Legendary, more classic theaters worth a visit include the Mk2 Bibliothéque, which is perfect for date night with their loveseats designed for two; the mythical Grand Rex, which offers behind-the-scenes tours and hosts blockbuster premiers and special screenings (they recently were one of the few cinemas to show Oppenheimer on 70mm, using the projector for the first time since 1989); while the newer Pathé palace designed by Renzo Piano offers a suite of luxury amenities, including a concierge service, heatable, reclining plush leather seats, and an Art Deco bar designed by Jacques Grange.

What to Do

Costumes and sketches from The Royal Tenenbaums feature in a Wes Anderson exhibition at the Cinémathèque française.

Photo: Stéphane Dabrowski

And if you’re not taking in a film, there’s more to do still, whether dancing the night away at the David Lynch-designed night club Silencio, taking a tour behind the scenes of Le Grand Rex, or browsing the stacks at JM Club in the 11ème, one of the last surviving video rental shops and cinema hangouts that’s developed a cult following and is home to the Konbini Club, where actors and directors including Ben Stiller, Pedro Almodovar, and Jodie Foster pick out and discuss their favorite films (consider it the French counterpart to the Criterion Closet). For a treasure trove of vintage posters, head to Librarie Elba, Intemperol, Orsay, or Potemkine, a café and boutique near the canal Saint Martin filled with DVDs, Blu-rays, books, vinyls, and all things cinema. Or book a walking tour with Juliette Dubois of Ciné-Balade, whose visits traverse Paris to bring the silver screen to life with guided walks chronicling Amélie Poulain’s Montmartre, Jean-Luc Godard’s New Wave life near the Sorbonne, or following in the footsteps of Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris.