Looking for the best movies set in France to add to your watch list? From drama, and romance, to comedy, this list has all the best movies filmed in France.
France is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. From its beautiful cities, and cute villages, to captivating landscapes, and not forgetting its charming capital, Paris, it’s no surprise that France has been a set for many movies.
However, if a holiday to France to see the magnificent sights in person isn’t on your calendar in the upcoming weeks, don’t worry. I’ve put together a list of the 22 best movies set in France that will transport you there.
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From drama, romance, and adventure, to thrillers, these movies not only show the streets of Paris but also other communes in France.
Whether you’re a Francophile who just loves everything French or you want a glimpse into the country before you visit, these movies based in France will mesmerize you.
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Best Movies Set in France
Watching movies filmed in France is a great way to get a glimpse of the country if you haven’t visited or even heal your nostalgia.
So, without further ado, here are some of the best movies set in France that have received numerous accolades and critical acclaim.
1. Les Intouchables/The Intouchables (2011)
Genre: Biography/Drama/Comedy
IMDB: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
Les Intouchables is a heartwarming tale with comedic moments inspired by a true story about an unexpected friendship that blossoms between a quadriplegic and his caregiver.
Philippe (François Cluzet) is a wealthy man left paralyzed after a paragliding accident who hires Driss (Omar Sy) as his caretaker.
Much as Driss’s initial plan was just to get a stamp to show that he was denied the job so that he can continue getting unemployment benefits, he ended up getting the job.
Although Philippe soon realizes that Driss is an ex-con, he chooses not to fire him as he is the only person that treats him normally without any pity.
Despite the fact that most of the film comprises indoor scenes, you get to see sights around France during Philippe and Driss’ adventures, including paragliding in the French Alps.
The film was so successful that it won a BAFTA award for Best Foreign Language Film, while Omar Sy won a César Award for Best Actor, after all, he is one of the best French actors. Up until 2014, it was the most-watched French film in the world.
2. Amélie (2001)
Genre: Romance/Drama
IMDB: 8.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
Amélie, played by Audrey Tautou, a famous French actress explores 50+ sights across Paris in this feel-good rom-com, making it one of the best movies filmed in France, especially in the Parisian neighborhood of Montmartre.
Amélie battles with loneliness herself but makes it her life goal to make others happy. You’ll often find her improving the moods and lives of others from afar without wanting any recognition.
A true and selfless tale, Amélie will tug at your heartstrings and have you rooting for the titular character to find her happiness.
Besides its beautiful soundtrack and compelling story, Amélie will take you on a journey through Paris, especially in Montmartre.
Some of the filming locations you can easily recognize when you visit Paris include, Amélie’s work Place, Cafe des Deux Moulins which is still a functioning cafe in Paris, Rue Lepic, Abbesses Station, Gare de l’Est, and more.
The movie won 4 César Awards, including Best Film and Best Director, and 2 BAFTA Awards.
Apart from this, it received several other nominations, including at the Academy Awards. It’s also one of the best French movies recognized on the international scene.
With all these accolades in its pocket, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Amélie is one of the best movies set in France.
3. Ratatouille (2007)
Genre: Animated/Adventure/Comedy
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Ratatouille is one of the best-animated movies based in France. It is one of the most impressive movies by Pixar’s studios and tells the story of Remy, a rat whose love for cooking takes him to Gusteau’s restaurant in Paris.
Remy’s (voice of Patton Oswalt) dream of becoming a renowned French chef comes to fruition with the help of Linguini (voice of Lou Romano), a kitchen worker who wants to keep his job.
The film pays a lot of attention to detail with regard to French food, especially Ratatouille, a traditional French meal that Remy and his counterpart try to perfect to impress critics.
Ratatouille has won an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature.
4. Before Sunset (2004)
Genre: Romance/Drama
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Before Sunset is the 2nd installment in the Before trilogy, succeeding Before Sunrise and preceding Before Midnight. This film should not be missed if you want to watch some romantic movies set in France.
It has Jesse, played by Ethan Hawke, and Céline, played by Julie Delpy, as its lead pair. Jesse and Céline’s love story picks up in Paris, nine years after their romantic rendezvous in Venice.
Because of their catch-up session, we get a walking tour of the City of Love and its arrondissem*nts.
