Unusual
article | Reading time5 min
Every year, our monuments open their doors to numerous film and television projects. Do you dream of following in the footsteps of your favourite actors and actresses? Here are 5 must-see destinations for film buffs.
Château de Pierrefonds
With its high, crenellated towers, drawbridge and backdrops populated by valiant knights and legendary creatures, château de Pierrefonds offers a veritable voyage into the imaginary world of the Middle Ages .
So it's hardly surprising that it's one of the most emblematic film locations in France!
Some scenes from Martin Bourboulon's Three Musketeers, in particular those supposed to take place at the home of the Duke of Buckingham in England, were recently filmed there.
Pierrefonds also forms the backdrop to the adventures of King Arthur in the British TV series Merlin, between 2008 and 2012.
But there is no shortage of older examples: Peau d'Âne (1970), Papy fait de la résistance (1983), Les Visiteurs (1993) and Luc Besson's Joan of Arc (1999) were all filmed at Pierrefonds.
© Shine Limited – BBC / Centre des Monuments Nationaux
Château de Champs-sur-Marne
A jewel of the Age of Enlightenment on the outskirts of Paris, the château de Champs-sur-Marne has been the setting for countless historical films: Les Liaisons dangereuses (1989), La Reine Margot (1994), Ridicule (1996), Marie-Antoinette (2006), Les Adieux à la reine (2012), Jeanne du Barry (2023)...
The château is a model 18th-century "maison de plaisance", richly furnished and surrounded by formal gardens.
Throughout the 18th century, it played host to many illustrious personalities: the Princess de Conti (illegitimate daughter of Louis XIV), the Marquise de Pompadour, Voltaire, Madame du Châtelet, Diderot... and even King Louis XV !
© Caroline Dubois-Capa Drama Banijay Studios France Les Gens Canal+
L'Arc de triomphe
What would Paris be without the Arc de triomphe ? Victor Hugo wrote: "Between your four feet the whole city abounds, like an anthill at the feet of an elephant".
The jewel of the Champs-Élysées, the Arc is also a film star: Tom Cruise circles it at top speed on his motorbike in Mission Impossible: Fallout .
Numerous TV series, starting with Lupin starring Omar Sy, have also highlighted this emblematic monument of the capital.
© Caroline Rose / Centre des monuments nationaux
Domaine national du Palais-Royal
Fancy sipping a coffee in one of the capital's most beautiful parks, like Emily (in Paris) ? Head for the domaine national du Palais-Royal ! It's on the poem benches designed by artist Michel Goulet that "the most American of Parisians" likes to sit and chat with her friend Mindy.
But Emily in Paris is far from the only fiction film to have been shot in the Palais-Royal: we could also mention Interview with a Vampire, The Da Vinci Code, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, Love and the Forest, Ten Percent...
That's a lot of stars!
© Europacorp, Apipoulaï, TF1 Films production
La Cité de Carcassonne
Step back in time to discover Europe's most formidable medieval fortification: the Cité de Carcassonne!
Its legendary silhouette has inspired many a film-maker, including Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves and Les Visiteurs.
Come and explore the 3km of ramparts... But don't try to climb over them with a catapult, like Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman!
© Geoffroy Mathieu / Centre des monuments nationaux
Are you a location scout or working for a production company? The Centre des monuments nationaux offers your film crews access to a unique collection of monuments that reflect the richness of France's heritage.
Visit our Shooting and filming page
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