Among the many films shot in Paris, one of the most iconic is certainly Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain. Loved by Parisians and travelers from around the world, the 2001 film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet has captivated generations of cinephiles, cementing Paris as one of the most romantic cities in the world.
Moreover, all outdoor scenes were shot on real locations: the streets of the City of Light, its cafés, its charming squares and its landmark monuments. So it's a breeze to go on a a stroll tracing the iconic locations from Amélie Poulain!
Starting with the most famous of them, the Café des Deux Moulins, located at 15 Rue Lepic in Montmartre, where Amélie (Audrey Tautou) works as a waitress. An address that has become iconic for the neighborhood. A short stroll away is also l'épicerie Colignon, at 56 Rue des Trois-Frères in the 18e arrondissement. In the film, Lucien (Jamel Debbouze) works in this little business which still exists and is actually called, in real life, Au Marché de la Butte.
The Montmartre district, where most of the film unfolds, is undoubtedly the heart of your stroll: the Lamarck-Caulincourt metro station (the scene where Amélie helps a blind man), the Abbesses stop, the square Louise Michel (where Amélie and Nino reunite), and not to forget the most obvious highlight, the butte Montmartre, its steep, winding streets and, up top, the Sacré-Cœur.
If you, too, head to the cinema every Friday night to watch people kiss, head to the cinéma Studio 28, at 10 rue Tholozé, where films are still showing today. And if you’re in a playful mood, you can, like Amélie, skip stones on the drawbridge over the Canal Saint-Martin, near the quai de Valmy.
Finally, if you’d rather party, you can swing by the Clown de la République, a costume shop on the Boulevard Saint-Martin in the 10th arrondissement, where Amélie buys a Zorro costume before heading to the photobooth. Open since 1900, this shop still captures the imaginations of both kids and grown-ups.
Paris is a vast playground, where countless films are shot each year. And fans are quick to hunt down the filming locations of their favorite movies.
Location
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre
35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre
75018 Paris 18
Access
Metro Jules Joffrin (Line 12) Pigalle (Lines 12 and 2) Anvers (Line 2)
