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.

More Movies Starring Paris

Love in the Afternoon

Director Billy Wilder's 1957 bittersweet romantic comedy about an American playboy (Gary Cooper) and the mischievous Paris gamin (Audrey Hepburn) who attempts to entrap him. Lots of action takes place at the Ritz, with views of the Place Vendôme out the window.

An American in Paris

The 1951 classic starring Gene Kelly as a struggling American artist and Leslie Caron as a pretty young parisienne. Their "American in Paris Ballet," set to the music of George Gershwin, makes you want to go to Paris and fall in love.

More Movies Starring The City of Light

Ratatouille

Last year's animated hit about a rat named Remy who has a talent for cooking. The Paris backdrop is almost as good as the real thing, all air brushed and rose colored.

Le Divorce

A 2003 movie based on a sly comedy of manners, starring Kate Hudson, about the fundamental incompatibility of a French family and an American family. Features scenes of contemporary Paris, plus French actor Thierry Lhermitte as sexy Uncle Edgar.

Funny Face

This quirky classic starring Audrey Hepburn opposite Fred Astaire, dancing their way through 1950's Paris, from beatnik cafes in Montmartre to the couture ateliers on the Rue du Faubourg St.-Honoré.

Starring... Paris!

If you can't afford Paris in the springtime this year, cuddle up on the couch and rent a movie and pretend. Here are a list of some of the films that best show off the French capital.

Amélie

Probably one of the most famous French films in recent times, this 2001 eccentric romantic comedy follows a shy young waitress looking for love, mainly around Montmartre. A popular debut for Audrey Tautou, who went on the star alongside Tom Hanks and Paris in 2006's The Da Vinci Code.

An Experience of Grand Proportions at Cinémathèque Française

Cinémathèque Française houses the largest archive of films, movie documents and film related projects in the world. The collections origin seems to stem from the intensive efforts of Henri Langlois in the 1930s to collect and preserve films. Langlois acquired one of the largest collections in the world by the beginning of World War II, only to have it nearly wiped out by the Germans in occupied France. They ordered the destruction of films made prior to 1937. Langlois and his friends smuggled a huge number of films and documents to unoccupied France to protect them until the end of the war.

The Cinémathèque Française holds daily screenings of a variety of films from all over the world.

Dinner and Dancing in the City

If you're strolling through Paris this weekend, stop by one of the most mythical places in all of the city: La Coupole. Located at Boulevard du Montparnasse, this brasserie was created in 1927 and remained of the hottest sights in the city to see and be seen until the 1960's. People like Josephine Baker, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and many other artists and celebrities of the times used to frequent this place for a drink and dance in the basement dance hall. La Coupole has most recently been redecorated with artists' sculptures and paintings.

French Heritage Days

Every year since 1984, on the third weekend of September, the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) takes place. For those two days, many buildings that are usually closed to the public, open their doors for the world to see. About 15,000 architectural masterpieces can be visited throughout France. Some, like L’Elysée, (the home of the President of the Republic, pictured above) are more visited than others.

The house was built between 1718 and 1722 as the residence of Henri-Louis de la Tour d'Auvergne (1679-1753), the Comte d'Evreux. It was named the Élysée when the Duchess of Bourbon owned it in 1797 and since 1874, has been the official residence of all the French Presidents.

Paris by Water

For a trip through the heart of "Parisians Paris", try a romantic tour of Canal Saint-Martin, Paris' second waterway.
The canal was opened in 1825 after Napoleon ordered the artificial waterway dug to supply the city with water. However, by the 1960's, traffic had dwindled to a trickle and the canal narrowly escaped being filled in with paved over for a highway.
The tree-lined canal is an idyllic sight and a popular destination for Parisians and tourists alike who watch the barges navigate the series or locks and bridges.
And a note for French film buffs: the canal is featured in the 2001 movie Amélie, in which Amélie Poulain enjoys skipping stones at the locks of the canal.

A Grand Parisian Manse

Much like all of Paris, walking around the grounds of Hôtel de Sully is like stepping back into the past. Located in the historic Marais district, it was built by Jean Androuet du Cerceau in 1625 and purchased ten years later by Sully, the former minister of Henri IV. There are two courtyards, the first paved with cobblestones, the second a quiet grassy area and garden featuring statues representing the four elements and the seasons.
The building is currently occupied by the Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques et des Sites. It is also home to an extensive bookshop with items focusing on Paris.

Autumn in Paris

Summer is almost at a close and autumn leaves will soon be dropping around the city of lights. Post Impressionist painter Mentor Huebner depicts the season here in his painting Autumn in Paris, (1961). Huebner traveled throughout the world and painted some 2000 landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes. He worked at top speed to capture the perfect light, and could complete a landscape in one day.

A Softer Side of Bruni

French First Lady Carla Bruni stuns on the cover of the August issue of Vanity Fair with gorgeous pictures taken by Annie Leibovitz. Bruni reveals all, from her childhood, to previous lovers, to meeting the President of France. She dismisses rumors and speaks of her love for the President, showing an oft hidden softer side.

Musée de la Vie Romantique

When Dutch artist Ary Scheffer lived in this villa at the end of the lane, the area was home to so many artists and writers it was known as "New Athens". George Sand was a frequent guest at many of Sheffer's soirées as were many other notable names of the time. The museum contains many mementos owned by Sand and Scheffer and is located at the foot of Montmartre.