This selection of films and documentaries is an invitation to extend your journey or to immerse yourself even more deeply in the French Riviera. Through cinema, archival footage, and personal stories, these works explore the history, beauty, and cultural soul of Nice and the towns around.
Whether you are preparing your visit, reliving memories, or simply dreaming of the Côte d’Azur from afar,
these films offer another way to experience this extraordinary region.
TO CATCH A THIEF (film)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, To Catch a Thief was filmed on the French Riviera in 1954 and released in 1955.
Starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, the film captures the timeless glamour of the Côte d’Azur through memorable scenes shot in Cannes, Nice, Monaco, and along the coastal roads. A luminous portrait of the Riviera as seen through the lens of Hollywood’s golden age.
Watch :
. The trailer
. A scene filmed in Cannes
. A scene filmed above Monaco
. Read an article about the film’s locations
LA BAIE DES ANGES (film)
Directed by Jacques Demy and released in 1963, the film stars the unforgettable Jeanne Moreau.
Shot in Nice (and also few scenes in Paris), including scenes in the Old Town and along the Promenade des Anglais, the film reveals a more intimate and intense vision of the city, where chance and passion shape destiny.
The haunting score by Michel Legrand deepens the film’s emotional power, creating a timeless portrait of Nice in the early 1960s.
Watch the Trailer
Watch a scene filmed in the Old town of Nice
HOME AWAY FROM HOME (documentary)
An exceptional and deeply moving documentary rooted in Villefranche-sur-Mer, where the American Sixth Fleet was based from 1950 for 15 years. Through personal memories and archival images, it reveals how the town became a true second home for many American sailors over the years.
At the heart of the story stands the unforgettable figure of Mère Germaine, whose restaurant, still open today, became a place of warmth, generosity, and friendship. A powerful symbol of the deep human bonds formed between Villefranche and the United States, and a touching reminder of how hospitality shaped this shared history.
Watch the full documentary
JEAN COCTEAU
This documentary Series offers an intimate look into the artist’s deep connection with the French Riviera.
Cocteau lived and worked in Villefranche-sur-Mer, notably at the Hôtel Welcome, and in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, where the Mediterranean light and mythology strongly shaped his creative world.
His presence remains deeply rooted in local culture through films conceived along the coast and through enduring artistic projects, including the decoration of the Chapelle Saint‑Pierre.
These documentaries reveal how the Riviera was not just a setting, but a vital source of inspiration for Cocteau’s poetry, cinema, and art.
Watch the documentary » Cocteau and the riviera «
A beautiful and very detailed documentary about the Chapelle in Villefranche sur mer
A serie of documentaries about Cocteau
HENRI MATISSE
An insightful look into the artist’s life on the French Riviera, where Nice and Vence played a decisive role in shaping his work. Drawn by the light, colours, and gentle rhythm of the Mediterranean, Matisse found here a new artistic freedom that deeply transformed his painting.
The documentary explores his years in Nice, now celebrated at the Musée Matisse, as well as his later work in Vence, including the creation of the Chapelle du Rosaire, considered one of his most accomplished masterpieces. A luminous portrait of an artist inseparable from the Riviera.
Watch the BBC documentary « Becoming Matisse » here
MARC CHAGALL
This documentary explores the profound relationship between the artist and Nice, where he spent the final decades of his life.
Drawn by the Mediterranean light and the serenity of the Riviera, Marc Chagall found here a place of reflection where spirituality, memory, and colour came together at the heart of his work.
It also highlights the exceptional Marc Chagall National Museum, inaugurated in 1973 and conceived during the artist’s lifetime. Dedicated primarily to his Biblical Message series, it is one of the rare museums in the world designed in close collaboration with the artist himself.
A unique cultural landmark in Nice, where art, spirituality, and architecture form a deeply moving and harmonious whole.
« Marc Chagall et la méditérranée » documentaire en Français
A documentary in English
THE FRENCH RIVIERA THROUGH IMAGES AND MEMORY (documentary)
The French Riviera: A History of Pictures, that BBC documentary presented by Richard E Grant offers a visual and cultural journey through the landscapes, light, and imagery that have shaped the identity of the French Riviera. Through archival footage and evocative scenes, the documentary explores how artists, filmmakers, and travellers have been inspired by this unique Mediterranean coast.
A beautiful way to understand why the Riviera has long been a source of fascination, not only as a destination, but as a place deeply rooted in art, memory, and imagination.
Watch the documentary
