3 Breathtaking Movie Locations to Visit in 2011
Every now and then, a movie features such stunning locations or backgrounds that you wish you could be physically transported to those places. In today’s post, we are listing 3 films that showcased some incredible backdrops that can be visited to this day. Whether you are actually looking to travel to and explore the cities listed below, or simply looking to get away on a more abstract basis, here are 3 breathtaking movie locations to visit in 2011.
1. Amelie (Paris, France)
Easily one of the most charming romantic comedy of the 2000′s, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Amelie was predominantly shot in the neighborhood of Montmartre in Paris. While the City of Light was highly romanticized in the movie, one of the beauty of the film is that all of the locations shown in it are real and can still be found as is. The success of the film has been such that many of the previously unremarkable streets and small businesses where Amelie took place have actually become pilgrimage sites for fans of the movie.
The first landmark you may want to check out is the Notre Dame cathedral where Amelie’s mom is killed after a tourist lands on her following his suicidal jump from the top of the building. Neighboring the cathedral are many of the most popular destinations in Paris including the Louvre Museum which is connected by the Pont des Arts, on which Amelie decides to devote her energy to infuse happiness in the lives of the people around her.
The Notre Dame Cathedral: Make sure no one lands on you!
The Pont des Arts from the Louvre Museum
After visiting the Louvre as well as the neighboring Champs-Elysees and other nearby landmarks (You are in Paris after all), you may want to take the subway to the train station Gare du Nord where Amelie takes the train to go visit her father. Nearby is also the Canal Saint Martin where she enjoys skipping stones on the water (as shown on the top picture).
Gare du Nord
The Canal Saint Martin (Note the top picture is simply shot in the opposite direction)
You can then head off to Montmartre where most of the landmarks in the movie are situated. The opening shot shows the street rue Saint Vincent while the coffee shop where Amelie worked, the Cafe des Deux Moulains, is on the corner of rue Lepic and rue Cauchois near the Abbesses subway station which is also featured several times in the movie.
Outside the Abbesses Subway Station
Outside the Abbesses Subway Station
The Cafe des Deux Moulins where Amelie worked
After trying the crème brulée and exploring the surroundings (The Moulin Rouge is only 5 minutes away), you can continue to head up the hill Montmartre. You will find Amelie’s apartment and the grocery store Au Marche de la Butte which are located on rue des Trois Freres.
Mr Collignon's Green Grocer - Au Marche de la Butte
As you arrive near the top of the hill Montmartre, you will find yourself facing the Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur, a major international attraction which is featured in the film when Amelie decides to finally “meet” her mysterious lover Nino. To lead him to her, she playfully draws seven blue arrows on the steps in front of the monument. How romantic! What’s a better place to conclude your movie location visit than to enjoy the scenic with your significant other? Montmartre is the highest point in the entire city of Paris after all.
The Basilica of the Sacre Coeur (The same shot as in the movie!)
View of Paris from the Sacre Coeur
The next destination is across the Channel as we visit some of the locations used for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes. Conveniently, London is less than 3 hours away from Paris via the Eurostar high speed train.
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34 Comments
Great article! I just watched Amelie for the first time last week, and it was really cool to see so many of Paris’s landmarks again. I went there last year so the entire time I was watching the movie I was pointing out the places I had been. I am also quite familiar with the Chicago locations used in the Dark Knight (it helps to live there). Haven’t been to London yet but I am actually planning a trip to go there this fall.
Thanks Eric! Yes, Jean-Pierre Jeunet really did a great job of highlighting the city. It almost felt like it was a character in the movie.
Would you be my tour guide if I go to Paris, Castor?
I’ve always wanted to go back to Paris and Amelie is practically a French tourism promo!
Ahaha absolutely!
Btw, my hotel was blocks away from the Sherlock museum on Baker St, so we passed by that several times during my trip a couple of yrs ago. We didn’t have time to actually visit though.
As for TDK, we were fortunate enough to see part of the filming on the bridge in Chicago (as I highlighted here: http://wp.me/pxXPC-2aK ) Too bad we didn’t see Christian Bale suddenly caming down to the boat with a harness though
Paris is just so amazing! And Amelie really shows its beauty in a different way. I also love Paris or more the feel of Paris in The Dreamers. I would kill for an apartment like that!
