6 Audrey Hepburn Movies That Will Make You Fall in Love with Paris

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Few actresses are as synonymous with Paris as Audrey Hepburn. While Hepburn herself wasn’t French, some of her most iconic films are closely associated with the City of Light and helped define its romantic image in pop culture.

For generations of travelers, fashion lovers, and Francophiles, Audrey Hepburn’s movies have served as a source of Parisian inspiration—they certainly did for me. Her characters strolled along the Seine, modeled haute couture, explored grand hotels, and fell in love against some of the most beautiful backdrops in the French capital.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Paris, searching for your next movie night selection, or seeking a tiny taste of la vie en rose, these 6 Audrey Hepburn films set in Paris deserve a spot at the top of your watchlist.

1. Funny Face (1957)

If there is one Audrey Hepburn movie that fully captures the fantasy of Paris, it is Funny Face. The musical comedy follows Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn), a shy and intellectual bookstore clerk. Her life changes dramatically when photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) discovers her unique beauty (and her “funny face”) and invites her to Paris for a major fashion shoot.

Fun fact: Astaire’s character was inspired by the real-life photographer, Richard Avedon, the creative force behind some of Hepburn’s most famous portraits throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

Once in Paris, Jo finds herself modeling against some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks and fashionable locations: the Seine, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Louvre.

Fashion aficionados will gawk at the extraordinary collection of costumes by French fashion designer, Hubert de Givenchy. One of my favorite looks is the flowing scarlet evening gown that Hepburn wears in front of the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre. Equally iconic is her black turtleneck ensemble from her beatnik dance sequence.

Romance, singing, dancing, fashion, and postcard-perfect Parisian scenery make Funny Face an essential watch for all Francophiles.

2. Charade (1963)

If you like Paris with a side of suspense, Charade is the perfect choice. The romantic comedy-thriller stars Audrey Hepburn as Regina “Reggie” Lampert, an American woman living in Paris whose husband, Charles Lampert, is murdered because of a fortune he stole during World War II.

Reggie soon finds herself pursued by a group of dangerous men who are after her husband’s stolen money. She ultimately must herself rely on the charming and mysterious Peter Joshua, played by Cary Grant. Together, Reggie and Peter roam all over Paris in their search for the truth.

In one scene, they meet in front of the Théâtre du Guignol in the Jardin des Champs-Élysées. This historic puppet theater dates back to the early 19th century and still hosts performances today. Nearby, they cross paths in the Carré Marigny, known then and now for its open-air stamp market.

Charade also captures Reggie and Peter strolling along the Seine near Notre-Dame before the final shootout at the Palais-Royal. If you visit the Palais-Royal today, you can still spot marks on one of the columns said to have been left by the film’s special-effects team.

Another interesting detail: parts of the opening sequence were filmed in Megève, in the French Alps.

3. Sabrina (1954)

Although much of Sabrina takes place in the United States, Paris plays a crucial role in the film’s transformation story.

Sabrina Fairchild, played by Hepburn, is the shy daughter of a chauffeur for the wealthy Larrabee family. She’s spent years quietly in love with David Larrabee, the family’s playboy younger son, who has never really noticed her.

One day, Sabrina leaves for Paris to study at Le Cordon Bleu, one of the world’s most famous culinary schools. When she returns two years later, she is almost unrecognisable, more sophisticated and stylish than before. Suddenly, David is paying attention. But so is his older brother, the serious and strategic Linus.

There’s also some fascinating fashion moments associated with Sabrina. Even though Edith Head won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, much of Hepburn’s wardrobe is rumored to have been created by Hubert de Givenchy.

The film also marked the beginning of Audrey Hepburn’s partnership with Givenchy. The story goes that Givenchy initially expected to work with Katharine Hepburn, and was a little disappointed when it turned out to be Audrey instead. Of course, his dismay didn’t last long.

