Champagne-Ardenne in the Spotlight: Films Shot Across the Region

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by

Julie Pierrot
in

Cinema isn’t just made in Paris or Cannes. Champagne-Ardenne has welcomed its fair share of film crews over the years, too.

From the streets of Reims to the forests of the Ardennes, and across Haute-Marne, Marne and Aube, the region has become an increasingly popular filming destination in recent years.

Films Shot in Champagne-Ardenne

After winning the César Award for Best Short Film in 2023, Amélie Bonnin brought her first feature to Saint-Dizier and the L’Escale roadside restaurant in Perthes. Selected to open the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the film stars Juliette Armanet, Bastien Bouillon, François Rollin, Tewfik Jallab and Dominique Blanc.

Director Hubert Charuel captured the landscapes around Droyes, in the Rives Dervoises area, for this gripping rural drama about the world of farming. The film won three César Awards in 2018, including Best First Film and Best Actor for Swann Arlaud.

Deeply attached to his home region, Hubert Charuel returned to shoot this film starring Paul Kircher, Salif Cissé and Idir Azougli. Filming took place across Saint-Dizier, Reims and the wider Troyes area.

Director Dominik Moll, known for The Night of the 12th, brought his cameras to the Marnaval district and Bettancourt-la-Ferrée in Saint-Dizier, as well as Vitry-le-François and the nearby Auchan shopping centre in Bar-le-Duc. The film stars Léa Drucker in a police investigation drama.

Jérôme Commandeur turned Reims and its surroundings into a vast film set. Locations included Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, Rue Cérès, Rue Voltaire and Boulevard Lundy, along with several towns in the Greater Reims area: Bétheny, Fismes, Bezannes, Jonchery-sur-Vesle, Taissy and Cormontreuil. The cast features Vanessa Paradis, Laurent Lafitte and François Damiens.

Comedians Grégoire Ludig and David Marsais, the duo behind Le Palmashow, headed to the Ardennes to shoot their first feature film under the direction of Jonathan Barré. The impressive Fort de Charlemont provided the backdrop for this historical comedy.

Catherine Deneuve as Bernadette Chirac? This satirical biopic, directed by Léa Domenach, was filmed in and around Reims, Châlons-en-Champagne, Épernay and Ville-en-Selve.

Patrice Chéreau brought the historic architecture of Reims Cathedral and the former Jesuit College to the screen. Starring Isabelle Adjani and Daniel Auteuil, this acclaimed period drama won two awards at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and five César Awards in 1995.

Yolande Moreau ventured into the Ardennes to capture the region’s distinctive atmosphere, filming in Charleville-Mézières and Monthermé for this heartfelt comedy-drama.

This Netflix production, directed by Mark Steven Johnson, brought its cameras to the heart of the Marne vineyards, with filming around Épernay and Taissy.

More than 40 years before many of today’s productions, Bernard Borderie was already bringing a swashbuckling adventure to life in the Joinville area of Haute-Marne, proving that the region has long attracted filmmakers.

How Film Productions Benefit the Region

Seeing your hometown on the big screen is exciting, but the benefits go far beyond local pride. Every film crew brings jobs for local technicians, extra business for shops and restaurants, and opportunities for residents to experience the magic of filmmaking firsthand.

According to the latest activity report from the Bureau des images Grand Est, the region’s film industry is thriving, with substantial support for film production:

  • Economic impact: more than €19.9 million generated, against a total of €2,418,000 in funding from the Grand Est Regional Council.
  • Accommodation: 37,891 overnight stays for film crews.
  • Film technicians: more than 1,088 local hires, including 175 department heads.
  • Actors and extras: more than 6,288 local hires.

Coming Soon: La Bande à Fifi Heads to Troyes

La Bande à Fifi is coming to Troyes in early January 2027 to shoot Alibi.com 3. Philippe Lacheau and his team are looking for 200 extras — 150 adults and 50 children — to recreate the magic of a Christmas market in the heart of the city.

This selection is just a glimpse of everything that has been filmed in the area. To discover scenes shot near you or explore more films made in the region, check out the interactive map on Movie Scene Map.

So… When will it be your turn to step in front of the camera against one of our region’s cinematic backdrops?