By Cynthia Rose

Courtesy Forum des Images

Every August, the Forum des Images gives Parisians a summer gift: free cinema under the stars. Their Cinéma au Clair de Lune moves from quartier to quartier, showing films that feature Paris in different parts of the city. This year, from August 4 to 22, you can follow the series from Montmartre to the Marais—seeing work by directors such as Renoir, Rohmer, Godard and Klapisch. Screenings are free of charge but can be canceled in the event of rain. Remember to bring a light wrap in case the evening cools off.

You’re not in Paris this August? Well, no need to miss out! Among the countless films that compliment, showcase or try to explain the City of Light, here are a dozen favorites. All can transport you here for a few hours, and you’ll learn something new about the city from each of them.

Venus Beauty Institute (Vénus Beauté Institut), 1999, Tonie Marshall.
So popular it became a French TV series, this feminine tale takes you inside a Paris “beauty institute” to follow Nadine (Bulle Ogier), Marie (Audrey Tautou), Samantha (Mathilde Seigner) and Angèle (Nathalie Baye). With insights into the French cult of beauty and French women at work, plus a worldly romance.

The Lovers on the Bridge (Les Amants du Pont-Neuf), 1991, Leos Carax.
This unconventional love story set among vagrants on the Pont-Neuf—much of it the actual bridge, closed for restoration—cemented the stardom of Juliette Binoche. With amazing sequences shot during the 1989 bicentennial fireworks.

Signed Chanel (Signé Chanel), 2005, Loïc Prigent.
Prigent, famous for the Sundance Channel’s Full Frontal Fashion, follows the making of a Chanel collection. There is only one point of view: that of the women who must create the clothes. Fascinating, stylish and immensely funny. Order it online from FNAC or ARTE or watch it on YouTube.

Code Unknown (Code Inconnu), 2000, Michael Haneke.
Much of Haneke’s work is dark, but this film is a compassionate gem. Its subject? The sharing of lives in modern-day Paris, a city belonging equally to middle-class artists, homesick Africans and asylum seekers. The title refers to those digicodes required to enter Paris buildings.

Danton, 1983, Andrzej Wajda. 
Paris seen as the French Revolution descends into the Terror, with Danton (Gérard Depardieu) fighting to save “his” revolution. Some very famous faces play the Revolution’s “stars,” including Patrice Chéreau as journalist Camille Desmoulins. Riveting and atmospheric.

Ridicule, 1996, Patrice Leconte.
A story set in the lavish Versailles of Louis XVI, Ridicule shows how a provincial noble has to emparisienner (become Parisian) in order to help the poor back home. Eventually he conquers the court (not to mention Fanny Ardant) by learning to use manners, style and wit.

The Children of Paradise (Les Enfants du Paradis), 1945, Marcel Carné.
Although filmed entirely on sets—and during the German Occupation—this 19th-century tale is the romantic Paris film. It’s long, it’s in black and white and it’s based on historical figures. At its center is the ravishing Arletty and the great Jean-Louis Barrault, playing one of her four lovers.

Full Moon in Paris (Les Nuits de la Pleine Lune), 1984, Eric Rohmer.
A bittersweet tale of one young parisienne who attempts to become truly worldly. She is played by the beautiful Pascale Ogier, who also styled the film—only to die soon after its release.

The Father of My Children (Le Père de Mes Enfants), 2009, Mia Hansen-Løve.
The seemingly idyllic life of a Paris film producer, his wife and three daughters is changed forever by the very thing—cinema—that gives it special meaning.

Three Colors: Blue (Trois Couleurs: Bleu), 1993, Krzysztof Kieslowski.
The first part of Kieslowski’s trilogy redefining the French values of liberty (Blue), equality (White) and fraternity (Red). Juliette Binoche plays the privileged parisienne for whom “liberty” starts with losing everything she loves. A film about grief, loss and generosity—much of it shot around the rue Mouffetard.

