The Empress' Retreat

Visit the country estate of Joséphine, just to the east of Paris. Only a short, 7-mile bus ride from the heart of the city, Malmaison is an ideal half-day excursion for visitors who'd like a little fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of Paris.

On April 21, 1799, Joséphine Bonaparte bought Malmaison, an 18th century chateau on the outskirts of Paris. Upon his return from the Egypt campaign, Napoleon ratified the purchase and entrusted the decoration of the chateau of the architects Percier and Fontaine. From this country residence, napoleon governed France and conducted an active social life.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Because I love it that much, I have to share the classic French movie, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. A musical film made in 1964, it was directed by iconic French director Jacques Demy, and stars Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo. Umbrellas is the middle film in an informal "romantic trilogy' of Demy films that share some of the same actors, characters and overall look; it comes after Lola (1961) and before The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967). The film was nominated for countless awards, including five Academy Awards in 1964 and again in 1966. See this classic film and soak up the style, the era and the amazing acting of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

A Look Back at Paris's Hôtel de Ville

Check out this beautiful old postcard of Hôtel de Ville. French for "city hall", the building houses the City of Paris's administration. Hôtel de Ville stands in the city's 9th arrondissement and has been the location of the municipality of Paris since 1357. It serves multiple functions, housing the local administration, the Mayor of Paris (since 1977), and also as the venue for many large receptions. Since the French Revolution, the building has been the scene of a number of historical events, notably the proclamation of the French Third Republic in 1870 and the famous speech by Charles de Gaulle on August 25, 1944 during the Liberation of Paris when he greeted the crowd from a front window.

More Movies Featuring Paris

Gigi

From a 1944 novel by Colette and 1951 musical comedy, this 1958 Leslie Caron film won nine Oscars, with songs by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe; set in a glorious Belle Époque Paris, with costumes right out of Georges Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."

Breathless

The landmark 1960 French New Wave film with a too-cool Jean-Paul Belmondo and heartbreakingly young Jean Seberg running from the cops on the mean streets of Paris.

Is Paris Burning?

A 1966 pseudo-documentary style re-creation of the liberation of Paris during World War II with a platoon of stars, including Belmondo, Kirk Douglas, Orson Welles and Simone Signoret.