Walking in the footsteps of Truffaut's The 400 Blows

Here we are going to please cinema enthusiasts, lovers of the Nouvelle Vague, Truffaut's fiancés. Are you excited? Wait... As you probably know (or not), the 9th and 18th arrondissements were the director's favorite playground. Let's go back to the Parisian locations of The 400 Blows, released in 1959. Jean-Pierre, François, are you ready?

Good to know: the entire film was shot in real locations, meaning natural ones, without studios, and especially in our beloved streets. It's not surprising that the director chose the 9th and 18th arrondissements to depict the wonderful Antoine Doinel (played by Jean-Pierre Léaud, as everyone knows) since those were the neighborhoods where he grew up: go see the recent commemorative plaque placed at 33, rue de Navarin, his childhood home. Yes, we walk the same alleys as the director every day... Maybe it will give us some of his talent, who knows?

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Anyway, let's take a little stroll to Place Gustave Toudouze. Doesn't ring a bell? Well, this is where the exterior scenes in front of the young protagonist Antoine's house were shot (by the way, it was also the first collaboration between the young Jean-Pierre Léaud and the filmmaker). We head towards Avenue Frochot in a hurry, right next door. And when René and Antoine play with the blowpipe through the window, it's at 16 Rue Pierre Fontaine. If you're interested, dear readers, this scene has been my phone wallpaper since forever.

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Let's move on to a more interesting piece of information. Do you remember the sideways glance from Antoine's mom after kissing her lover? Well, it happened at Place de Clichy! That's definitely something to brag about at the next dinner with friends. One last tidbit for the road? The church where the rebellious main character washes his face is the Church of the Trinity at Place d'Estienne-d'Orves.

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Of course, this list is not exhaustive. So feel free to revisit this masterpiece of the French New Wave and marvel at a scene while yelling, "It's down the street!" or "Look, that's where we had lunch yesterday." Personally, I could watch it again and again and again...