Emily in Paris, starring Lily Collins as an American social media manager sent abroad to a luxury marketing agency, is back for a second series on Netflix. Filmed in the French capital, the city shimmers like a jewel box on screen. Here are 10 of the filming locations you can visit in real life from the first series.
Place de L’Estrapade
Though Emily’s apartment scenes were shot on a soundstage, the exterior of her building can be found on this picturesque square in the Latin Quarter. Located a few steps from the Panthéon, its history is rather grisly — a former site of public lynchings, it takes its name from the “estrapade” or strappado torture. Today, however, it’s a peaceful space, with the purple flowers of its Paulownia trees blooming around a charming fountain. Across the street, viewers will recognise the red awning of an Italian restaurant that stands in for Les Deux Compère, where Emily’s handsome neighbour Gabriel works. Next door, there’s the Boulangerie Moderne, where Emily picks up her favourite pains au chocolat, as well as the Café de la Nouvelle Mairie, her local brunch spot.
Place de Valois
We see Emily tottering along the cobble stones to the offices of marketing firm Savoir, set in the Place de Valois. It’s a quiet courtyard tucked around the corner from the Palais Royal, and upon wandering through the elegant arches, fans will notice the familiar Galerie Patrick Fourtin, a gallery showcasing decorative arts and luxury furniture from the 20th century, which is next to the entrance to Savoir in the show.
Jardin du Palais Royal
Early in the first season, Emily finds herself alone at lunch after her co-workers reject her invitations to dine out, and so she decamps to a nearby park, where she meets fellow expat Mindy. The park is the Jardin du Palais Royal, a small public garden lined with lime trees and neat box hedges. There are plenty of benches to sit and admire the central fountain, or grab your own baguette and cheese like Emily for a scenic lunch.
Rue de l’Abreuvoir
Emily develops a side gig as a social media influencer, much to her French boss’s chagrin, and on her last night before being forced to delete her account, Mindy takes Emily to the most Instagrammable spots in the city, including “the prettiest street in Paris”, Rue de l’Abreuvoir in Montmartre. The pair eat at La Maison Rose, the pink restaurant at the end of the street that has become an Instagram favorite, and the bucolic street later stars in a marketing campaign for a new mattress.
Pont Alexandre III
One of the more recognisable filming locations used in Emily in Paris is the Pont Alexandre III, which many believe to be Paris’s most beautiful bridge. The ornate, Beaux Arts-style monument features striking Art Nouveau lamp posts, nymphs and winged horses, as well as a stunning vista over the Seine. In the show, the Pont Alexandre III forms the backdrop for a controversial perfume ad, though viewers may recall its other on-screen appearances, as a filming location for Sabrina, A View to a Kill and Midnight in Paris, along with Adele’s music video for Someone Like You.
Le Café de L’Homme
Savoir throws a glamorous launch party for that same perfume in a lavish restaurant in the Trocadero. It is Le Café de L’Homme, a contemporary Parisian brasserie renowned for its unobstructed views of the Eiffel Tower. The menu offers traditional French cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients, but make sure you insist on a table on the terrace — the dining room, while boasting stylish 1930s art deco-inspired decor, can’t match the views outside.
Musee des Arts Forains
Episode seven of series one includes another Savoir party, this time taking place in a fairground museum. The Musée des Arts Forains is a private museum of funfair objects that is usually only open for special events, though guests can attend seasonal guided tours to explore the cabinet of curiosities, play old arcade games, and listen to the musical automatons. For a real treat, take a ride on a wooden merry-go-round or the velocipede carousel, which is over 120 years old.
Café de Flore
This Parisian institution is one of the oldest coffee houses in the city, and it is on the outdoor patio that Emily meets her first French boyfriend, Thomas. He explains the significance of the Café de Flore, describing it as “the coolest café in all of Paris”. Despite its classic French menu and rich hot chocolate, it is best known for its famous clientele — as Thomas puts it, it was “the home of Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir”. As illustrated on the show, it remains a popular people-watching spot, if you’re lucky enough to nab a seat out front.
Palais Garnier
Later on, Thomas and Emily break up before a performance of Swan Lake at this dazzling Palais Garnier, the city’s iconic opera house. If you can’t get a ticket to one of the ballets or concerts, consider a tour of the public areas and marvel at the opulent neo-baroque architecture of the gallery, the marble staircase, and the Italian-style horseshoe-shaped auditorium, where Emily confronts haughty couture designer Pierre Cadault in one of the plush boxes.
La Monnaie de Paris
In the final episode of the first series, Pierre Cadault stages a surprise catwalk show outside La Monnaie de Paris, the French mint. We only see its impressive 18th-century neoclassical facade, but visitors can head inside to learn more about the history of the mint, enjoy contemporary art exhibitions, or try the luxurious restaurant of three-star Michelin chef Guy Savoy.
This article was first published Oct 8, 2020 and updated Dec 23, 2020.
