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Can't make it to Paris this year? Why not visit
vicariously? Immerse yourself in some Proust, catch a Paris-set
Hollywood classic like Charade, put some Edith Piaf tunes on
your mp3 player or just surf through some great francophile
websites.
I've provided links to Amazon.com for many of the
items recommended below. If you click on the link and make a purchase,
you'll help support this website. (Thanks!) But if you're interested
in any of these goodies and Amazon isn't your thing, please support
your local independent bookstore, video shop or music store...or
library.
A note for Firefox users: For some reason, some of the Amazon links
don't work when this page is displayed in Mozilla Firefox. I'm working to fix
this problem, but in the meantime, I apologize for the inconvenience.
Literally hundreds of directors, both French and
foreign, have set films in Paris. Here’s just a tiny selection to get
you started.
Amélie (2001): Some people find this
whimsical story of a naïve young woman who devotes herself to helping
others cloying; others can’t get enough of it. One thing just about
everyone agrees on: the cinematography is one big love letter to
Paris, specifically Montmartre. (In French with subtitles.)
Before Sunset (2004): This sequel brings
talky Ethan Hawke and luminous Julie Delpy back together nine years
after they spent an intense night exploring Vienna in Before
Sunrise. This time, they wander around Paris, discussing their
earlier encounter and pondering the imponderables of adulthood. The
best line is Hawke’s, regarding his life as a husband and father: “I
feel like I’m running a small nursery with someone I used to date.”
Caché
(2005): When two yuppie Parisians start receiving videotapes of their home from an unknown
stalker, unsettling secrets come to light. Mysterious and unnerving.
(In French with subtitles.)
Chacun Cherche Son Chat (1996): Released
in the U.S. as When the Cat’s Away, it follows the efforts of a
series of people to find a lost cat in a gentrifying Parisian
neighbourhood. Popular with fans of slice-of-life movies where
characters are more important than plot. (In French with subtitles.)
Charade (1963): Cary Grant. Audrey
Hepburn. Romance, comedy, intrigue and murder. What more do you need
to know? The plot involves a recent widow, a charming man, some
missing money and lots of great clothes. An utterly Hollywood view of
Paris, but c’est la vie.
The Day of the Jackal (1973): Based on a
Frederick Forsyth novel, it revolves around a plot to assassinate
Charles de Gaulle. Not to be confused with the 1997 remake with Bruce
Willis, which bears little resemblance to the original.
Les Enfants du Paradis (1945): Once voted
the best French movie of the 20th century by a group of
French critics and filmmakers, this drama—set in Paris in the
1820s—tells the tragic tale of an actress named Garance and the four
men who love her. (In French with subtitles.)
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Edith Piaf: For many, the quintessential voice of Paris will
always be Edith Piaf, the nightclub chanteuse whose nickname was “the
Little Sparrow” and who gained her greatest fame with the song “La vie
en rose.”
Yé-yé: To hear France’s take on 1960s pop, try to find
some old yé-yé recordings. Interestingly, unlike the
male-dominated British invasion, yé-yé was largely the province
of female singers. Big stars included Sylvie Vartan and France Gall.
Darkwave: Twenty years later, French “Darkwave” groups like
Clair Obscur and Asylum Party picked up on the post-punk vibe of The
Cure and Joy Division.
Rai: These days, you can hear just about every type of
pop or rock imaginable in Paris’s clubs. But if you’re looking for
something a bit different, seek out places spinning rai—catchy
Algerian music that combines North African instruments with a funky
soul vibe.
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As with movies, any attempt to list even a
fraction of the countless books set in Paris is doomed to
failure—there are just too many. Whet your appetite with these.
Le Divorce by Diane Johnson (1997): A
novel about two American sisters—one in the midst of divorcing her
Parisian husband, and one who tries to help clean up the resulting
mess. Personally, I find the characters whiny and self-absorbed
(perhaps that's the point), but it’s a great portrait of upper-middle-class Parisian life. Later made into a movie with Naomi
Watts and Kate Hudson. Johnson has also written a memoir/travel guide, Into
a Paris Quartier (2005). It's about life in the 6ème
arrondissement, where she lives part of each year.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel
Barbery (2007): This novel about the concierge and residents of an
upscale Parisian apartment building was a bestseller in France in
2007; Europe Editions is set to publish an English translation in fall
2008.
Gone to Soldiers by Marge Piercy (1988):
The American author and poet’s World War II epic, set partially in
Paris, involves multiple story lines and a diverse range of compelling
characters. One of my favourite books of any time or era.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
(1831): A bell ringer and the Gypsy girl he loves, circa 1482.
À la recherche du temps perdu
by Marcel Proust (1913-1927): Once known
in English as Remembrance of Things Past and now often referred
to by a later translation of the title, In Search of Lost Time,
this seven-book masterpiece is a semi-autobiographical story set
partially in Paris. It all begins with a madeleine—a
small cookie or cake, depending whom you ask—and goes on for more than
3,000 pages. Generally considered one of the seminal literary works of
the 20th century. Ten points if you know anyone who has
read it all.
Les Rougon-Macquart by Emile Zola
(1871-1893): Got a lot of time on your hands? Immerse yourself in this
20-novel saga of two families during France’s Second Empire (1851 to
1871). Good English translations are available for most of the
installments. Some of the books—including
the first one, The Fortune of the Rougons—are
set outside Paris.
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
(1964): Hemingway’s memoir of boho life as an ex-pat novelist helped
build and burnish the mystique of Paris in the 1920s that lingers to
this day. His novel The Sun Also Rises (1926) didn’t hurt,
either. For a Canadian take on the Lost Generation, try Morley
Callaghan’s That Summer in Paris (1963). Callaghan’s friendship
with Hemingway faltered when he knocked out the macho author during a
casual boxing match.
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Looking for more info on Parisian—and
French—culture? Try these sites.
Bonjour Paris: Some content is free
on this comprehensive, frequently updated site; an
annual membership gets you access to the whole website and discounts
on some Parisian attractions.
French Culture: This website, run by the Embassy of France, is a great source of
information on French-related cultural events in the U.S.
The French Journal:
This blog about all things French is written by a Boston francophile.
This French Life:
Its tagline is "Living life the French way" and that pretty much
sums it up. Britons with second homes in France are the primary
target audience. A rich source of tips on things like the French tax
system—handy for people planning an extended stay.
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