The movie garnered accolades for Richard Linklater’s direction and Ethan and Julie’s chemistry, including an Oscar nomination for the writing (adapted screenplay).
5. La Haine/Hate (1995)
Genre: Crime/Drama
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
La Haine follows a story of three men — Vinz, a Jewish man played by Vincent Cassel, Saïd, an Arab man played by Saïd Taghmaoui, and Hubert, a Black man played by Hubert Koundé who have grown up in the same French suburban ghetto.
Unlike other movies set in France that romanticize Paris and its neighborhoods, this one focuses on the daily struggles and racial profiling immigrants face in a poor immigrant-heavy neighborhood near Paris.
The film shows Police oppression and tensions in the community that leads to a series of unfortunate events that unfold in 24 hours.
La Haine was nominated for a Palme d’Or, while its director Mathieu Kassovitz won the Best Director Award at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. It also won 3 César Awards and a Lumières Award for Best Film.
6. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Genre: Romance/Drama
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Portrayed in Brittany in Northern France, on an island called Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is one of the most impactful romantic movies set in France.
Marianne, a painter, has been commissioned to paint a wedding portrait of Héloïse, unbeknownst to her.
Marianne observes her muse during the day as her hired companion and paints at night. When she finishes the painting, she feels as though she is betraying her to give away her painting without her knowledge.
Fast forward, not to spoil the entire movie for you, the two fall in love and Héloïse agrees to pose for Marianne to be painted.
Besides this endearing love story, the movie also shows beautiful scenes on the island, and the landscape will transport you to the French countryside.
7. Midnight in Paris (2011)
Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Comedy
IMDB: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Midnight in Paris tells the tale of a writer who goes back in time every night at midnight to 1920s Paris and experiences life in that era.
It stars Owen Wilson in the titular role of Gil, the writer, accompanied by a star-studded supporting cast comprising Rachel McAdams, Kurt Fuller, Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, and wait for it, Tom Hiddleston as F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Various other luminaries are characters in the movie, like Ernest Hemingway, Joséphine Baker, and Pablo Picasso.
The movie got critical acclaim and Woody Allen won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Writing (Original Screenplay), while the movie got nominated for Best Film.
8. La Vie en Rose (2007)
Genre: Biography/Musical/Drama
IMDB: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
La Vie en Rose is the name of an iconic French song sung by famous French singer, Édith Piaf that catapulted her to being recognized as the national chanteuse of France.
The song’s popularity reached such heights that this biographical musical film was made based on her life played brilliantly by Marion Cotillard.
The movie takes us on a journey through Piaf’s life right from her messy childhood in Normandy, when she started singing at a club in Paris, to when she became a national emblem as a singer until her death bed.
Not only was Marion’s performance lauded, but she also won an Academy Award, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, a César Award, and a Lumières Award for Best Actress.
The film also won several awards, including an Academy Award, 3 BAFTA awards, and 4 César Awards, apart from being nominated for several others.
9. Pierrot le Fou (1965)
Genre: Crime/Romance/Drama
IMDB: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Pierrot le Fou is based on a 1962 novel, Obsession by Lionel White. Ferdinand, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo, flees Paris with his ex-girlfriend Marianne, played by Anna Karina, leaving behind his wife and children, citing an unhappy marriage.
A series of mishaps ensues with the runaway couple hijacking a dead man’s car to get away from the gangsters that were following her.
They live a life on the run from thereon. The ending will answer the reasoning behind the title.
Out of all themovies set in the south of France, this one stands out as it showcases stunning scenes of Toulon and the French Riviera amidst the chaotic life of the 2 main characters.
10. Les Misérables (2012)
Genre: Musical/Romance/Drama
IMDB: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 70%
Les Misérables, a musical period film set in Montfermeil and based on Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name, is a classic and one of the best movies about France. The original story is so famous that many adaptations have been made since then.
Hugh Jackman brilliantly plays the titular character of Jean Valjean, a French peasant pursuing a life of redemption.
The ensemble cast of Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, and Sacha Baron Cohen are all incredible as well.
The movie won multiple Academy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe Awards, on top of several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
11. Hugo (2011)
Genre: Adventure/Drama
IMDB: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Hugo eponymously titled, based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret book shows the life of a 12-year-old orphan (Asa Butterfield)) who lives at Gare Montparnasse, a train station in Paris.
