The 15 Best French Romance Movies of All Time
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Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in Breathless (À bout de souffle)
The French have a reputation for romance—after all, Paris didn’t get its title as the “City of Love” for nothing. Although the stereotype isn’t totally true, French cinema proves that no one brings love to the big screen like the French.
Whether you’re in the mood for a dramatic love story or a feel-good rom-com, there’s a French romance film to get swept away in. And while a happily-ever-after ending isn’t always guaranteed, at least you’ll pick up some new French vocabulary and a deeper appreciation for French culture.
From classic love stories to modern masterpieces, here I’ve rounded up 15 of the best French romance movies of all time. If your watchlist is looking a little empty afterward, consider checking out my list of the best French TV shows.
1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Few French romance films capture desire’s slow burn as exquisitely as Portrait of a Lady on Fire. In Céline Sciamma’s award-winning romance, a Brittany artist is commissioned to secretly paint the portrait of a young woman before her arranged marriage. Stolen glances spark a love that unfolds with quiet intensity. Portrait is one of the most hauntingly beautiful depictions of queer romance ever put to screen.
2. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
Jacques Demy’s musical melodrama is so breathtakingly beautiful, you could watch it on mute and still be mesmerized. If the candy-colored visuals of La La Land stole your heart, you have this film to thank.
Catherine Deneuve stars as a young umbrella shopgirl who falls for a dashing mechanic. Their romance is torn apart by the Algerian War and unfolds entirely through song (yes, every single word) and Michel Legrand’s orchestral score. If you’re not opposed to a whole lot of singing, this French romance is an absolute must-watch (and -listen).
3. Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)
Gérard Depardieu brings Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play to life as Cyrano, the brilliant poet and swordsman who is secretly in love with the beautiful Roxane. But convinced his shockingly large nose makes him unworthy, he writes love letters for another man to woo her, setting the stage for one of cinema’s most heartbreaking love triangles. With Depardieu at his finest, Cyrano de Bergerac delivers a grand and poetic romance that will leave you in tears by the time the credits roll.
4. Chloe in the Afternoon (1972)
Even in love, lust has a way of complicating things—something Éric Rohmer explores in the final installment of his Six Moral Tales. A meditation on love, fidelity, and temptation, Chloe in the Afternoon follows Frederic, a successful lawyer seemingly content in his marriage, that is, until he runs into a beautiful old acquaintance, Chloe. A deeply introspective and quietly seductive romance that you’ll want to unpack over a glass (or two) of wine.
5. Amour (2012)
As the title implies, Amour takes a profoundly tender look at lifelong love as well as heartbreaking loss. This Oscar-winning drama, which claimed Best Foreign Language Film in 2012, follows Georges and Anne, an elderly couple whose world is shattered when Anne suffers a stroke. As Georges tends to his beloved wife, their love is tested in the most intimate and devastating ways. It’s certainly among the most poignant French movies about love.
6. Jules and Jim (1962)
One of the definitive works of the French New Wave, Jules and Jim follows the decades-spanning love triangle between Jules (Oskar Werner), Jim (Henri Serre), and Catherine (Jeanne Moreau). Of course, war, passion and time get in the way, and fate is left to declare the ultimate verdict. Francois Truffaut's arguable masterpiece is a love story that feels as alive and untamed as real life.
7. Amélie (2001)
No list of French romance movies is complete without the cult classic Amélie. Audrey Tautou stars as a whimsical waitress who secretly spreads joy by orchestrating small acts of kindness, all while unknowingly starting her own journey to true love.
Shot in over 80 Parisian locations, acclaimed director Jean-Pierre Jeunet transforms Montmartre into a dreamy, colorful fairytale. In the end, this feel-good French romance proves that sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it.
8. Beauty and the Beast (1947)
You’ve probably seen Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, but Jean Cocteau’s 1947 adaptation is a masterpiece in its own right, an enchanting, surreal take on the classic French fairytale. What begins as a simple tale of tragic love between a gentle-hearted beast and the beautiful Belle, becomes an exploration of death, desire, and beauty. It’s a tale as old as time, but one that I can’t stop rewatching.
9. Day for Night (1973)
Love unfolds both on and off the screen in François Truffaut’s witty tribute to the chaos and romance of filmmaking. Day for Night gives you a close-up into the lives of a film crew (including Truffault himself) as they navigate on-set relationships and real-life emotions. In short, it’s a movie about making movies, but one that’s incredibly comical and worthy of your next movie night.
10. The Lovers on the Bridge (1991)
Parisian romance isn’t always picture-perfect. Leos Carax depicts a messy and desperate reality in this passionate and gritty tale of love between a homeless addict and a young painter losing her sight. After meeting on Pont Neuf, Paris’s oldest bridge, they find solace in each other despite the hardship that surrounds them.
11. Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
A raw and deeply intimate portrayal of first love, this Palme d'Or winner follows Adèle, a shy high schooler whose world changes the moment she meets the captivating, blue-haired Emma. With passion, heartbreak, and self-discovery at its core, this coming-of-age story is one of the most unforgettable French romances of the 2000s (and one that you can watch on Netflix).
12. Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959)
Set in Hiroshima after the end of World War II, Alain Resnais’s landmark film is as romantic as it is haunting. The story follows the fleeting affair between a Japanese architect and a French actress. As they recount their previous romances and life experiences, their conversations unravel buried traumas—hers from wartime France, his from the devastation of the atomic bomb.
So much more than just a lovers-turned-friends romance, Hiroshima, Mon Amour is considered a cornerstone of the French New Wave and one of the most influential films of all time.
13. Children of Paradise (1945)
Widely considered one of the greatest French films of all time, Children of Paradise is a sweeping romantic epic set in the theatrical world of 19th-century Paris. Filmed during World War II, it tells the story of a mysterious woman and four men—a mime, an actor, a criminal and an aristocrat—who love her in entirely different ways. This three-hour film is a long one, but a must-watch for French cinephiles and romance lovers alike.
14. The Artist (2011)
In 1920s Hollywood, actor George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar. When he crosses paths with dancer Peppy Miller, their connection is undeniable. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change as George’s stardom fades while Peppy’s rises.
A stunning black-and-white homage to the golden age of silent film, The Artist is my favorite French romance movie on this list. And critics loved it too—it earned five Academy Awards, including Best Picture in 2012.
15. A Very Long Engagement (2004)
Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, and Sandra Bullock may reign over American romance, but in French cinema, Audrey Tautou is the undisputed queen. In this wartime romance, she plays Mathilde, a young woman who refuses to believe her fiancé, Manech, has been killed in World War I and begins to search for the truth. Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s beautifully crafted tale of devotion and determination makes for a très romantic watch.
Whether you’re tempted by a New Wave darling like Jules and Jim or a historical period drama like Portrait of a Lady on Fire, take inspiration from this list of the 15 best French romance movies in cinematic history. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, what better time to hit play on one of these classic films and let romance happen the French way.
Which of these French romance films is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below.
