In its 19th-century heyday, the district was home to some 300 windmills and their sails have been immortalised in works by Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir and more.ĭespite rumours of the new owner turning it into an Amélie-themed café, no dramatic changes materialised at Les 2 Moulins. Naturally, it has evolved into a place of pilgrimage for fans across the world, who jostle for seats with seasoned locals – some of whom may rue the cafe’s success. But if you decide to wait out the queues, try the Menu Amélie: finishing with a crème brulée, you too can enjoy the simple pleasure of cracking its crispy top with a teaspoon, just like the character.

The café takes its name from two of Montmartre’s symbols: the Moulins de la Galette and Radet. Alas, the tobacco counter presided over by Georgette (Isabelle Nanty) closed a year after the film’s release, when café owner Claude Labbé retired after more than 15 years at its helm. At the time, a concerned resident told Le Parisien: “As long as it doesn’t become a Chinese restaurant, and it keeps the tobacco counter, that’s the main thing.” Only one of those wishes was granted. The maroon awnings and illuminated sign that heralds Le Café des 2 Moulins haven’t changed since Mlle Poulain waited its tables. Where Rue Cauchois butts heads with the storied Rue Lepic sits a café of legendary proportions on the Amélie tourist trail.

In the twenty years since its wit and whimsy first charmed viewers, few French-language films have made the same waves on the international cinema scene. It’s time to revisit those cobblestone streets and corner cafes, and fall in love with the 18th arrondissement once more. A gateway to French cinema for the uninitiated, Amélie made an international celebrity out of both lead actress Audrey Tautou and the quaint Montmartre district, dominated by the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. It’s the film that defined Paris for a generation. Over two decades since Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s seminal film rewrote French cinema, revisit some of Amélie’s iconic Montmartre filming locations

French films like amelie