If you enjoy unusual outings in Paris and have a soft spot for the movies, then the Hotel L’Interlude warmly recommends that you try the film trails that the city offers. With around 600 film shoots taking place in and around Paris each year, it is clear that as a setting for big screen action and romance, the City of Light is much in demand. If you enjoyed such recent cinematic gems as Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Ratatouille or The Devil Wears Prada, then you will love the series of film trail mini-guides issued by Mission Cinéma, which cover these movies and more.
Parcours Cinéma, follow your favourite movies around Paris
In January, 2002, the city of Paris affirmed her commitment to the art of filmmaking and the preservation of the French film heritage by creating the Mission Cinéma organisation. A branch of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Mission Cinéma has done sterling work in this regard, but its staff also noticed how many visitors enjoy going to the Parisian locations they have seen in their favourite movies. Some 4,000 locations around the city have been seen on the screen over the years, so there’s plenty to choose from. Mission Cinéma decided to make it a little easier, by creating Les Parcours Cinéma.
Les Parcours Cinéma are handy, pocket sized guides that you can pick up from any Paris Tourist Information points, or download in PDF format. They take you on a journey through Paris to look at places which are world famous, and some others that are really known only to Parisians. The common link between them is that they’ve all been used in films in recent years. Each guide shows the movie poster, a list of credits for that movie, a synopsis of the plot, photographs of each location, and a numbered map so you can find them all with ease.
A great example of these film trails is the one representing Midnight in Paris. This Woody Allen film was shot almost entirely in Paris and tells of a young couple who travel to the city prior to their forthcoming marriage. It shows the capital in a truly magical light. With the mini-guide you can relive the charm of the film’s great moments and discover six locations which served as backdrops to the tale, including the Orangery Museum, the Église Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, the Pont Alexandre III and the banks of the Seine, where booksellers traditionally set up their stalls.
So if you wish to explore the Paris of Edith Piaf as seen in La Vie en Rose, the settings that formed a backdrop for the comedy action of Rush Hour 3, or the real life streets that were dressed to resemble the Paris of the 1930s in Martin Scorsese’s delightful Hugo, just pick up a guide and set out on a filmic journey through the photogenic locations of the City of Light.
To load les parcours cinéma clic here.
Picture from Hugo Cabret movie
Hôtel L'Interlude - Elegant and comfortable three star Hotel, Paris 12th district