That’s why they call it the city of lights
Visited these sites? You can see where I work in one of these photos! (Not that I’m going to reveal where that it is since I have to maintain some semblance of mystery.) Though I will say that even as someone who lives and works in Chicago I was also disappointed the filmmakers just stuck with Chicago in “The Dark Knight.” It almost seemed TOO realistic.
I’d like to visit the shooting sites for “Atonement.” Perhaps someday.
Yes, that’s one of my beef with The Dark Knight. All the atmosphere of Gotham City from the first movie is gone in the sequel. It really felt like it was just any American city.
Great article! I love travelling to places and seeing where movies got shot. Although I have yet to see Amelie (for shame!) when I was last in Paris I decided to go on an ad-hoc “Taken” tour in particular to the Rue Paradis. Probably not the best idea I have ever had. I got lost and eventually gave up.
When I am next in the city I may try to make my way around there again.
Ahaha yea it’s easy to get lost in these tiny meandering streets
Oh and I have a couple of posts on my blog about other places I have visited with movie tie in – notably Paris and San Francisco. One local reference is to the train station in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” While it was supposed to be a Long Island Railroad station, it was actually shot on the Metro North New Haven Line and the station was the Mount Vernon East station; it is the station I take to work everyday.
very informative post, and I don’t think I’ll be getting to see a single one. Would be fun to do a Sherlock off visit. Go to all the places from the film Sherlock Holmes then go see the set of the show Sherlock. Hmmmm
Great post. This is my best movie location experience
Whatg of Seoul? WHAT OF IT!?!
What of it? I can’t sanely recommend people to go there. Who knows when World war 3 starts there???
So, I’d rather be there in the brunt of such insanity than hear about a continent away and slowly agonize over the impending apocalypse.
I’m hurt that you deleted the New Zealand section. Of all the places that have been used to shoot a film, this has probably had the largest economic growth because of it. And the locations are beautiful as well.
It’s a post for another day! This one was really getting long in the tooth especially given that each of the 3 sections could be a post all by themselves
Great post and great pics!
I’ve heard that Leo DiCaprio intends to make a film version of Erik Larson’s “The Devil in the White City” about a serial killer who haunts the Chicago World’s Fair circa 1893. If rumors are true, I cannot wait to see how Chicago is rendered in that film.
… until you learn the movie is shot in Toronto or Vancouver ahah
Exactly. Ha!
Great post. Lots of amazing spots. BTW if anyone wish to come to India, visit TajMahal. one of the seven wonders in the World. Beautiful place. Cheers
ah… Paris.
man what a great fricking post Castor. lovely detail. i knew National History museum was in Batman Begins but didnt know all those other locations, great trivia.
london.. you forget how beautiful it is sometimes
I never forget! Love that city.
Thanks Ross. Glad that this post was informative!
Well done detting imdbd castor! Well deserved!
Nice article… but for a few mistakes :
Le Louvre is not that close to Notre Dame; it’s not the other end of the city but it’s a good 15 to 20 minutes walk…
And the picture of the Pont des Arts doesn’t show the Louvre behind it, but the building on the other side, the Institut de France. The picture has been taken FROM the Louvre…
Thanks for pointing that out Matt! I used to live in Paris and I don’t remember Le Louvre being that far from Notre Dame. Like you said, about a 15 minute walk or 2 metro stations is probably about right.
Thanks again for dropping by!
Awesome post and congrats on the IMDb hit. I am not too far away from Chicago and have made a few visits and often look for Wayne tower and other recognizable locations from the Batman series.
My vote’s for New York, New York – The Warriors! Coney Island, the Bronx, every last turf! Also, congrats on getting on IMDB!
Excellent article Castor. On a visit to London a few years back my favourite sight-seeing/movie experience was passing by the British Secret Service building (MI5) where you see Bond’s boat flying out of in…I think The World Is Not Enough (one of the Brosnan ones) and trying to look through all the windows at the Double-O agents!
Haha!
…my next must-see is the pub – the Slaughtered Lamb – used in An American Werewolf In London which I tracked down to south Wales.
Man, I did NOT realise how much of Batman Begins was shot in England! That’s amazing. Great job on the research Castor!
I was surprised myself! Thanks Rodney
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