Sabrina is one of my absolute favorite Audrey Hepburn films. There’s just something so inspiring about a reinvention story like this. The idea that you can leave, go somewhere like Paris, and come back as a completely different version of yourself. I don’t think that idea ever really gets old, and I know for me, my entire life changed after moving to Paris.

4. How to Steal a Million (1966)

Few Audrey Hepburn films are as stylish and entertaining as How to Steal a Million.

Audrey plays Nicole Bonnet, the daughter of a wealthy art collector and master forger. Her father lends a priceless Cellini sculpture of the goddess Venus to a prestigious Paris museum. There’s just one issue though: it isn’t actually priceless, but a forgery created by Nicole’s grandfather.

When Nicole learns the museum plans to authenticate the piece for insurance purposes, she recruits handsome, high-stakes thief Simon Dermott (Peter O’Toole) to steal it back before it’s discovered to be a fake.

Musée Kléber-Lafayette, the museum at the center of the story, is fictional and was built in a studio, but those exterior shots were filmed outside the (very real) Musée Jacquemart-André in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. When she leaves the museum, Nicole is seen zipping through the streets in her adorable red convertible along the Quai de l’Archevêché.

The film also takes us inside some of the most glitzy spots in the city like the Hôtel Ritz and Maxim’s. You’ll also spot glimpses of the Champs-Élysées, Place Vendôme, and Notre-Dame along the way.

And then, of course, there’s the fashion (because no Audrey film would be complete without it). Her costumes were designed by Givenchy, now a longtime collaborator with Audrey. One of the most memorable for me is her all-lace look and matching eye mask for her secret rendezvous with Simon.

5. Paris When It Sizzles (1964)

You might recognize the title of this film from the Cole Porter song “I Love Paris”:

I love Paris in the springtime

I love Paris in the fall

I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles

I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles

Paris When It Sizzles follows screenwriter Richard Benson (William Holden), who has been paid an advance for a screenplay he still hasn’t finished. Instead of writing, he’s been wandering through Paris, and now he has just two days to deliver the script. To help him stay on track, he hires Gabrielle Simpson (Audrey Hepburn) as his assistant.

As the deadline looms, inspiration takes over. Richard begins imagining and improvising wild scenarios for a story titled The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower, with Gabrielle as his muse.

The film wasn’t a critical success, but it’s definitely still worth a watch, even if only for its Parisian setting with tree-lined boulevards, elegant cafés, and classic Haussmannian architecture.

Hepburn shot the film in the summer of 1962, shortly before reuniting with Cary Grant for Charade later that year. Both films share many Parisian locations, including the puppet theatre in the park in front of the Théâtre Marigny.

Richard and Gabrielle also dine on the terrace of the glamorous Chalet de la Grande Cascade, near the Carrefour de Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne. Interestingly, just a few years later, the same restaurant appears in Luis Buñuel’s film Belle de Jour, starring Catherine Deneuve.

6. Love in the Afternoon (1957)

Paris is often called the City of Love, and Love in the Afternoon definitely leans into that reputation.

Ariane Chavasse (Audrey Hepburn) is a shy cello student living in Paris with her father, Claude Chavasse (Maurice Chevalier), a private detective who specializes in tracking unfaithful spouses.

One day, Ariane overhears one of his cases involving a jealous husband planning to kill American playboy Frank Flannagan (Gary Cooper) at the Ritz. Determined to stop it, she goes to warn him herself. Intrigued, Flannagan is drawn to her, and Ariane quickly develops feelings for him while carefully hiding her true identity and her father’s profession.

Unlike some Paris-set films that focus heavily on major tourist attractions, Love in the Afternoon is much more intimate. You get peeks into the Chavasse’s humble Parisian apartment contrasted with the glittering world of the Ritz, where much of Frank’s life unfolds.

The film also features beautiful Paris locations like the Palais Garnier and the Château de Vitry in the Yvelines.

It also stars Maurice Chevalier, a legendary French actor and singer who had already become a cultural icon by the time of filming. Later, he starred in Gigi (1958) and sang the title song for Disney’s The Aristocats (1970).