital as it is about her. Amelie, despite her solitary living, is always trying to connect to people and help them find happiness. Along the way, she might just find true love herself.
watch it on amazon prime
Marie Antoinette
Sofia Coppola’s follow-up to Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette is a stylish and unconventional historical drama/biopic about the life of Marie Antoinette, and focuses more on the costumes and visuals than historical fact- but that’s the point. The queen consort of France (Kirsten Dunst) is famous for supposedly saying “Let them eat cake” and meeting her end in the French Revolution, but this film decides to take a bit more of a behind-the-scenes look to give a sense of what she might’ve been like. Marie is an Austrian-born teenager who marries into the French royal family when she meets the Dauphin of France and the future Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman). She lives a life of luxury and indulgence, but with revolution brewing, that won’t last forever.
watch it on amazon prime
Les Misérables
Another film dealing with French rebellion (although not THE French Revolution), Les Misérables is based on the monster hit stage musical, and became a monster hit at the box office. The formidable cast includes Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne and Helena Bonham Carter as they sing and protest their way toward the June Rebellion of 1832. Jean Valjean (Jackman) is hunted for decades by a policeman who holds a grudge, Javert (Crowe). Jean broke parole after being imprisoned for years and is searching for a new life. The desperate Jean turns to care for the daughter of a factory worker, named Cosette (Seyfriend and Isabelle Allen). With rebellion brewing, their lives will change forever.
watch it on amazon prime
Ratatouille
A journey through an animated version of France (but mostly Paris), Ratatouille has become a much-loved favourite of children and adults alike. More than anything, it emphasises the art of French cooking, and will make you hungry just watching it. The premise sees a young rat named Remy (played by Patton Oswalt) escape from being hunted and the rest of his clan to pursue his dreams of becoming a chef. He’d love more than anything to work at the famous restaurant of legendary chef Auguste Gusteau, but of course, that’s not an easy task for a small rodent. A chance meeting with Alfredo (Lou Romano), whose job is to manage the restaurant’s waste disposal, will lead them to form an unlikely but touching friendship- with Remy directing his human friend by using his hair like puppet strings.
watch on apple tv
Lupin
Another Netflix show that you can’t stop watching once you start, Lupin has become widely loved since its debut back in 2021. It sees Omar Sy play Assane Diop, a skilled criminal who’s inspired by the master thief Arsène Lupin. We find him as the son of an immigrant who comes to France for a better future- but his father is framed by his employer and dies in prison. Assane must fend for himself, and years later makes the decision to get revenge on the man who betrayed his father, using all the skills and tricks of the trade that he’s learned to become a master thief himself. It’s hugely addictive and has three seasons of 17 episodes to dive into right now.
WATCH it ON NETFLIX
Moulin Rogue!
Moulin Rouge! came out in the same year as Amélie, and with a successful stage musical, might be just as iconic a depiction of France. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, it’s set at the end of the 19th century, and centres around Christian, an English poet played by Ewan McGregor, who falls totally in love with Satine (Nicole Kidman), the star of the Moulin Rogue cabaret. It’s not all plain sailing though, since Satine has been promised to be betrothed to a rich and powerful Duke to keep the money rolling in for cabaret productions. The two can’t be separated, though, and live their love life in secret, though she’s keeping a secret of her own from both men.
watch it on disney+
Midnight In Paris
A fantasy comedy and one to watch if you love 20th-century literature, Midnight In Paris is one of the best comedies of the 2010s and will sweep you off your feet. Gil, a screenwriter played by Owen Wilson, is in a committed relationship with Inez (Rachel McAdams)- but their ideas of what they want in life seem to be moving further and further apart. Gil feels more cynical and less inspired by the world than he used to be but agrees to head on a trip to Paris with Inez’s parents. It’s here that he suddenly finds himself being able to travel backwards in time every night when the clock turns 00:00, and finds a new perspective on things as he bumps into a few historical authors. Tom Hiddleston, Adrien Brody, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates and Michael Sheen also star.
watch it on amazon prime
To Catch A Thief
If you want to view France more through the lens of Old Hollywood, To Catch A Thief is one for those who love a classic- starring two of the most famous Hollywood stars of film’s Golden Age, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Grant plays John Robie, a retired cat burglar who has decided to live life in the French Riviera. However, someone commits a string of burglaries that follow his old style and seemingly in his name, and John becomes determined to clear himself. He meets the young Francie (Grace Kelly), and they form something of a romance. But when her jewels are pinched and she too believes John is the culprit, he decides it’s time to take it upon himself to find the thief. It’s all directed by filmmaking master Alfred Hitchcock.
watch it on amazon prime
Jules and Jim
Another classic, this 1962 French film by François Truffaut is set around the First World War and follows a love triangle between Jim (Henri Serre), Jules (Oskar Werner) and Catherine (Jeanne Moreau). Jim is a French bohemian and journalist, and good friends with the shy Austrian Jules, who’s in a relationship with Catherine. Both men have a love of art, poems and cafes, but Jim also feels a strong underlying attraction to the beautiful Catherine. His life and odd love triangle leads give him inspiration for a novel, but with the outbreak of war approaching, the three will be separated and reunited in one of the best films in French cinema.
watch it on mubi
Emily In Paris
Well, we had to put Emily In Paris on the list didn’t we- Netflix’s series has almost become a byword for bingeable guilty pleasures. And why not? Lily Collins’ hugely popular series, which is returning for a fourth season later this year, depicts Paris and France in such an appealing light it’s hard to tear yourself away. It goes full-on with the stereotypes- Emily loves to pose with a beret and enjoys a good café- and definitely shows Paris is a perfect pairing with Instagram. Emily (Collins) hails from America, and is in France for a new job posting which needs someone to bring a US point of view to a French marketing firm. Unsurprisingly, there are some culture clashes and drama, but Emily will also find love in her journey through the Parisian streets.
WATCH it ON NETFLIX