The French Connection (1971)

dir. William Friedkin

The film is set mostly in New York City and these locations have been covered a few times. A small portion of the movie takes place in and around Marseille but I haven’t seen any detailed coverage of these. So I’ve decided to fill in the gap.

The movie begins with an undercover police detective (Jean Luisi) stalking drug trafficker Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey) in the Vallon des Auffes. It’s a little traditional fishing haven off Corniche Kennedy. Its colorful fishermen’s houses and the typical Marseille fishing boats make it a very picturesque place popular with tourists. It’s also home to two traditional and renowned restaurants, Chez Jeannot and Chez Fonfon, both of which appear in the film. The arched bridge that spans the port was built in the 19th century by Jean-François Mayor de Montricher, at the same time as the Corniche.

The detective emerges from the doorway of a pizzeria – Chez Jeannot, 129 Rue du Vallon des Auffes, Marseille, France .

Then he lurks near 132 Rue du Vallon des Auffes.

Charnier comes out of a restaurant – Chez Fonfon, 140 Rue du Vallon des Auffes. Founded in 1952, the restaurant is famous for its bouillabaisse, a traditional Provençal fish soup.

Later, the detective watches Charnier outside La Samaritaine, 2 Quai du Port, Marseille, France

The detective walking home through the streets of Le Panier. The district could be described as Marseille’s Old Town. In the 19th and early 20th century, it was rife with crime and prostitution. In the end of the 20th and early 21st century, it was given a huge makeover and is now home to artists’ studios, shops, and designers. And it’s swarming with tourists.

Rue du Refuge

Montée des Accoules at Rue des Moulins

Rue des Repenties

Rue Baussenque

He buys a baguette at Rue du Panier…

And goes up the street where he lives – Rue des Moulins

He enters his apartment building at 50 Rue des Moulins where Charnier’s henchman Pierre Nicoli (Marcel Bozzuffi) steps out of the shadows and shoots him point blank.

The door was locked and it wasn’t possible to reproduce the same shot. I shot the other side of the street and the sidewalk as it was seen through the doorway in the film.

Charnier meets with his business associate at the Port of Marseille.
In this instance, the camera is looking towards Boulevard Jacques Saadé and the Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure. The hangar J3, seen behind them, was demolished in 1997.

The reverse shot shows the hangar J4, also demolished and the Fort Saint-Jean. The esplanade where J4 once was is now occupied by the MUCEM (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations).

The aerial photo of the port before the renovations shows the hangars of which only J1 survives. Charier and his associate stood on the Quai Jean Charcot near the lighthouse (Phare Sainte-Marie).

Photo Marc Heller, for INAMA and DRAC PACA

Charnier is riding out of Marseille – Corniche Président John Fitzgerald Kennedy between Anse de l'Oriol and Plage du Prophète

Charnier’s house – 1 Avenue des Calanques, Cassis, France .

Charnier meeting with Nicoli to discuss the drug shipment involving a TV celebrity named Henri Devereaux (Frédéric de Pasquale) – Château d'If, Marseille, France. It’s a 16th century fortress located on the Île d'If, about 0.9 miles (1.5 km) offshore from Marseille. It served as a prison until 1890. It was made famous by Alexandre Dumas in his novel The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s the prison from which Edmond Dantès makes his daring escape.