Paris, France: Outdoor Movies Are a Hit in Paris' Park La Villette

With free nightly outdoor movies at Parc de la Villette, Paris makes a statement about public life. Every evening except Monday, from nightfall through August, crowds gather on the park's immaculate lawn for a programme themed around Man and Beast -- a mix of Hitchcock's The Birds, Truffaut's L'Enfant Sauvage, Planet of the Apes, The Life Aquatic, A Fish Called Wanda, and Burton's Batman.

Films start at 10:30 p.m., but arriving early is essential. Bring a blanket and something to eat -- the French pique-nique everywhere -- or just join the crowd with a bottle of rosé. When the hero finally kisses the girl, the whole lawn cheers. This is cinema as it was before screens shrank enough to fit in a pocket.