La Bûche, 1999, Danièle Thompson.
Enjoy Christmas in August! La bûche is the French yule log, and this movie concerns one very French family who face one another’s secrets over the holidays. Has everything, including Charlotte Gainsbourg and Emmanuelle Béart.

The Crime of Monsieur Lange (Le Crime de Monsieur Lange),
1936, Jean Renoir.
The secret of this black-and-white classic filmed in the Marais is a script by Jacques Prévert. A warm comedy set among the working folk of Paris: laundresses and artists who publish—of all things—cowboy novels. A charmer.

Editor's note: Download our newly updated DIY walking tours of Paris. Something for the foodie, the shopper, the historian and anyone who loves beauty.

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By Doni Belau

Considering the number of industries dominated by men, increasingly we are seeing more and more women at the top of their field in the travel arena. Tamara Heber-Percy, cofounder of the boutique hotel booking service Mr & Mrs Smith, graduated from Oxford with a degree in languages—which has proven essential in helping her take Smith all around the globe. Tamara grew up in Ibiza and the UK, worked in Brazil and then started Mr & Mr Smith in 2002 with her husband, James Lohan. They began their travel quest in a simple way, sampling hotels and small inns throughout the UK and picking a handful (under 50) for a romantic-weekend guide. The book was an immediate success (the children and the website came later). Now, with hundreds of hotels all over the world, Mr & Mrs Smith is one of the very best websites around for finding chic hotels that have all been carefully and secretly reviewed. Plus, they publish hotel guides for the UK, Austrailia and New Zealand, Europe and the globe, and now their newest: a book exclusively on France. I am very excited about the bevy of selections in this new entry. Thumbing through Mr & Mrs Smith’s Hotel Collection for France, I’m drooling over the Basque hideaway, which starts at only 110 euros; the terribly chic lodge in Brittany; and the Dutch-and-Danish-designed paradise in Burgundy—I can’t wait to hit the road. I stopped in to interview “Mrs Smith” herself.

Where did you get the travel bug?
I was born and brought up in Spain. We traveled to and from the UK regularly to visit family, and I always spoke two languages. So I guess from birth. I started traveling on my own as soon as I was allowed to, InterRailing around Europe.

How has all of your traveling changed you?
There’s no doubt that travel broadens the mind, but, other than that, it has made me very conscious that time goes so quickly and there’s still so much more traveling to do and so much of the world left to experience. It has also made me realize that traveling for work is very different from traveling for pleasure with the family, and that I must be conscious of this, try to take more time off and not work too hard.

When you travel to Paris—our readers’ favorite town—what is your ideal day?
It would begin with breakfast at one of the haute patisseries in St.-Germain, then a spot of shopping at Merci or browsing for antiques at the Porte de Clignancourt market, followed by a long lunch at Benoit. In the afternoon, I would go for the still-unbeatable tea at Mariage Frères and later, dinner at Le Grand Véfour—[with its] dazzling menu and a thoroughly deserved reputation as one of the classic Parisian dining experiences. I’d have a suite booked at Hôtel Daniel on the Champs Elysées: opulent, romantic and decked out in chic chinoiserie. It’s a true globetrotter’s hotel.

C'est Trop: the spa treatments at La Reserve Ramatuelle, near St.-Tropez, are a
cut above.

We love your rock-star loft in Paris. When you are staying somewhere for a week or more, do you choose an apartment rental or a hotel?
It depends on whether I’m traveling with the kids—with the family I prefer to rent an apartment because it’s more flexible with children and there’s no risk of annoying other guests. Some places, such as La Réserve Paris, combine the two perfectly, offering apartment-style privacy with hotel-quality services. When James and I travel as a couple, we just love staying in hotels, especially new hotels we haven’t stayed in before. That’s why we started Mr & Mrs Smith, after all.

