The Côte d’Azur, from Nice to Cannes, via Saint-Tropez and the spectacular roads of the Bay of Villefranche, has always made an impression on film. With its idyllic panoramas and incomparable light, it has attracted the biggest names in French and Hollywood cinema since the early 20th century. And today, yesterday’s star is back at the top of the film world.
Cinema and Hollywood: a love story on the French Riviera
On a plot of land used to raise chickens in the heart of Los Angeles, Carl Laemmle, a visionary businessman, developed what would become the iconic location for the world’s cinema: Hollywood. It was the beginning of the 20th century and the film industry was just beginning to take off.
The same enthusiasm was felt on the French Riviera. Two pioneers, Charles Pathé and Léon Gaumont, moved from Paris to Nice. The region’s light allowed them to shoot continuously, in contrast to the capital’s persistent darkness. They opened their first studios in Nice, Charles Pathé’s « théâtre de prise de vue » and Gaumont’s « ateliers de Nice ».
By 1924, Hollywood had realised that the French Riviera had a lot to offer. In particular Rex Ingram, Hollywood director and MGM star. Having fallen in love with the region, he settled in Nice and took over the Sudios de la Victorine (created 5 years earlier) to make five blockbusters.
The French Riviera in cult films
The Côte d’Azur, with its enchanting landscapes and golden lights, has been the setting for many iconic films. Alfred Hitchcock filmed the legendary “To Catch a Thief” in 1955, taking the glamorous couple of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly along the Croisette in Cannes, up the steps of the Hotel Negresco in Nice and along the spectacular road overlooking the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer.
Roger Vadim immortalised Saint-Tropez in “Et Dieu… créa la femme” in 1956, revealing to the world the beauty of Brigitte Bardot and of this fishing village that had become a favourite haunt of celebrities from all over the world. Cannes, home of the famous International Film Festival, was the setting for Jacques Deray’s 1969 film “La piscine”, starring Alain Delon and Romy Schneider. This was an opportunity to introduce the California district, its villas and incredible sea views to an international audience. More recently, in 2014, Woody Allen chose Antibes and its old town for “Magic in the Moonlight”, highlighting the romantic atmosphere of the French Riviera.
Many scenes in John Frankenheimer’s Ronin, starring Robert De Niro, take place between Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer. Every corner of this region exudes cinema, providing an unrivalled backdrop for filmmakers from around the world.
Hollywood and the French Riviera: the comeback
Between 1950 and 2000, the Studios de la Victorine hosted an average of one major American film a year. But with the advent of special effects in the 1980s, production at the studios began to falter.
Today, the context has changed: global demand for content is exploding, and it’s difficult for filmmakers to book entire studios years in advance, like in the UK or Canada. American producers saw the Côte d’Azur as a new opportunity to reinvest in a region with a strong film industry background and close proximity to outstanding natural landscapes.
Several initiatives bear witness to this, such as Amazon’s creation of the Victorine Narrative Lab: a writing laboratory dedicated to film production, and the many films that have been shot on the French Riviera in recent years: Woody Allen’s Magic in the Moonlight in 2013, Mission Impossible: Fallout in 2018, Stillwater in 2021, Emily in Paris in 2020 and The Serpent Queen in 2022.
The Côte d’Azur, the jewel of the French coastline, has never ceased to seduce filmmakers from all over the world. Its breathtaking panoramas and unique light make it the perfect natural backdrop for filming. From the masterpieces of Hitchcock to those of Woody Allen, the region has established itself as a star of the seventh art and continues to attract major Hollywood productions. Want to experience the magic of the Riviera for yourself? Discover our selection of villas on the Côte d’Azur.