The story follows his life as an orphan and how he navigates his new life and the challenges presented to him including theft and a new job that follows in his father’s footsteps as a clock maintainer.
Just like many of his other films, a movie directed by Martin Scorsese is bound to win a number of accolades.
For its visually stunning scenes and enthralling sounds, the movie won 5 Oscars and 2 BAFTA awards, on top of Martin grabbing a Golden Globe. It also received nominations in several other categories, including Best Film.
12. Beats Per Minute/120 BPM (120 battements par minute) (2017)
Genre: Drama
IMDB: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Unlike other movies that take place in France, this moving drama is a film with a cause. Beats Per Minute is one of the best movies filmed in France about people with HIV AIDS living in Paris.
This thought-provoking movie has HIV AIDS youngsters fighting for something they believe in — to combat the deadly life-threatening immunodeficiency disease.
The film showcases members of the ACT UP Paris activist group trying to raise awareness and demand subsequent action from people in power.
With its moving story, it won six César and Lumières Awards, including Best Film, and a Grand Prix at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
13. Chocolat (2000)
Genre: Romance/Drama
IMDB: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
Out of the movies based in France, this feel-good heart-warmer has Juliette Binoche playing a single mother who moves to a French village in Burgundy with her 6-year-old daughter and opens a chocolaterie.
At first, the villagers are skeptical due to her different way of life — non-married, non-religious, and always dressed in colorful clothes compared to the local women, but eventually, they warm up to her.
The film shows how the mother-daughter duo settles in their new life and make friends, but not with a chilling drama.
Alongside cast members like Johnny Depp and Judi Dench, Juliette Binoche shows off her incredible talent in this film.
Chocolat got nominated for Best Film, Best Actress for Juliette Binoche, and Best Supporting Actress for Judi Dench at the 2001 Academy Awards.
It also received nominations across various categories for the BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards, but unfortunately did not win any of them.
14.The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
Genre: Comedy/Drama
IMDB: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 68%
The Hundred-Foot Journey is an adaptation of a 2010 eponymous novel by Richard Morais of the same name.
The movie is set in the picturesque medieval town of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, located in the South of France.
It tells the tale of two competing restaurants across the street from each other — a Michelin-starred French restaurant and a family-owned Indian bistro.
Helen Mirren (Madame Mallory) owns Le Saule Pleureur, the upscale restaurant, while the other, called Maison Mumbai, is run by a Muslim family from Mumbai headed by Om Puri (Abbu Kadam).
How far will the rivalry go between these 2 restaurants? You have to watch it to find out!
And in case you’re wondering, the film’s name indicates the distance between the two restaurants which is 100 feet.
15. An American in Paris (1951)
Genre: Musical/Romance/Drama
IMDB: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
An American in Paris is one of the best musical movies that take place in France. It stars Gene Kelly and debutante Leslie Caron.
Gene’s character is an artist (painter) named Jerry, while Leslie’s character, who plays his love interest as Lise, is already with someone else.
The movie is a mismatch of a musical and a tangled love story that sees Jerry falling for the girlfriend of his close friend, Lise, and him (Jerry) being admired by a wealthy woman who shows interest in both his art and him personally. Who will end up with who? I’ll let you find that out yourself.
The movie was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and won 6, including Best Picture. Aside from this, Gene Kelly won an Honorary Academy Award for the 17-minute-long choreography of the climactic ballet sequence.
16. Paris, Je T’aime (2006)
Genre: Romance/Drama/Comedy
IMDB: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
One of the best movies about France is Paris, Je T’aime, an anthology film that takes you through almost all the neighborhoods of Paris.
It comprises 18 short stories (initially supposed to be 20) representing 18 arrondissem*nts of the City of Love with an ensemble cast starring Juliette Binoche, Natalie Portman, Willem Dafoe, Gaspard Ulliel, Miranda Richardson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aïssa Maïga, Elijah Wood, Olga Kurylenko, and Emily Mortimer, among others.
Apart from this, Gérard Depardieu not only directed one of the shorts but also acted in it.
The film was a nominee at the Cannes Film Festival of 2006 in the Un Certain Regard category.
