Emily in Paris : 7 spots pour suivre ses traces sur la Côte d’Azur

Emily on the French Riviera is the new Emily in Paris! For one special episode, the production team of the famous Netflix series have swapped Parisian cafés for the Riviera sunshine. And the least that can be said is that with picture-postcard beaches and deluxe hotels, the stage is truly set! All the ingredients combine as the Frenchest of American girls sets foot on the French Riviera. A girls’ week-end in Saint-Tropez, which turns out to have been filmed mainly in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer. We whisk you away to the 7 filming locations of the made in #FrenchRiviera episode!

1. Villefranche-sur-Mer train station

The episode begins with Villefranche-sur-Mer train station as a backdrop. On the platform, we can even make out a poster from Menton’s famous lemon festival. There’s no doubt about it, we’re well and truly out of Paris. Welcome to the French Riviera Emily! With the colourful house fronts and sun-drenched atmosphere, the magic sets to work.

🌞 Editors’ anecdote:

You only hear about Saint-Tropez in the series but the young American woman actually steps off the train in Villefranche-sur-Mer,120km further east.

2. Route des Trois Corniches

With captivating views and breath-taking scenery, as first impressions go, these are hard to beat. Emily’s weekend begins on the Moyenne-Corniche and Grande-Corniche, charming roads connecting Nice to Menton. With the Mediterranean Sea in the background, the winding road snakes its way through iconic French Riviera scenery for kilometres.

🌞 Editors’ anecdote:

The Trois Corniches Roads were also chosen as the stage for a famous cinematic car chase in 1955. In Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief, Grace Kelly and Cary Grant feature aboard a convertible on these picturesque roads.

3. Le Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat

Emily and her friends stay for the weekend at this luxurious hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean. It is the very embodiment of French-style sophistication, and one of the Riviera’s most legendary addresses. How could these sophisticated working girls resist? Perhaps they left a few words alongside those of Elizabeth Taylor and Winston Churchill in the Grand-Hôtel Cap-Ferrat’s guest book. The two watchwords are glamour and timelessness!

🌞 Editors’ anecdote:

The Netflix series was not the first to choose this sought-after hotel as a set. The hotel also charmed the production team of Grand Hôtel, a series broadcast on French channel, TF1 in 2020.

4. Paloma Beach in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

While Emily Cooper is far from being the only American star to have set foot on Paloma Beach, she left a mark on everyone’s minds nonetheless when she was sprayed with the famous Champère champagne on the terrace of the prestigious beachfront restaurant. Nestled in an unspoilt setting on the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula, this stretch of beach affords unobstructed vistas over the cliffs of Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Eze. An exceptional backdrop to welcome the young American woman with great fanfare!

🌞 Editors’ anecdote:

Tom Cruise, Sean Connery and Roger Moore also succumbed to the delights of the eatery’s Mediterranean cuisine. It’s the place to be seen for the British and American upper crust if you will!

5. Chapelle Saint-Pierre, (aka Chapelle Cocteau)

It’s back to Villefranche-sur-Mer for a scene filmed at daybreak. Camille arranges to meet her friend Emily at Quai de l’Amiral Courbet, inside a veritable architectural gem: Chapelle Saint-Pierre. Designed by Jean Cocteau, it is the perfect location for this scene brimful with emotion. And the producers fully understood this, as they use Emily’s entrance to reveal Cocteau’s sumptuous design.

🌞 Editors’ anecdote:

Jean Cocteau discovered American cinema in the 1910s and promoted it through his poetry and writing. It seems that filmmaker Darren Star wished to return the favour…

6. Villefranche-sur-Mer Bay

It would certainly appear that the production team only had eyes for Villefranche-sur-Mer. It should be pointed out that the village is home to one of the most iconic harbours in the world. And without doubt one of the most beautiful bays on the French Riviera. Sheltered by Cap Ferrat, the bay offers unparalleled dolce vita and an awe-inspiring panorama. A true snapshot of the French Riviera. The perfect locations for playing with the lens and snapping a few selfies, isn’t that right Emily?

🌞 Editors’ anecdote:

Appearing in over 200 films and series, Villefranche-sur-Mer harbour is a favourite set among filmmakers and it’s easy to see why!

7. Saint-Tropez

We can finally say it, “Welcome to Saint-Tropez Emily!” From the legendary Café Tropézien, to the Chez Madeleine oyster bar, the production team selected its sets with care. With its Tarte Tropézienne cream cake and delectable nougat, Café Sénéquier is a local institution and the place for stars passing through the French Riviera. An unmissable picture break for Mindy, bien sûr!

🌞 Editors’ anecdote:

Pablo Picasso, Brigitte Bardot, Jacques Chirac, Louis de Funès and Boris Vian…a whole host of stars have graced Café Sénéquier’s legendary red triangular tables, with the Mediterranean at the other end of the table.