The cathedral of world cinema, housed in Frank Gehry's former American Center building in Bercy. Founded by Henri Langlois in 1936, the Cinémathèque holds one of the largest film archives on earth and programmes with the authority of an institution that helped invent the idea that film is an art form deserving of preservation. Four screens run simultaneous retrospectives — a month of Mizoguchi overlapping with early Godard overlapping with restored silent films with live orchestral accompaniment. The permanent museum traces cinema history from the Lumière brothers through digital, with original cameras, costumes, sets, and manuscripts. Langlois saved thousands of films during the Occupation by hiding them; the Nouvelle Vague directors learned cinema in the seats of the original Cinémathèque on Rue d'Ulm. This is where film culture lives.
Location
Bastille, Paris
Map
Insider Intel
Check the monthly programme before arriving — the Cinémathèque runs multiple retrospectives simultaneously and the depth of programming rewards planning. The main screening room (Salle Henri Langlois, 400 seats) has superb projection. The permanent exhibition on cinema history is worth an hour on its own. The bookshop stocks film criticism and theory in French and English that you will not find elsewhere. The restaurant Les Enfants Terribles has Parc de Bercy views.
Weekday evenings for the most serious programming and the most devoted audiences. Weekend matinees for family screenings and accessible classics. Festival seasons (Cannes overflow, restored prints) bring special programmes. The museum is open daily except Tuesday.
Located in Bercy, east of Bastille — metro Bercy (Line 6/14). The Gehry building is distinctive and visible from the park. Screenings are in original language with French subtitles. Annual membership (Libre Pass) gives unlimited access to screenings and the museum — exceptional value for cinephiles staying more than a few days. The archive holds over 40,000 films. Henri Langlois, who founded the institution, is buried in Montparnasse cemetery. The Cinémathèque is not a cinema — it is a philosophy of cinema made into a building.