5 Films That Bring France To Your Home

Based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown, the Da Vinci Code takes you on a whirlwind discovery of Paris all within the course of a night. Starring the very amiable Tom Hanks and the French actress Audrey Tatou, the movie starts with a dramatic murder at the Louvre. You’re then accompanying Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou as they race against time and villains to unravel codes and clues in Da Vinci paintings that protect a religious mystery. Keep an eye out for famous Parisian landmarks such as the Ritz and the Saint-Sulpice church that feature in the movie.

From Paris to the island vibes of Corsica! While Tamasha focuses on the journey of Ved’s (Ranbir Kapoor) self-discovery and his relationship with Tara (Deepika Padukone), it also promises a pretty good pre-interval discovery of the French island of Corsica! Enjoy this self-drive adventure with Ranbir and Deepika as they introduce you to Corsica’s great outdoors, the quaint lanes of Bastia, its acapella music, its friendly locals and its rugged terrain. The movie does great justice to Corsica’s picturesque locales and the one shot of Ranbir sitting atop a mountain against a fiery pink and orange sky is a great visual takeaway of the island. Corsica on your mind, yet?

Who can forget Kangana Ranaut’s award-winning performance as the spunky Rani in this coming of age comedy? The movie follows Kangana’s journey as a simple Delhi girl who continues with her honeymoon plans to Paris and Amsterdam all by herself despite her wedding being called off a day before. If you’ve never been to Paris, then discover the sparkling City of Lights with Rani who takes you to the elegant Champs Élysées (External link) and the bohemian Montmartre district in tow with her friend Vijay played by Lisa Haydon. Get glimpses of Parisian nightlife with Rani and Vijay as they enjoy a fun girl’s night out in town! You’re sure going to commiserate with Rani when she bids a fond au-revoir to Vijay and Paris before continuing her journey as a solo-honeymooner.

If you’re fond of French cuisine, then this movie is going to whet your appetite! The film simultaneously narrates the story of celebrated chef Julia Child’s early culinary career days in Paris of the 50’s and Julie Powell’s life in New York in 2002. The versatile Meryl Streep plays the role of exuberant Julia Child and takes you right within the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Paris where she is the only woman learning French cuisine alongside men. You simultaneously find yourself in 2002 cheering for Amy Adams as Julie who’s taken on the mammoth challenge of cooking all Julia Child recipes in 365 days and documenting it on a blog. Shot in New York and Paris, be a part of Julia’s journey as famous Parisian landmarks such as the Rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter (External link) , the legendary Restaurant Deux Magots (External link) , the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore (External link) and the charming Île de la Cité and the Île Saint Louis take over your screen!

This feel-good animation flick revolves around Remy the rat who aspires to be a chef (no surprise this, as French cuisine and French chefs are popular world-over). This is of course a rather tough dream for a rat. He leaves his rodent family and finds himself in the kitchen of a starred chef Gusteau in Paris. Staying hidden, Remy teams up with young Linguini who needs to keep his job at the restaurant. Their hilarious adventures make the movie a hit with adults and kids alike. Enjoy animated depictions of Paris’ rooftops, scenes on the river and of course the Eiffel Tower. Parting trivia for you: Did you know that the restaurant of Chef Gusteau is actually a famous restaurant also called La Tour d’Argent located in the 5th arrondissement? Be sure to visit the next time you find yourself in Paris!