In my humble opinion, Paris is the best city for cinephiles. I know many would argue that it's either LA or even Cannes, but I just don't agree. The former is more of the industry than anything else, while the latter is only famous for its annual film festival. Paris, on the other hand, hosts all sorts of movie events, film festivals, and more throughout the year. My personal favorites are the outdoor cinemas, which, surprisingly, are a lot! The most famous is Cinéma en Plein Air in Parc de la Villette every July, but there's also the Silhouette Festival, Dolcevita-sur-Seine, and Les Invalides font leur cinéma, to name a few.
Did you know that Paris has many outdoor cinemas? They hold all sorts of movie marathons throughout the year and are a cinephile’s dream! If you want to watch movies amidst that famous Parisian scenery, you should check them out!
What are Outdoor Cinemas?
An outdoor cinema is a movie theater setup organized outside. It's largely similar to the drive-in theaters that were popular in the US in the mid-20th century. But instead of in a parking lot where people can drive into with their cars, outdoor cinemas are more commonly set up in parks, public squares, or even rooftops of buildings. There are also no official standards for outdoor cinemas. They can be as large as an actual movie theater or small for a more intimate setting. And naturally, most of them start after dark, making it easier for the audience to see the screen.Where are the Outdoor Cinemas in Paris?
There aren't necessarily permanent outdoor cinema setups in Paris. Instead, they're held as film festivals and movie marathons throughout the year, usually around spring and summer when the temperature is just right for spending hours outside. Moreover, they're mostly held in parks, rooftops, and more throughout various neighborhoods in Paris, most famously in the Parc de la Villette and Les Invalides, among many others. So if you're looking for an outdoor cinema in Paris, you're gonna have to look up whether there's one held in the city.Cinéma en Plein Air
This is undoubtedly the most famous outdoor cinema in Paris. Held every summer, usually beginning around July, Cinéma en Plein Air is the much-beloved movie marathon in Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement. The event consists of around 20 screenings, comprised of both classic and contemporary movies, as well as mainstream and art-house films. The movie selections also center around a common theme or genre, be it romance, musicals, politics, and the like. Cinéma en Plein Air is also free to the public, and the audience is allowed to bring their own chairs, picnic blankets, and the like. If you want, you can rent deck chairs for €6.00 each.Dolcevita-sur-Seine
Another outdoor cinema you can expect in Paris every summer is Dolcevita-sur-Seine. Paris meets Rome in this fabulous mini movie marathon held at Arènes de Lutèce in the 5th arrondissement, highlighting the best of Italian cinema right at the heart of the French capital. Here, you can watch the most famous and most underrated works from beloved Italian filmmakers like Roberto Rossellini, Federico Fellini, Andrea Segre, and more. The event's dates vary from year to year, but they're usually held in the first week of July. For many Parisians, it's one of the best events to start the summer off with a bang!Silhouette Festival
What makes Paris's annual Silhouette Festival in Parc de la Butte du Chapeau Rouge unique is that it highlights short films. Most film festivals, especially the most famous, tend to focus more on full-length features, even when they screen short films as well. This Parisian outdoor cinema event, on the other hand, solely features short films. Some even consider it the premier platform for such projects, arguably even more so than the more famous Cannes Film Festival or the Tribeca Film Festival. This is why the event has consistently featured both established and emerging filmmakers.Les Invalides font leur cinéma
Cinéclub Paradiso
Imagine getting to watch a movie against the grand Les Invalides! Well, you can do exactly that if you go to Les Invalides font leur cinéma, a three-night outdoor cinema event held at the iconic Hôtel des Invalides in the 7th arrondissement. Also held every summer (though the dates vary from year to year), the movies are screened right on the museum's famous neoclassical facade. It's unlike anything you'll ever see anywhere else, even compared to the other outdoor cinemas in Paris. What also makes it special is that it benefits wounded soldiers and bereaved families of the armed forces.Cinema on the roof x Sofilm
Finally, there's the Cinema on the roof x Sofilm, a smaller and more intimate outdoor cinema held atop Bar À Bulles. Located near the iconic Moulin Rouge, this is one of those smaller movie screenings with limited seating, and a reservation is required. The event, usually held from late August to mid-September, is free, which means you'll have to call pretty early to snag a seat. Fortunately, the outdoor cinema also features food, cocktails, and more, making it look and feel more like a chic soiree than a typical rooftop movie marathon.Did you know that Paris has many outdoor cinemas? They hold all sorts of movie marathons throughout the year and are a cinephile’s dream! If you want to watch movies amidst that famous Parisian scenery, you should check them out!