17.La Piscine/The Swimming Pool (1969)
Genre: Crime/Romance/Drama
IMDB: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Filmed in the beautiful locales of Côte d’Azur in a villa perched atop a hill with mesmerizing views of the Mediterranean Sea, La Piscine is one of the most captivating movies set in the south of France.
It stars Alain Delon as Jean-Paul, Romy Schneider as Marianne and Jane Birkin as Pénélope.
The plot starts with Jean-Paul, a writer, and his girlfriend, Marianne, going on a vacation in the summer to their friend’s villa.
They’re later joined by Marianne’s ex-boyfriend, Harry, and his daughter, Pénélope, and what follows is a story of passion, jealousy, s*xual tensions, and even murder.
The movie was well-received and stood out for its daring and gripping tale.
18. Summer Hours (2008)
Genre: Drama
IMDB: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
In Summer Hours, a family gathers for the matriarch’s 75th birthday and news of her failing health.
The family home is a lovely estate with a vineyard on the outskirts of Paris, where her three children — two brothers and their sister, spent their childhoods.
They reminisce the good times shared while growing up and now have to decide how to relinquish family belongings, along with several precious items and priceless artifacts.
After her death, the 3 children don’t agree on what to do with their newly inherited estate. How will they handle this situation? You’ll have to watch the full drama as it unfolds.
The critically acclaimed film starring Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier, and Edith Scob received numerous nominations at various Film Festivals.
19. Funny Face (1957)
Genre: Musical/Romance
IMDB: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Starring legendary actress Audrey Hepburn and American actor-dancer Fred Astaire, Funny Face is one of the best musical romantic movies set in France with songs by the Gershwin brothers.
It tells the story of Maggie Prescott a fashion magazine editor that wants to launch a fresh face as the next top model, Dick Avery (Fred), a fashion photographer of the magazine, and Jo (Audrey), a shy bookshop assistant who becomes his muse.
Initially uninterested, Jo subsequently agrees because Dick agrees to help her realize her dream of seeing Paris and attend a philosophy lecture by a professor she idolizes.
During their time in Paris shooting at the city’s famous landmarks, Jo and Dick fall in love.
The movie received multiple Academy Award nominations and a Palme d’Or nomination at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival.
20. Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Genre: Animated Musical/Drama
IMDB: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
For a movie released in the late 20th century, The Hunchback of Notre Dame might be one of the best Disney animated movies based in France of that time.
It might not have gotten the recognition it deserves because of the underlying dark theme, but the portrayal of medieval France will give you quite the authentic experience, albeit on film.
You get to see many sights around the country in a period-accurate setting that you can visit on your next trip (except the actual inside of Notre Dame since it caught fire and is undergoing restoration).
21. Taxi (1998)
Genre: Action/Crime/Comedy
IMDB: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Taxi is a French action-comedy starring Samy Naceri, Frédéric Diefenthal, and Marion Cotillard about a taxi driver (Samy) who agrees to drive around a police inspector (Frédéric) to be able to get back his driving license the policeman had taken from him due to a traffic law he had broken.
The police inspector, Émilien, is not taken seriously at work, so he wants to solve a high-profile robbery case involving a German gang with the help of the taxi driver, Daniel Morales.
All this plays out in the picturesque streets of Marseilles in the south of France.
The movie won 2 César Awards on top of receiving nominations for Best Film, Best Director, Best Music, and Most Promising Actor and Actress.
22. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
IMDB: 6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 57%
The Da Vinci Code, starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou as Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu, respectively, is one of those movies that take place in France that gives you a comprehensive tour of the country like no other movie does.
Imagine getting an inside tour of The Louvre, for example. As a result, you get to explore Paris and some of its lesser-known sites.
The film shows Robert Langdon, a professor from Harvard university being pinned as the prime suspect in the murder of Louvre curator, Jacques Saunière.
What follows is the search for the Holy Grail which is believed to be in one of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings.
The movie faces a lot of criticism, especially from the catholic church for its controversial display of biblical events that contradict what religion teaches.
If you’re searching for movies set in France on Netflix that have controversial theories, The Da Vinci Code is one not to miss.
Final Thoughts on the Best Movies Filmed in France
With a number of movies set in France, it can be hard to select a few, but I hope that my personal selection helps you cure your nostalgia or even inspire you to visit France soon.
From these 22 movies made in France, did any particular one(s) catch your attention? Have you watched any of them before? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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