Five series to binge watch this weekend if you love all things French

France, the nation of romance and beauty and art, and its capital Paris is adored by most people. From dunking a still-hot almond croissant into a cup of hot cocoa or coffee, to purchasing some pecorino for your afternoon park picnic, to commissioning a talented street artist to make a quick portrait, the dreamy ambience and landscape makes one intoxicated by simply breathing in their liberating air. If that is how your ideal French outing feels like, then these five shows are not to be missed. Bon visionnage!

Transatlantic

Based on Julie Orringer’s The Flight Portfolio, Transatlantic premiered on Netflix in April, 2023. This seven-episode series. The series traces the prophetic journey of Varian Fry, who travelled to Nazi-occupied Marseille in 1940, during WWII, to help a list of imperiled artists and writers, and instead ended up staying for more than a year on personal risk to help refugees travel to safer ports. A brave tale of forbidden romance, risque adventures and sacrifice.

Marianne

This 2019 Netflix horror series has been meticulously written by Quoc Dang Tran and directed by Samuel Bodin. The eight-episode French series follows a unique twist on the iconic antagonism between the creator and the created, that became popular after Frankenstein. Instead of a scientist and his reanimated corpse monster progeny, Marianne is about the traumatic and terrifying relationship between horror novelist Emma Larsimon and her Lizzie Larck book series’ antagonist, a demonic witch named Marianne, who is no longer fictional but very much real.

Emily in Paris

This popular series, showcasing the American view of France and the French lifestyle, premiered in 2020, and has three seasons to its name. A beautifully shot and dreamily curated series to portray the best of France, it vividly contrasts yet equivocates the American and French lifestyles through the character of Emily, by following her stay and experience working in Paris. Full of stunning outfits, drama, gossip, chemistry, love triangles, lip-smacking food and Champére, of course, the series is your virtual visa to the city of love.

Lupin

This French series can get no more French, based on Maurice Leblanc’s renowned literary creation, the impeccable thief, Arsène Lupin. Having premiered in January, 2021, Lupin follows the story of professional thief Assane Diop, who follows the novels of Arséne Lupin, gifted to him by his father, to execute his heists. A bright child, Assane turned to thievery after his honest father was framed for a theft and thrown in jail, where he died. Left alone to fend for himself, Assane opted to avenge his father’s death and clear his name.

The 7 Lives of Lea

The 7 Lives of Lea, or Les 7 vies de Léa, is adapted from Charlotte Sanson’s novel of the same name. Created by Sanson herself, the French series premiered in 2022 on Netflix. The show follows a teenage Lea who stumbles upon the skeletal remains of a boy, before waking up the next day, thirty years in the past, in the body of the dead boy, whose name is Ishmael. In this manner, Lea wakes up in six more bodies, within seven days, each person connected to Ishmael, and tries to prevent his death.