16 movies and TV shows to make you feel like you’re vacationing in France

Everyone’s favorite show to make jokes about. The one aspect that has always been positive (whether hate-watching or for-real watching) is how well it captures the beauty and feel of Paris. Sure, Emily might give your hardcore second-hand embarrassment, but at least you can feel like you are wandering along the Seine, croissant in hand.

The film that has often been said to capture the city of light and love perfectly has a plot line as sweet as the clips of Paris. The main character wanders around at night and encounters celebrities of Paris’ artistic and literary past (and present.) 

Paris, from another point of view — animated and as a rat, but one who cooks. This movie is fun for the entire family and does a nice job of animating and colorizing the town.

A historical look at Paris, this cult-favorite musical film will have you in tears by the end due to the heart-wrenching story and the feeling of being right there in France with the characters.

The story of a young waitress in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris who returns an old keepsake to the former inhabitant of her apartment. Upon seeing how much happiness it brings the man, she decides to make it her life mission to help others around the city. The best part of the movie, though, is that it is shot at over 80 locations, showing off the best of Paris.

Another Disney classic, this animated favorite tells the story of a man who has grown up isolated in the bell tower of a Parisian bell tower. The cartoon film has a fun take on mid-1400s Paris that will make you feel like you’re back in Medieval Europe.

An ode to a French culinary icon (although Julia Childs was American), this film switches between 1950s Paris and early 2000s Manhattan. In New York, a young call center agent named Julie decides to blog about cooking every recipe in Childs' book. It’s more a movie about French food and will transport you to a brasserie across the Atlantic!

This biographical musical is a masterpiece that tells the story of Edith Piaf, a French singer best known for her international hit, "La Vie en Rose." Views watch young Edith in pre-war Normandy (before the beaches became famous for the arrival of the troops) and her early career in Paris.

This feel-good comedy depicts through flashbacks the development of a friendship between a quadriplegic, Philippe, and his reluctant caretaker, Driss. Through scenes shot all over Paris, the two men become buddies and teach each other valuable life lessons. Hollywood remade an American version set in LA, but the original is much better and allows glimpses of Paris!

In scenic pre-Revolution Brittany, this tragic love story will have you in tears by the end, if not throughout the film. A slow-burn romance between a noblewoman and an artist hired to paint her portrait, it is mostly absent of men, a nod to the “safe space” the creators aimed to create. You’ll enjoy scenes of the crashing Atlantic ocean, famous Breton cliffs, and period costumes.

The tale of a philosophy teacher, Nathalie, at a Parisian high school who goes through a mid-life crisis, albeit not by choice. Her husband leaves at the same time her mom dies, and suddenly, her entire outlook on life changes. Follow her journey through the streets of Paris and the coast of Brittany.

A chance encounter at a Vienna bookshop between a French woman and an American author blossoms into a book written by the latter. Then, years later, they meet again, this time in Paris, and their love blossoms.

An international favorite and Netflix original series, Call My Agent tells the story of a Parisian talent agency. Each episode focuses on a client and agent, with most depicting real-life French stars as characters. Mostly set in the capital city, the storylines occasionally take us around France on exciting adventures in French Hollywood!

This TV series set in southern France’s largest city is a political drama unlike many on television. It begins with a mayoral race turning into a betrayal, and nationalists begin to gain power. Unlike many shows and movies, most of which favor Paris, this one is set in Marseille and provides a look at a lesser-known city in the country.

This show tells the story of Assane Diop, whose father is framed for diamond theft, and thus he grows up an orphan. Once he’s an adult, he draws inspiration from real-life French master thief Arsène Lupin and sets out to gain revenge on those who put his father in jail. Told over two (soon to be three) parts, the mini-series is based in Paris, and the Louvre is heavily featured in the beginning.

Another Netflix original series, The Hook Up Plan (or “Plan Coeur” in French), follows the love lives of a group of 20-somethings in Paris. Many icons of the city are given airtime in the show, one main character works at the “Hotel de Ville” (city hall), and of course, the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe make cameos.