The Latin Quarter repertory cinema where the Nouvelle Vague directors watched the films that made them want to make films. Two screens running daily double and triple bills of classic and art-house cinema — Hitchcock, Truffaut, Kurosawa, Bergman — in 35mm when prints are available. The facade is discreet; the interior is a time capsule of red velvet and steep raked seating. Le Champo has screened continuously since 1938 and holds the distinction of having programmed more retrospectives than any other cinema in Paris. The neighbourhood — between the Sorbonne and the Panthéon — gives every visit the feeling of walking into a film studies seminar that happens to serve popcorn.
Location
Saint-Germain, Paris
Map
Insider Intel
The double bills are the point — Le Champo pairs films thematically or by director, and the second feature often reveals connections the first does not. Check the weekly programme posted outside and online. The smaller downstairs screen (Salle 2) is more intimate. Arrive early for popular retrospectives — the cinema is small and does not reserve seats.
Weekday afternoon matinees for the classic Paris cinephile experience — students, retirees, and visitors sharing a darkened room at 3pm on a Tuesday. Evening screenings are busier. The Latin Quarter location makes it easy to combine with bookshop browsing at Gibert Joseph or Shakespeare and Company.
Le Champo is classified as a heritage cinema by the city of Paris, protecting it from commercial redevelopment. The cinema is part of the Latin Quarter cluster that also includes Le Grand Action, Reflet Médicis, and Studio des Ursulines — all within walking distance, all programming independent of each other. Tickets are inexpensive. Annual passes exist and are good value. The neighbourhood was the cradle of French cinephilia; Godard, Truffaut, and Rivette all watched films in these rooms.