By Jen Wallace

With the days of Blockbuster well and truly over, Netflix unavailable in France and the epidemic of dodgy pirated downloading online, ÉCU has researched alternative and 100% legal ways of watching your favourite movies in Paris. With an emphasis on French classics, rarities and independent cinema, here are 5 ways to watch movies around the city. (Note: Always carry ID and proof of address with you, as most libraries will ask to you to prove you are a Parisian citizen.)

1) The Bilbiothèque François Truffaut- Located in the Halles at Chatelet, and next to the Forum Des Images (A great place for screenings, exhibitions and public debates) you can watch a wonderful selection of films for free in their library. Even if you are only in Paris for a week you can gain access to their archives. Our favourite way to watch independent French cinema!

2) Any public library – The best way to watch movies at home! Here’s how it works – you pay a one off fee of €60 a year and you can rent ANY film from ANY public library in Paris (including the Bibliothèque François Truffaut above). The choice is endless.

3) The Cinemathèque Française- Similar to the Truffaut library, as well as holding fantastic exhibitions, screening rare classics and having a great bookstore, the Cinemathèque also has a great library where you can watch films for €3.5 for a day’s access. However, if you are a student under 26 you can pay €9 for a trimestrial subscription and unlimited access.

4) The Bilbiothèque Nationale Française- Although a bit more complicated than the other two libraries, and with bizarre openings hours for Paris’ biggest library, the BNF also has a huge selection of films to watch. You have to register and get membership (which perhaps you have already if you are a student) and then pay €8.5 for a three day pass. The final stage is asking specific permission to consult the film archives! But if you are working on a project for school or university, it seems like a worthwhile investment. And why not browse their entire collection of Cahiers de Cinéma magazine whilst you are there?

5) Online rental: dvdfly.fr – Similar to Lovefilm and Netflix, this website delivers DVDs to your door or lets you stream them online. They have a free trial period so you can test it out and prices start at €5.95 a month for 2 dvds and up to €300 a year for unlimited rentals.