La Villette Open-Air Cinema

The Cinéma en Plein Air at Parc de la Villette is one of Paris's most beloved summer rituals: a giant inflatable screen rises over a vast lawn in the northeast of the city, and each evening a themed programme of films — classics, cult favourites and world cinema — plays free of charge under the night sky. It's a wonderfully local, unpretentious experience, and if you're in Paris in high summer it's a perfect low-cost evening that feels a world away from the tourist crush.

The atmosphere is the point. Parisians arrive in the late afternoon with blankets, wine and picnic hampers, staking out spots on the grass as the light fades. Deckchairs can be rented, food trucks line the park, and by nightfall thousands are settled in for the show. The films are shown in their original language (often with French subtitles), so many are perfectly watchable for English speakers.

Practical tips

Entry is free and unticketed, but arrive early — ideally before sunset — to claim a good patch of lawn, and bring your own rug or hire a deckchair on site. Pack a jacket and something to sit on; the grass gets cool and damp once the sun goes down. Check the programme in advance to catch a film screening in a language you'll follow, and note that screenings only start once it's properly dark.

The screenings are on the Prairie du Triangle lawn at Parc de la Villette in northeast Paris. Fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and take the RER B into the city, or Orly (ORY) with the Orlyval-plus-RER connection. For the park, the closest Métro stops are Porte de Pantin (Line 5) at the southern entrance and Porte de la Villette (Line 7) at the northern end. Both are a short walk from the lawn. Métro Line 5 runs late, handy for the after-dark finish.

• Before you go, read the UK government's FCDO travel advice for France (entry requirements, safety and local laws).
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