Ten Best Films Set in Paris
The Travel Pages lists ten best films set in Paris, including the directors, stars, stories, & locations to visit, from An American in Paris to Moulin Rouge.
Ten Best Films Set in Paris
1. Amélie (2001) – Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Stars: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus
Amélie is a whimsical tale of a shy Montmartre waitress who decides to improve the lives of those around her through small, secret acts of kindness. Haunted by a lonely childhood and inspired by a discovered treasure box, she devises increasingly elaborate schemes to bring joy to strangers, all while struggling with her own longing for love and connection. The film is famous for its stylized visuals, quirky charm, and Paris as a romantic character itself.
Location to visit: Café des 2 Moulins (15 Rue Lepic), where Amélie works, and Canal Saint-Martin, where she skips stones.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/43iION4
2. Midnight in Paris (2011) – Directed by Woody Allen
Stars: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard
This nostalgic, magical realist comedy follows Gil, a screenwriter vacationing in Paris with his fiancée. Dissatisfied with modern life, he finds himself transported to the 1920s every midnight, where he meets literary giants like Hemingway and Fitzgerald. The film explores the illusion of golden ages and the search for meaning through art and romance. It’s both a love letter to Paris and a meditation on creativity and time.
Location to visit: Steps of the Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, where Gil begins his nightly time-travel adventures.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/4d6jaOY
3. Breathless (À bout de souffle) (1960) – Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
Stars: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg
A revolutionary film of the French New Wave, Breathless follows Michel, a young criminal on the run after killing a policeman, and Patricia, an American student torn between love and betrayal. With its jump cuts, street-level shooting, and cool detachment, the film rewrote cinematic language. It’s a gritty, stylish portrait of Paris and youthful rebellion, rich with existential undertones and 1960s attitude.
Location to visit: Champs-Élysées, where Michel and Patricia walk and sell newspapers.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/44sazUy
4. Moulin Rouge! (2001) – Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadbent
Set in a hyper-stylized version of 1899 Paris, this musical extravaganza tells the tragic love story of Christian, a penniless writer, and Satine, a cabaret star and courtesan at the infamous Moulin Rouge. Their romance is threatened by jealousy, social hierarchy, and illness, all played out to a modern pop soundtrack in a world of dizzying spectacle. It’s visually lush, emotionally operatic, and unapologetically theatrical.
Location to visit: The real Moulin Rouge cabaret in Montmartre (82 Boulevard de Clichy).
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3RQUu36
5. Ratatouille (2007) – Directed by Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava
Stars: Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Ian Holm
In this heartwarming animated tale, Remy, a rat with a refined palate, dreams of becoming a chef in Paris. Through a chance encounter, he partners with a hapless kitchen worker to secretly create culinary masterpieces. The film beautifully captures the passion of cooking and the magic of Paris as a gastronomic capital. It’s a celebration of unlikely dreams, individuality, and the power of great food.
Location to visit: Rue Cler, a charming market street for foodies, and the Seine-side views that inspired the film’s setting.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/4kbBybE
6. La Haine (1995) – Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz
Stars: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui
Set in the gritty Parisian banlieues, La Haine follows 24 hours in the lives of three young men—Vinz, Hubert, and Saïd—after a riot sparked by police brutality. Shot in stark black and white, the film explores racial tension, alienation, and cycles of violence. It’s a raw, urgent portrait of urban youth and a critique of systemic inequality, still tragically relevant today.
Location to visit: While the film is mostly in the suburbs, some pivotal scenes occur in central Paris, including the rooftop of Centre Pompidou.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3EUZT6p
7. The 400 Blows (Les Quatre Cents Coups) (1959) – Directed by François Truffaut
Stars: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy
A cornerstone of French New Wave cinema, The 400 Blows is a semi-autobiographical tale of Antoine Doinel, a neglected Parisian boy who skips school, commits petty crimes, and is eventually sent to a juvenile detention center. Sensitive and understated, the film poignantly depicts adolescence, freedom, and a yearning for understanding. Its final freeze-frame is one of the most iconic endings in film history.
Location to visit: Rue Fontaine in Pigalle, where Antoine plays hooky, and the Cinémathèque Française, a favorite haunt of Truffaut.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3Z0QX6g
8. Paris, Je T’Aime (2006) – Multiple Directors
Stars: Juliette Binoche, Natalie Portman, Elijah Wood, Steve Buscemi
An anthology film composed of 18 short stories set in different arrondissements, each by a different director. The shorts explore love, loss, culture clash, and everyday moments in Paris. The film includes segments by the Coen brothers, Alfonso Cuarón, and Gurinder Chadha, among others. It’s a kaleidoscopic tribute to the city’s diversity, charm, and contradictions.
Location to visit: Place des Fêtes, featured in one of the most moving stories, and Montmartre, which bookends the film.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/4d9dkfJ
9. An American in Paris (1951) – Directed by Vincente Minnelli
Stars: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant
This Technicolor MGM musical follows Jerry, a former GI and aspiring painter, as he falls in love with a mysterious French woman in postwar Paris. Known for its elaborate dance numbers, particularly the climactic 17-minute ballet sequence, the film blends romance, art, and music into a joyous cinematic postcard. Its idealized vision of Paris helped define the city’s allure for generations.
Location to visit: Pont Neuf and the Latin Quarter, stylized in the film but traceable in real-life Paris.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3GDXM7H
10. Les Amants du Pont-Neuf (1991) – Directed by Leos Carax
Stars: Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant
A passionate, surreal love story between two homeless Parisians—Alex, a fire-eating street performer, and Michèle, a partially blind painter—who find refuge on the Pont-Neuf bridge. Their volatile romance unfolds amidst fireworks, addictions, and dreams of artistic salvation. It’s both a brutal and poetic vision of love on the margins of society, enhanced by visually stunning cinematography.
Location to visit: Pont Neuf, the oldest standing bridge in Paris, central to the film’s setting and emotional resonance.
Find it here: https://amzn.to/3YufL6v
Each of these films captures a unique facet of Paris—from dreamlike beauty and poetic longing to gritty realism and revolutionary spirit. Whether you’re drawn to its boulevards, its shadows, or its secrets, Paris on film remains an enduring inspiration.
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