French people are supposed to be some of the most romantic people in the world. So, what about their movies? If you want to learn French while dreaming in front of a beautiful film, here are 15 romantic French movies to watch. And for best results, try to watch these romantic movies in French, with or without subtitles.
1Romantic French Movies to Watch
Les parapluies de Cherbourg (1964)
That’s a classic. If you’re looking for romantic French movies to watch, you should begin with an oldie but goodie! The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a 1964 musical romantic drama film directed by Jacques Demy and starring Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo. In this movie, we meet Guy and Geneviève, two young people in love. But when Guy has to go to war, he abandons a sad and pregnant Geneviève. Will they be able to meet again?
If you liked this movie, you might want to check out another movie from Jacques Demy : The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967).
La Fille sur le Pont (1999)
Don’t be fooled by the fact that this French movie was shot in black and white. It isn’t that old! But the black and white is perfect for the dramatic atmosphere and the meeting of two people: a knife thrower named Gabor and a girl called Adèle, who intends to kill herself by jumping from a bridge. After saving her, Gabor offers Adèle to become the target girl in his knife-throwing act. Travelling through Europe, the duo evolves for better and for worse.
Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain (2001)
Probably one of the most famous romantic French movies, Amélie won four César Awards in 2002, two BAFTA Awards, and was nominated for five Academy Awards. In this movie, we follow the quiet life of Amélie (played by Audrey Tautou), a shy waitress who tries to take care of the people around her. Not only is the story lovely, but it also offers some beautiful scenery of Paris.
Jeux D’Enfants (2003)
Did you play a lot of Truth or Dare in your youth? If you did, this movie should make you smile. Two young children bond over a daring game : they throw each other difficult or dangerous challenges. Through their teenage years and adulthood, they intervene in the other’s life, sometimes destroying relationships. Will they finally confess their love or keep doing horrible dares?
Fun fact : the two main actors, Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard, are a real-life couple since 2007. They have two children, a boy and a girl.
Paris Je T’aime (2006)
Do you watch romantic French movies in order to feel like you’re in Paris? You should watch Paris Je T’aime, a two-hour film that consists of eighteen short films set in different arrondissements and directed by 22 directors like Joel and Ethan Coen, Gérard Depardieu, Wes Craven, Alfonso Cuarón, Alexander Payne, Tom Tykwer, Yolande Moreau, and Gus Van Sant. You’ll laugh and cry, while visiting different places in Paris.
Prête-moi ta main (2006)
What should you do when you’re 43, happy in your single life, and don’t want to be married even though your family insists on it? Like Luis Campos (played by Alain Chabat), you rent a single woman to play your fiancée! Will Luis’s family like Emma, the pretend fiancée? Will Luis and Emma develop some feelings for each other? You might think you’ve already seen this sort of storyline, but trust us: I Do is the perfect funny and feel-good movie.
Hors de Prix (2006)
You might know Gad Elmaleh has a stand-up comedian. But he has starred in many movies, like Hors de Prix. He plays Jean, a waiter at a luxury hotel, who is mistaken to be a millionaire by Irène (Audrey Tautou), a gold digger. When she discovers the trickery, she teaches him to steal from wealthy old ladies.
L’arnacoeur (2010)
Alex has a weird job. Every day, he’s paid to break up relationships, but only when the woman is “not knowingly unhappy”, leading her to leave her toxic relationship to find a better love. When he’s hired to prevent the wedding of Juliette and Jonathan, a seemingly perfect couple, he doesn’t realise he will develop some feelings. Even though this movie is more recent, it’s still one of the classic (and funny) romantic French movies you should watch.
La Délicatesse (2011)
After the death of her husband, Nathalie (Audrey Tautou) goes through life without real joy. But everything changes when she spontaneously kisses her unattractive coworker. Her family and friends don’t understand what she’s seeing in him, while Nathalie herself tries to understand her feelings. It’s a beautiful movie about the fact that beauty isn’t everything, and that kindness and delicacy are way more important.
Café de Flore (2011)
If you’re looking for a French Canadian romantic movie, here you go. Café de Flore, starring Vanessa Paradis and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, alternates between two emotional stories : one in the 1960s Paris, and one in present-day Montreal. You’ll be touched by the personal lives of the characters. Bring some tissues!
> Why Do Quebec and French Movie Titles Differ So Much from the Originals?
Amour (2012)
Can romantic French movies win both a Palme d’or and an Academy Award? Well, Amour did. Anne and Georges are retired music teachers with a daughter who lives abroad. When Anne suffers a stroke that paralyses the right side of her body, Georges takes care of her. But how long can it last? This movie might be the most emotional one in this list…
20 ans d’écart (2012)
At 38 years old, Alice Lantins (Virginie Elfira) is a successful but single woman. She could be the next editor in chief of a famous magazine, except that her boss thinks she’s not exciting enough to dazzle their readers. When Alice meets a charming young boy (played by Pierre Niney), her boss thinks she’s finally in a relationship. Alice decides to play along… Even if the boy is not even 20 years old!
La Vie d’Adèle (2013)
This movie, based on the 2010 graphic novel from Julie Maroh, is all about Adèle, an introverted 15-year-old high-school student who begins to doubt her sexual orientation after meeting Emma, a woman with blue hair. Between ups and downs, the two women will explore their sexuality and love. Even before the screening at the 2013 Cannes Festival, there were many controversies around this movie : the filming crew explained that they were morally harassed by director Abdellatif Kechiche and that the atmosphere was heavy on set. After the premiere, Julie Maroh, said she was disappointed by the very crude sex scenes and by the fact that the director didn’t talk about her when he won the Palme d’Or in Cannes.
Le Goût des Merveilles (2015)
What if you looked at your life through someone else’s eyes? In The Sense of Wonder, Louise (a widow with two young children) sees her life turned upside down after she nearly runs over a stranger with her car. While trying to tend to him and learn more about him, she realises that he has Asperger’s syndrome. Despite his differences, Pierre will be very helpful in Louise’s life and job.
Mon Inconnue (2019)
Raphaël is a student who writes science fiction, Olivia is a promising pianist. They meet, they fall in love, and they marry. Raphaël even becomes a famous sci-fi writer with the help from Olivia. But one day, after an argument with Olivia, Raphaël wakes up in a world he doesn’t recognize. In this new reality, Raphaël and Olivia don’t know each other and never got married. He will have to make her fall in love all over again and understand why the couple got estranged in the first place.
With these 15 romantic French movies, we’re sure that you will have plenty of emotional movie nights. You will love, cry and fall in love with all these characters, while learning French. Or maybe you’re a fan of Christmas movies and horror films?
