10 Paris Inaccuracies in Movies

Movies often take creative liberties with locations, including Paris, for the sake of storytelling. However, sometimes these liberties result in blunders or inaccuracies that can be spotted by keen-eyed viewers or those familiar with the city. Here are 10 movies that made mistakes or took liberties with their portrayal of Paris:

1. “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006): When Andy receives a text while in Paris, the Eiffel Tower is seen outside her window, but the angle suggests she’s staying in a hotel floating on the Seine.
2. “Marie Antoinette” (2006): Sofia Coppola’s film is set in Versailles, but it includes a pair of Converse shoes in one scene, a clear anachronism.
3. “An American in Paris” (1951): The film’s portrayal of Montmartre is geographically inaccurate in relation to other Parisian landmarks.
4. “Ratatouille” (2007): While the film beautifully captures the spirit of Paris, there are geographical inconsistencies. For instance, Gusteau’s restaurant’s location seems to shift around the city.
5. “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” (2007): The characters find a clue on the twin statues of the Liberty Flame on the Pont de l’Alma. However, only one such statue exists in reality.
6. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1996): The Disney film shows the Eiffel Tower in the background, even though the story is set in 1482 and the Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889.
7. “Gigi” (1958): The film, set in the early 1900s, shows the Pont Alexandre III with ornate street lamps that weren’t added until decades later.
8. “Before Sunset” (2004): The walking timeline of the characters doesn’t always match up with the actual time it would take to traverse certain parts of Paris.
9. “The Da Vinci Code” (2006): The film shows the distance between the Louvre and Saint-Sulpice as being much longer than it is in reality.
10. “Armageddon” (1998): The film depicts parts of Paris being destroyed by meteorites, including a metro station named “Comédie Française.” However, no such station exists.

It’s worth noting that while these blunders can be amusing or jarring for those familiar with Paris, they often don’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the film for most viewers.