This morning, my husband turned on the movie soundtrack from Amélie to write to, and this got me thinking about all of the many amazing films that use Paris as their backdrop. Paris is easily one of the most atmospheric and photogenic cities on earth, and this is no doubt why so many cinematographers, screenwriters, actors and directors have found inspiration in the City of Lights – from the zany adventures of four teens and a mime in EuroTrip, to the lost romance between lovers in Before Sunset.

Outside of the realm of French cinema, which often uses Paris as a setting, many mainstream filmmakers have used and loved Paris in their movies, and it’s easy to see why. So if you’re needing a little pick-me-up, these films are sure to inspire you and instantly transport you to the charming world of Paris.

Amélie

Perhaps the most widely known film set in Paris, Amélie was set and shot all over Paris. Many of Paris’s train and metro stations play a role in this film, as we follow the main character, played by Audrey Tautou, all over the city in search of a mysterious man that lived in her apartment decades ago. She traipses through Montmarte, the charming hilly district of Paris and comes across this carousel, actually located in the same area.

Paris, je t’aime

To me, the name of this film says it all about how inspiring the movie is: “Paris, I love you”. Actually a series of short vignettes, these mini-films explore some of the social morés of Parisian life from a variety of perspectives, while giving the viewer incredible panoramas of the city from various vantage points. A literal must-see if you aim to be inspired by Paris.

Before Sunset

Sequel to the 1995 film, Before Sunrise, this film follows two old lovers through Paris as they happen to meet in the city. She is French and he is American and they shared a romantic night together on a train years earlier (depicted in the first film) and were never able to meet up again. The plot is largely conversational and most of the dialogue was improvised by the two actors, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Moulin Rouge

Set in one of Paris’s most famous cabarets, the Moulin Rouge (which means “red windmill” in French), this movie is an operatic musical love story about a young poet, played by Ewan McGregor, who falls in love with the star of the nightclub, played by Nicole Kidman. This is the only film on the list that was not actually filmed in Paris. The Moulin Rouge, a nightclub in Montmarte, is such a famous venue in Paris, though, that it has become a tourist destination in its own right for its outlandish, saucy and velvet-inspired cabaret performances.

2 Days in Paris

This quirky romantic comedy was written and directed by its star, Julie Delpy (of Before Sunset). Her character, Marion, shares the screen with Adam Goldberg, who plays her, neurotic boyfriend, Jack. After a failed trip to Venice, the two stop in Paris to meet her family and Jack becomes increasingly pained by the appearance of Marion’s exes as they jaunt around Paris. Filming locations for this movie included all over the Paris metro, the streets of Montmarte and an infamous scene shot at Jim Morrison’s grave, which is in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in the 20th arrondissement in the Right Bank of Paris.