The Fabulous Destiny of Amelie Poulain

Have an “Amelie” Tour

Amelie : Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain is a 2001 romantic comedy film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume Laurant, the film is a whimsical depiction of contemporary Parisian life, set in Montmartre. Discover where Amelie lives in Paris with our tailor made private tour guide.

Tailor-Made Private Tour Guide

A romantic comedy film

It tells the story of a shy and complex waitress, played by Audrey Tautou, who decides to change the lives of those around her for the better while struggling with her own life. The film received critical acclaim, with praise for Tautou’s performance, for the cinematography, for production design, and for writing. Amelie won Best Film at the European Film Awards; it also won 4 César Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. It won 2 British Academy Film Awards, including Best Original Screenplay, 5 Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Screenplay.

Amelie : “It is better to help people than garden gnomes.”

Why do we love Amélie movie ?

Amélie is intelligent and shy but curious. She has a lot of imagination and the idealism of a child. She is also kind. Amélie has a great sense of justice, and she tries to help humanity in her own way. The film takes place in Paris, it’s a perfect and nostalgic Paris, with a focus on Montmartre. In “Amélie”, the heroine can look directly at the camera to tell us her story or reveal a secret. She is like a close friend. The staging of each sequence in the film is like a painting with vibrant colors, the music like poetry. Yann Tiersen wrote the film’s soundtrack. In 2001, he became then known worldwide for his composition of the soundtrack. He won the César for best film music in 2002.

“Amélie” , it is the story of a charming young woman who, despite her shyness, finds love and acceptance of herself, just as she is. Her message states that by actively creating human connections and not giving up hope, even “outkasts” can find true love and happiness in this world. It is a great message of hope and humanity but also about something to think of : be yourself and be loved for who you are.

When I saw Amelie movie in a movie theater in 2001, I was in the United States of America. It was a blessing to receive this wonderful message from Paris ! My American friends and international minded people really loved it as well.

So let’s take an Amelie in Paris – inspired tour :

• Canal Saint-Martin from Quai de Valmy to Bichat Pont écluse bridge that Amélie Poulain likes to ricochet
• Notre Dame where little Amelie is taken by her mother in hope “heaven will give her a little brother”
• Piscine des Amiraux, the swimming pool which is now listed as a historical monument
• The Café des Deux Moulins where Amélie is a waitress, rue Lepic in Montmartre
• Amélie Poulain offers a blind person an express guided tour of Lamarck Street metro station
• The marché de la Butte rue des Trois-Frères is a food store where Lucien works to Amelie’s home
• Abbesses station, Amélie challenged by the sweet sounds of a Fréhel song, Si tu n’étais pas là
• Wall of Love, discover the romantic “I Love You” wall, where Amélie has her first encounter with Nino
• Square Willette and its old-fashioned merry-go-round, at the foot of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica
• Garden of Luxembourg, stroll through the beautiful garden, where Amélie enjoys a whimsical daydream
• Le Verre à Pied, a typically French bistro Paris left bank with a simple and warm atmosphere as a decor
• Au clown de la République, Amélie is looking for something to wear before her photo booth session
• Photomaton, experience a Parisian photo booth session, inspired by the movie’s photomaton scenes

The Fabulous Destiny of Amelie Poulain

The film with the no less famous Audrey Tautou, is an emblematic work of the beginning of the 21st century. In addition to having a lively script, the film is a true homage to Montmartre, but also to Paris as a whole.

Indeed, the Montmartre district is the heart of the movie, with the Lamarck-Caulincourt and Abbesses metros, the Square Willette, where Amélie and Nino meet at the bottom of the Sacred Heart Basilica, and the Butte Montmartre. The mound is the highest point of Paris with 130 meters above sea level.

Sacré-Coeur Basilica