What are your favorite destinations in the French countryside? What are the most special hotels or inns you’ve found recently?
There’s tons: our latest book is full of fantastic rural retreats we’ve come across this year. Just inland on the Côte d’Azur, not far from the famous perfumeries of Grasse, Bastide Saint Mathieu is a grand and quite imposing historic house just 10 minutes outside the town, but surrounded with that kind of classic French landscape that inspires visitors to emigrate. There’s also Chez Odette on the Belgian border, in the tiny town of Williers (38 inhabitants, at last count), which has a brilliant bistro and lots of lush green fields around it—it’s the sort of place you can just while away days sipping Picon at a little table outdoors watching village life go by.

Beyond staying at great hotels, what is your favorite activity when you travel? Are you a foodie, museum or history buff, shopaholic?
As you can probably tell from my dining-based ideal day in Paris, I’m quite a foodie. James and I love eating out, so we always try to find a great restaurant where we can try local food and wine. I also adore exploring and am always wowed by a great view, so if I’m anywhere near a natural view, I head there. One of my favorite French trips ever was a road trip through Beaujolais because it combined fabulous food with stunning scenery. I also love to shop for things for our home; over the years I’ve built up quite a collection of pieces from our travels.

We love that you sell CDs to travelers on your site. What kinds of music do you and James enjoy the most? If you are thinking France, do any particular tunes come to mind?
We have very eclectic tastes, from rock to pop, new to old, Stevie Wonder to Empire of the Sun. James used to be a DJ, so he takes music particularly seriously. As far as French favorites go, Sébastien Tellier for some laid-back euphoric grooves or Daft Punk if we’re feeling a little more up-tempo.

Tox or detox? Spa Domaine de Verchant overlooks acres of vineyards.

Found any French spas that you’d rave about?
Domaine de Verchant, near Montpellier, has a great, good-value spa with a terrace overlooking acres and acres of vineyards (although I’d maybe question the hotel’s decision to put its wine-tasting cave immediately opposite the entrance: “I went for a massage and came back with a merlot”). The most spectacular spa stay is La Réserve Ramatuelle, near St.-Tropez. The prices are typically Tropezian, but the treatments really are a cut above.

Which airlines do you prefer for travel in Europe?
BMI has great service and it flies from Heathrow, which is near my home. I try to fly with them when I can.

With all the traveling that you do, you must relish staying home. What is your favorite down-day activity?
You are absolutely right—there’s no place like home! My favorite thing to do with the kids at the moment is walking through Kew Gardens, which is on our doorstep. The park is beautiful and there’s a new playground and a great café.

What’s it like working every day alongside your husband?
We don’t actually see that much of each other at work—our roles are very different and we sit at opposite ends of the office. I still enjoy finding out what he has done during his day when we sit down for an evening meal. That said, we do of course have meetings and travel to work together, and I’m glad I have had the opportunity to see him at work and see that side to him. We both love what we do and we don’t tread on each other’s toes, so I guess we are pretty lucky.

Any tips for folks traveling with kids? We are always in search of romantic hotels that are also kid friendly.
It’s very hard for a hotel to get the balance and cater to both parents and children well. There are very few hotels that manage this. I mentioned La Réserve Paris before, and I’d also recommend Château de Saint Paterne, in Normandy. It’s not only beautiful and romantic, but also packed with child-oriented distractions: pool, trampoline, swings, tree house, Ping Pong table, football goal posts, tennis courts and bicycles. They serve a special dinner for kids every day, too. My top tip for traveling with three-year-olds and up is to get an iPhone and load it up with new kids’ apps before you go. It makes long flights and sitting in terminal buildings go by much quicker!

Kid and caboodle: Normandy's Château de Saint Paterne is a getaway for children
and parents alike.

If you had one trip left, where would you go and where would you stay?
It’s perhaps a bit twee, but I’d go back to the hotel where James and I got married: Ca's Xorc in Majorca. It has everything: lovely rooms and grounds, gorgeous pool, amazing views, great food, a relaxed vibe and, of course, all those wonderful memories.

Editor’s note: One apartment we really drooled over at Mr & Mrs Smith’s is their rock-star Louvre Loft. Why not find a few friends and rent this gorgeous puppy! Also, try the Girls’ Guide’s affordable, downloadable tours in Paris.

