Woody Allen's New Film "Magic in the Moonlight" Takes You on a Romantic Getaway Through Southern France

By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel & Lifestyle Network Editorial Team

Directed by comedy legend Woody Allen, the new film "Magic in the Moonlight" returns him to European filming locations. Set against the backdrop of the opulent 1920s, the movie features handsome leading man Colin Firth as a great yet arrogant magician, who is sent to the south of France to expose the beautiful and seemingly telepathic psychic played by Emma Stone.

“Nice is an unbelievably beautiful city!” Woody Allen exclaimed. To match the architectural style of the 1920s, the film was shot in several cities along France’s stunning Côte d'Azur. The opening scene featuring Colin Firth’s magic show takes place at the nearly 130-year-old, world-renowned Opéra de Nice. Thanks to the well-preserved interior and its baroque decor, the opera house adds an extra touch of grandeur to the magical performances. A scene where the two characters take shelter from the rain and gaze at the starry sky was filmed at the Nice Observatory — a 19th-century domed building housing a massive telescope, also a favorite spot for private gatherings by local celebrities such as Elton John and U2’s Bono. It’s simply incredibly romantic.

Woody Allen is extremely particular about set design, so to fully immerse "Magic in the Moonlight" in the 1920s atmosphere, the crew filmed near the historic Hôtel Negresco in central Nice. With its classic architecture and beautifully preserved, exquisitely decorated rooms on every floor, the hotel feels like a living museum. The film’s grand ballroom scene, where Emma Stone frequently flirts with Colin Firth and their romance begins to blossom, was shot at the mansion of billionaire Eilen Roc in Antibes.

Scenes depicting the blossoming romance between Colin Firth and Emma Stone — including their restaurant meals and bar encounters — were all filmed at the Hôtel Belle Rives in Juan-les-Pins. The hotel’s La Passagère restaurant is famed for having the most stunning sea view on the entire Côte d'Azur. A romantic dinner paired with breathtaking scenery is simply enchanting, but the battle of wits and love between the charming psychic Emma Stone and the egotistical magician Colin Firth is just beginning.