With sparkling blue seas, prestigious locations, and breathtaking views, it is no wonder film directors flock to the French Riviera to shoot their movies. Stars including Grace Kelly, Pierce Brosnan, Meg Ryan and Cary Grant have all experienced filming on the Riviera, much to the delight of the French Riviera Chamber of Commerce's Film Commission.

Set up in 1998, the commission explains the attraction of the area, saying: "The greatest French and international directors have made movies here, enthusing about the light and the diversity of our natural decors." And the "natural decor" goes some way to explain why three Bond movies have been set around the Riviera!

From 'To Catch a Thief' in 1955 to the more recent 'Ocean's Twelve' in 2004, FR2DAY brings you a guide to some of the most famous films shot on the French Riviera.

'The Last Time I Saw Paris' (1954)
This film, loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story 'Babylon Revisited', stars Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson. Helen Ellswirth (Taylor), a fun-loving beauty living in France at the end of WWII, finds her path crossed with wry reporter Charles Wills (Johnson). Despite the fact that Helen's hard-working sister Marion also loves Wills, Helen and the reporter marry, and soon have a child. Eventually the couple begin to drift apart and Wills leaves his wife and returns to America. The film ends with a wrenching conclusion when Wills returns to take custody of his daughter.

The film features locations in Cannes and Monaco, including a famous scene at the Monaco Grand Prix, where Charles enters his car in a race and takes Mrs. Lorraine Quarl (played by Eva Gabor) with him as a passenger.

'To Catch a Thief' (1955)
Alfred Hitchcock's film was responsible for Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly meeting her future husband, Prince Rainier of Monaco, and became the last Hitchock film that Kelly ever starred in (Hitchcock wanted to cast Princess Grace in 'Marnie' in 1964 but the citizens of Monaco expressed disapproval at her acting career). Also starring Cary Grant, the film tells the story of retired jewel thief John Robie (played by Grant). When a series of robberies hint to the police that Robie is out of retirement, they try to track him down. Robie then attempts to track down the person impersonating his thieving style, and comes across Jessie Stevens and her daughter Francie (Kelly), who own some of the most expensive jewels around.

Filming locations on the movie set include Saint-Jeannet, where Robie's villa was set, Le Bar sur Loup and Tourrettes sur Loup, villages both shown during a car chase in the film, Cannes' Hotel Carlton, Boulevard Jean Jaures and Boulevard Leader in Cannes, Eze, Nice's Promende des Anglais and Avenue Foch, Avenue de la Victoire in La Turbie, the Light tower in Cannes and Cagnes sur Mer, where the cemetery is set.

'An Affair to Remember' (1957)
Starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, this film (a remake of the 1939 film 'Love Affair') tells the story of Nickie Ferrante (Grant), a playboy who meets Terry McKay (Kerr) on the boat the SS Constitution and agrees to meet her in six months on top of the Empire State Building in New York if he can find a way to provide for her.

As well as the grand finale scenes in New York, there are some shots of the French Riviera, when Nickie takes Terry to meet his grandmother in her villa. While the interior and courtyard were filmed in a studio, the views were shots of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Due to budget restrictions, the majority of the film which was set on the Riviera was actually filmed in a studio.

'Paris - When It Sizzles' (1964)
The Hotel du Cap Eden Roc in Antibes is a firm celebrity favourite these days, with Paris Hilton and Lily Allen both holidaying there recently, but it was first made famous by Audrey Hepburn in 1964. Hepburn starred alongside William Holden in Richard Quine's delightful romantic comedy about a scriptwriter (Holden) who has been paid to write a screenplay but leaves it until two days before it is due. In a panic, he hires a typist to come to his hotel room and help him with the script. During the film, the pair fall in love.

The opening shot of the film, showing a movie producer dictating, was shot in the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc and, as well as scenes in Paris, there were also some scenes filmed in Orly Airport.

'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (1968)
A childhood favourite, 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' starred Dick Van Dyke and had a script written by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes. The movie revolves around eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts (Dyke) who manages to make a car fly. The film then focuses on the adventure Caractacus and love interest Truly have with Caractacus' children Jeremy and Jemima.