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By Cynthia Rose

© Steve Sampson

You’ve probably heard about the inventive green initiatives in Paris like Nature Capitale. One of the most popular is Vélib’, a citywide bike-rental program. In a city (a country!) where biking is extremely common, everyone in Paris has an opinion about the program. Many will tell you that Vélib’ riders are the No. 1 traffic hazard—and it can take a while to get accustomed to the heavy bikes. Britons, in particular, often ride “the wrong way.”

But if used with care, Vélib’ is a great way to save money while exploring the city. It’s also useful for getting home late at night if you can find a borne (station) that’s not empty. Joining the system requires a deposit of 150 euros; this can be placed on your credit card at any Vélib’ station. When you purchase a subscription—for one day, seven days or one year—you get a code that you use whenever you want to pick up a bike. Subscriptions entitle you to 30 free minutes at a time, with charges accruing only if you exceed that allotment: the first additional half hour is 1 euro; each one thereafter is 2 euros until the third half hour, after which the charge rises to 4 euros.

TIP: If you’re time conscious and the weather cooperates, you can get around Paris almost free with Vélib’. You can monitor your costs (your “account”) on the screen of any borne at any time. The main problem for US travelers is having a compatible credit card: European credit and debit cards are known as smart cards, which are embedded with a puce (chip); most US cards don’t have it, but American Express Blue cards work. There’s a free Vélib’ app you can download, and the Internet is rife with tips on the program in many languages. You can also download a pdf of a map showing special cycle routes closed to traffic on Sundays and holidays.

Paris buses are also a great economical way to view the city while on wheels. Just don’t ride them during rush hour, as the school day ends or when it’s broiling hot. All that’s required to use the system is a metro ticket or pass. You can buy a ticket from the driver (1.70 euros) or in the metro (1.60 euros); tickets bought on the spot are valid only for that journey. To request a stop, press the red button. Several lines are especially useful as bus tours. 

TIP: The east-west route of the No. 69 runs between the Eiffel Tower (Champ de Mars) and the Père Lachaise cemetery, via the quai d’Orsay, the Louvre and the Marais. It offers as much sightseeing value as any company.

NIGHT: Under the Noctilien program, the city runs 42 lines of night buses, hourly from 30 minutes after midnight. From Monday to Friday the buses run until 5:30 a.m., and later on weekends. Buses and stops are clearly marked. Spoiler alert: on weekends and hot summer holidays, partygoers flood onto these buses in the wee hours.

For tours, two main companies run hop-on/hop-off bus jaunts. If you’re short on time but want to cram in the sights, or if you have trouble walking, you may want to try one. Be forewarned: these are tourism writ in capital letters and, as such, always a compromise. You may get great snaps or have a memorable encounter. But you may also end up hot, tired and frustrated. Make sure the weather is decent, and remember that during the off-season, buses come by less frequently. Do not expect much enlightenment from the audio commentaries, which are often worn tapes or out of synch with your route. Also don’t expect great service. Operating these buses is one of the most thankless jobs in Paris.

Your best choice is L’Open Tour, which offers four routes. The Paris Grand Tour is the longest and most comprehensive. Tickets are 29 euros per adult for a day, and 32 euros per adult for 2 days; 15 euros for children ages 4–11, for either 1 or 2 days; free for kids under 4. L’Open Tour offers one- and two-day passes that can be delivered in advance to your hotel but not to an apartment; or for a fee you can have the pass(es) sent to you before leaving home. (If you’re shy about riding bright lime-and-yellow buses with people from all over the world, don’t try this tour.)

There’s also Les Cars Rouges. An offshoot of the red bus tours in London, this competitor of L’Open offers a nine-stop pass that is valid for two days. Tickets cost 24 euros per adult, 18 euros for those in groups of 12 and 12 euros for children ages 4–11. Essentially a less expensive, miniversion of L’Open, Les Cars Rouges provides less value for your money.

Editor's note: For the Girls’ Guide’s handpicked tours of Paris, consult our Book It page.

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