5 French shows to watch before Emily in Paris Season 3

Call my Agent (10 pour cent)

This is an obvious one. Awarded best comedy series at the International Emmy Awards, the French comedy set in the world of film stars agents is a must-see if you’ve liked Emily in Paris Season 1, Season 2 and will voraciously binge-watch Emily in Paris Season 3.  Yes, Call My Agent! is less light-hearted but just like the Netflix show it features an incredible cast starting with its female lead, Camille Cottin (recently seen in House of Gucci), and stunning shots of Paris’s café, parks and monuments.

Les Simone

Alright, this is not French; it’s French-Canadian, but this one is not to miss. This series focused on four women going through an existential crisis in their thirties and looking for affirmation, independence and love. A bit more raunchy than the sugary sweet Emily in Paris, at least in Season 1 and Season 2 as we don't know yet if this will still be the case in Emily in Paris Season 3.  The French-language show addresses the same questions as the Netflix series, but with a refreshing tone. Just maybe don’t watch it with your parents! Watch Les Simone on TV5MONDE USA. 

Plus belle la vie

What if Plus belle la vie was just Emily in Paris but set in Provence?  Could that be something we may expect to see in the upcoming Emily in Paris Season 3? If you haven’t heard of Plus belle la vie yet, then you’re not French! For the past 17 years (!), this soapy French TV show has consistently been the most watched series in France. It might be more Heart of Dixie and Gilmore Girls than Emily in Paris, but just like the Netflix show, it will make you fall in love with French art de vivre, its gastronomy, its sweet and calm life… But this time, instead of the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre, you’ll enjoy beautiful views of the cobblestone streets of Marseille and the gardens of the Pharo Palace. Stream Plus Belle la Vie on TV5MONDE USA and TV5MONDE+.

Lupin

Very different in its tone and script – as this show is a game of cat and mouse, in which Arsène Lupin (Omar Sy) is the mouse as a gentleman robber, Lupin will surely be loved by the viewers of Emily in Paris who also loved Season 1 and Season 2 for its cinematography of the French capital. Based on the Maurice Leblanc books, Lupin is a fast-paced French TV show with beautiful sceneries of Paris, whether it’s indoors – in beautiful Haussman-style apartments – or outdoors, around the vicinity of the Louvre. If watching the soon to be released Emily in Paris Season 3 and Lupin Season 3 doesn’t make you want to visit the French capital, then we don’t know what will! 

L’opéra

Another beautiful show to watch, as this one is set at the Opéra Garnier, home of the Paris Opéra Ballet, where Emily goes to see the Swan Lake ballet in Emily in Paris Season 1. L'opéra follows Zoé, who at 35, is fighting to stay the principal dancer while enjoying a lifestyle that’s not exactly suitable for the demanding world of the Opera. Intense and fascinating!

Stream and watch more French TV shows on TV5MONDE.