While a lot of the film was shot in Buckinghamshire, England, the beach scenes were filmed on Cap Taillat (above) on the Côte d'Azur, where the children and Truly sing the iconic song 'Truly Scrumptious', and others were shot in nearby St Tropez.

'Monte Carlo or Bust!' (1969)
Great British comedians Tony Curtis, Dudley Moore, Peter Cook and Eric Sykes unite in this comedy caper set in the 1920s about a group of men who compete in the Monte Carlo car rally across Europe. It also stars comic French actor Bourvil as a race organiser. Widely criticised for rapidly changing locations, some of the movie was obviously filmed in Monte Carlo.

'Diamonds Are Forever' (1971)
Sean Connery stars as British spy James Bond in this 1971 film, in which 007 is assigned to infiltrate a smuggling ring and find out who is stock piling stolen diamonds. Impersonating a gang member named Franks. During the investigation, Bond realises his arch enemy Blofeld is still alive, despite thinking he had watched him die in Egypt.

The opening scene of this exciting film was shot on Le Cap d'Antibes, a stunning part of Antibes-Juans-Les-Pins, which is a popular holiday spot for those keen to experience the Riviera in a more subdued location than St Tropez or Monaco.

'The French Connection' (1971)
Starring a very young Gene Hackman, 'The French Connection' tells the story of two New York police cops who are trying to intercept a large heroin shipment coming from France. The film opens in Marseilles, with a professional hit man Pierre Nicoli (played by Marcel Bozzuffi) kills a French detective with a gunshot to the face. It emerges later in the film that Nicoli is an associate of French criminal mastermind Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey), who is behind attempting to transport drugs from France to New York.

'The Day of the Jackal' (1973)
Based on the novel by Frederick Forsyth, the film stars Edward Fox as an assassin known only as 'The Jackal', who is hired to assassinate Charles de Gaulle, the President of France. There are various locations on the French Riviera used in the film, including the journey along the Bord de Mer from Nice to Cannes which the Jackal takes. He then arrives at the Hotel Majestic Cannes Barrière in Cannes to telephone Paris and finds out his cover has been blown. While he is attempting to decide to continue with his mission, the Jackal enjoys a cup of coffee on the terrace of the hotel (although the bill for his drink causes him to wince, thanks to the cost!)

'La Cage aux folles' (1978)
Now a huge West End show in London, 'La Cage aux folles' is about two gay men living in St Tropez whose lives are turned upside down when one of their sons announces he is getting married. While a lot of the film was shot in a studio in Rome, Italy, some of it was filmed on location. Notable shots of St Tropez include the Place de l'Ormeau, where a huge argument in the film takes place, and the Rue de l'Ormeau. There were also some shots of St Tropez beach.

'Never Say Never Again' (1983)
Sean Connery returned to his role as Bond 12 years after shooting 'Diamonds are Forever', and again the director chose to set some of the movie on the French Riviera.

Bond is taken out of semi-retirement to recapture two Tomahawk cruise missiles stolen by SPECTRE agent under the command of Ernst Blofeld. Some scenes in the film were shot in Antibes, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cap Martin, the Casino de Monte Carlo in Monaco, Fort Carré in Antibes (the location for the Fortress of the Palmyra Estate of Largo), the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, Menton, Musée Rothschild in Cap Ferrat, Nice, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Villefranche-sur-Mer (for the motorcycle chase) and Villa Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

'The Jewel of the Nile' (1985)
Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner reprise their roles in this film, the sequel to 'Romancing the Stone', where Jack and Joan have their perfect life but are gradually getting bored of each other. So Joan decided to go to the Middle East as a guest of a sheik but is abducted, and then it's up to Jack to rescue her. As the couple enjoy life on their yacht, the scenery around them is that of Monaco, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Nice.

Remember to check back to FR2DAY next week for the second part of our guide on the most famous films shot on the Riviera, including 'Ronin', 'Swordfish' and 'Ocean's Twelve'.

You can check out part two of this feature here

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