Ten great reasons to shoot in France.

There are too many reasons to list, but let’s start with the obvious: French scenery is renowned worldwide. Of course, there are the historical monuments, romantic Paris. But think bigger — the Alps, the wild shores of Brittany, the wide beaches of Normandy, the contemporary architecture. I can easily name 20 cities where you could shoot cinematic sequences without repeating yourself.

That was true ten years ago. Today, our crews are almost fluent. The new generation travels extensively — DPs, steadycam operators, post-production specialists are well known internationally and had to learn English to work. It’s no longer a real obstacle.

Hundreds of global stars come to France every year for Cannes — and they know exactly why. Our hair and makeup artists are among the most creative and skilled in the world. Add to that our CGI culture: if you check the end credits of any Hollywood blockbuster or animation film, you’ll find French names. And our food stylists? Top guns, without question.

French DPs from the new generation are arguably the best in the world. The schooling is demanding — they study painting, photography, sculpture, colour theory. France also develops cutting-edge technology in lenses, camera bodies and lighting. And our steadycam operators: at least five of them are ranked in the world’s top 20.

France’s history with cinema goes back to the Lumière brothers. We have the Cité du Cinéma in Paris — an entire city dedicated to our art, thanks to Luc Besson. A new Backlot of Paris’s street just launch at 30Km of the city .Further south, Studio Riviera in Nice spans over 70,000m². Les Studios de Marseille are equally vast and professional. And remember: the TGV connects all major cities in under three hours.

France is an ethnic mosaic — from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia. French youth is genuinely diverse, beautiful and strong. The street culture we’ve developed over the past 20 years gives us incredible talent: dancers, athletes, skaters, BMX riders, specialists in every emerging sport. And our women’s casting? Elegant, undeniably French — in the best possible way.

We have four seasons — and about a hundred different versions of nature. The South of France delivers sun from March to October: lavender, sunflowers, the Mediterranean, the Camargue (pink flamingos, white horses, rice marshes). Need snow? Mont-Blanc and the Pyrénées are accessible year-round. Autumn leaves? Sologne and the Marais Poitevin. Wild winter ocean? Biarritz and Brittany. Whatever you need, France has it.

Yes, but it requires proper planning. In co-productions between a French and a foreign company, the French partner can access tax credits of up to 15% of final costs — for film productions only, not advertising. State and regional funding also exists, but the administrative process is real, so build in enough time. More practically: working collaboratively with local partners can trim production costs by up to 30% and can reach 40% if post production is involved. I’ve seen it happen regularly.

Wine. No doubt. White, red, rosé, Champagne, Cognac — something for every palate. But beyond the joke: wine has a real power. It binds people together in a warm, friendly atmosphere. After a long shooting day in France, there is always a good bottle waiting. That’s not a small thing.