Before Sunset: the walking tour of Paris
K and I went to Paris in September 2008. We're both fans of Before Sunset, and we have this thing where we like to go see where films were shot, so we decided to walk the walk.
Turns out it's not quite as easy - or as quick - as it looks on film, but it is lush and a lovely way to see bits of Paris you wouldn't normally notice.
As a guide we used this version of the script with handy location notes, and our own memories of the film.
The film starts at the Shakespeare & Co English language bookshop in Paris.
What the film doesn't show is that this quirky and gnarled shop is actually right by the Seine, almost within spitting distance of Notre Dame.
After the book signing, Jesse and Celine leave the shop and walk to Le Pure Cafe for a drink. This takes bloody ages in real life, as the scene jumps a couple of times. First they head away from the river, then it cuts to the opposite bank to walk through some pretty, narrow streets, then cuts again.
And then, finally, there's one more cut, skipping the long walk to Le Pure Cafe through a less than scenic part of town.
Le Pure Cafe is the sort of typical cafe tourists look for and don't find. We sat and drank a drink there: we would have stayed to dinner, but the exchange rate was not favourable - and this being France, they didn't start serving until eight.
After Le Pure Cafe, Jesse and Celine walk to the Promenade Plantee - again, with a judicious cut. We were quite pleased to find the steps they climb as even the aficandos on the script wiki hadn't managed to track them down. Nothing says obsessive like that, eh?
The Promenade Plantee is beautiful, and I've got a picture I took there as my desktop. It encapsulates what I love about looking at film locations: you not only get to find out why the locations were chosen, but also uncover all sorts of parts of the city you would never normally visit.
A stretch of disused railway line built on a viaduct has been turned into a skinny park several meters above street level. It's a great way to see a piece of the city - or a quiet place to go for a chat or a run.
It's rather good, and we were lucky enough to have brilliant sunshine on that day, making it even more beautiful.
They walk back along the Seine (after another one of those seven-league-boots steps) past Notre Dame (and the bookshop again, but you don't see that!)
to the quay where they get on the bateau-mouche. They get off again at Quai Henri Quatre and get in the car.
We didn't try to track the drive, but we did manage to find the Cour de l'Etoile d'Or, another point of pride as the wiki-folk hadn't listed it. It's at 77 Rue Faubourg-St Antoine, and we found it by chance.
After a fruitless hunt up the whole street, I was flicking through our guide book, Secret Paris and noticed the Rue was a place of interest because - of course - of the beautiful courtyards. Not to be missed, said the guide book, particularly the one at number 77, the Cour de l'Etoile d'Or...
We made a special trip back on our last day in Paris. It seemed a shame to miss out the last piece of the puzzle. We were lucky enough to catch an inhabitant leaving as we arrived so were able to have a bit of a look round.
Celine's building has got a bit more tatty, but people do live there of course, so the front gate is usually kept locked.
We met a friend of Che's
Later, we even saw a film crew setting up by the river. No idea what they were filming though!
It was a really good week.
Turns out it's not quite as easy - or as quick - as it looks on film, but it is lush and a lovely way to see bits of Paris you wouldn't normally notice.
As a guide we used this version of the script with handy location notes, and our own memories of the film.
The film starts at the Shakespeare & Co English language bookshop in Paris.
What the film doesn't show is that this quirky and gnarled shop is actually right by the Seine, almost within spitting distance of Notre Dame.
After the book signing, Jesse and Celine leave the shop and walk to Le Pure Cafe for a drink. This takes bloody ages in real life, as the scene jumps a couple of times. First they head away from the river, then it cuts to the opposite bank to walk through some pretty, narrow streets, then cuts again.
And then, finally, there's one more cut, skipping the long walk to Le Pure Cafe through a less than scenic part of town.
Le Pure Cafe is the sort of typical cafe tourists look for and don't find. We sat and drank a drink there: we would have stayed to dinner, but the exchange rate was not favourable - and this being France, they didn't start serving until eight.
After Le Pure Cafe, Jesse and Celine walk to the Promenade Plantee - again, with a judicious cut. We were quite pleased to find the steps they climb as even the aficandos on the script wiki hadn't managed to track them down. Nothing says obsessive like that, eh?
The Promenade Plantee is beautiful, and I've got a picture I took there as my desktop. It encapsulates what I love about looking at film locations: you not only get to find out why the locations were chosen, but also uncover all sorts of parts of the city you would never normally visit.
A stretch of disused railway line built on a viaduct has been turned into a skinny park several meters above street level. It's a great way to see a piece of the city - or a quiet place to go for a chat or a run.
It's rather good, and we were lucky enough to have brilliant sunshine on that day, making it even more beautiful.
They walk back along the Seine (after another one of those seven-league-boots steps) past Notre Dame (and the bookshop again, but you don't see that!)
to the quay where they get on the bateau-mouche. They get off again at Quai Henri Quatre and get in the car.
We didn't try to track the drive, but we did manage to find the Cour de l'Etoile d'Or, another point of pride as the wiki-folk hadn't listed it. It's at 77 Rue Faubourg-St Antoine, and we found it by chance.
After a fruitless hunt up the whole street, I was flicking through our guide book, Secret Paris and noticed the Rue was a place of interest because - of course - of the beautiful courtyards. Not to be missed, said the guide book, particularly the one at number 77, the Cour de l'Etoile d'Or...
We made a special trip back on our last day in Paris. It seemed a shame to miss out the last piece of the puzzle. We were lucky enough to catch an inhabitant leaving as we arrived so were able to have a bit of a look round.
Celine's building has got a bit more tatty, but people do live there of course, so the front gate is usually kept locked.
We met a friend of Che's
Later, we even saw a film crew setting up by the river. No idea what they were filming though!
It was a really good week.