Photo shoots in Paris
A stills crew looks small, so producers assume Paris will not notice. The city's rules name photo shoots explicitly, and a lookbook with two vans and a garden location is on the same clock as a film. Here is how to keep a fashion or campaign shoot light, legal and on time.
01
A stills shoot is a shoot
The ruleThe City of Paris states it plainly in its own FAQ: any shoot or picture-taking in the streets of Paris needs an authorisation, and its rules cover films, adverts, music videos and photo shoots alike. There is no separate, softer regime for stills. What decides your clock is not stills versus motion, it is the size of the crew, the kit and the place.
We are a production service company working across France from Paris and Cannes. For fashion houses, brands, agencies and photographers coming from London, Berlin or New York, we carry the French side of the shoot: permits, locations, crew, casting paperwork, vans, a unit base and a producer on set. Élie handles the permits and the doors; Zacharie runs the day.
02
Which regime your shoot falls under
From the city's published guidance, indicativeYour shootRegimeLead time
Small crew, handheld, streets and bridges onlyPhotographer, assistant, stylist, model, light reflectorsDeclaration on the city's platform. No parking reservation, no traffic requests, nothing after 11pm5 working days
Any vehicle parking, a generator, a closed pavementTypical campaign or lookbookFull authorisation on the city's online platform15 working days
Parks, gardens, quays, canals, the SeineEven with a tiny crewFull authorisation, never the declaration15 working days
Markets, cemeteries, schools, museumsMunicipal sitesSpecific authorisation, usually with a fee paid before the shootCase by case
MonumentsThe Louvre courtyards, the Eiffel Tower, national palacesThe site's own operator, not the city4 to 10 weeks
Hotels, apartments, rooftops, shopsPrivate interiorsThe owner, with a written agreement for commercial use, plus the city for anything on the street outsideNegotiated
Not every Paris garden belongs to Paris
The city's gardens need the full authorisation, which already surprises stills crews used to shooting in a London park with a phone call. But some of the most photographed gardens in central Paris are not city gardens at all: the Luxembourg, for one, is assigned to the Senate, and its own regulations make professional photo and film shoots subject to a special authorisation from the Senate. Those gardens are cleared with their own institution, on its terms and timeline. We check who owns the lawn before the moodboard is signed off.
03
Three things stills producers miss
Paris specifics01The charter on the first requestSince 1 January 2025, the city asks for a signed charter against sexist and sexual violence with the first request for any shoot or photo shoot. The city's FAQ exempts single-person photo shoots. A fashion team is not a single person.Filing
02Models under 16A child model needs a prior authorisation from the prefect, either individually or through an agency holding a specific approval. Individual authorisations are given after a specialised commission's opinion, with a month for the decision. Kids' and family campaigns are bid on that clock.Casting
03Dawn and noiseThe empty-street sunrise shot is a Paris classic. The city asks crews to keep noise down during set-up and strike, early in the morning and late in the evening, and to inform residents in advance by notice or flyer. We post the notices and keep the van doors quiet.On set
The Eiffel Tower by night. Daytime images of the tower are in the public domain. The illuminations and sparkle are protected, and professional use of night images needs prior authorisation from the tower's operator, with fees depending on the use. For a campaign image, that includes stills.
04
The fashion calendar
When Paris is fullJanuaryMen's and haute couture weeks, usually. Models, stylists and hair and make-up artists are in town and in demand.
Late February to early MarchWomen's Paris Fashion Week, usually. The hardest week of the year for vans, hotel rooms and good assistants.
June and JulyMen's and couture weeks return, usually, with Bastille Day locking down the centre on 14 July.
Late September to early OctoberWomen's Fashion Week again, usually. Then a calm autumn: our favourite window for campaign shoots.
AugustLight and empty streets, but some studios, rental houses and venues close.
05
Fashion and stills work
Selected2023The Kardashians (Hulu, Fulwell 73)Season 2 finaleMulti-unit shoot across Paris during Fashion Week.Wrapped
2023BoodlesFine jewellery campaignParis locations, permits and logistics around the Tuileries and the Pavillon de Flore.Wrapped
Shooting motion as well as stills on the same day? The rules for a spot are on our page about shooting a commercial in Paris, including vehicle caps per site. For a creator-led shoot, see influencer and creator production. Kit, lighting and a digital tech come from Paris rental houses.
Do you need a permit for a photo shoot in Paris?
Yes, if it takes place in the street or any public space. The City of Paris applies the same rules to photo shoots as to filming. A small crew with light kit on streets and bridges only can use a declaration filed 5 working days ahead; anything with parking, generators, gardens, quays or the Seine needs the full authorisation, filed at least 15 working days ahead. These are indicative and confirmed per project.
Can we do a fashion shoot in a Paris park or garden?
Yes, with the full authorisation, never the light declaration, whatever the crew size. Some central gardens are not run by the city at all (the Luxembourg garden is run by the Senate, which grants its own special authorisations) and are cleared with their own institution. We check ownership before you commit to a location.
Do we need permission to photograph the Eiffel Tower for a campaign?
By day, no: the operator says daytime images are in the public domain. At night, the illuminations are protected, and professional use of night images, including campaign stills, needs the operator's prior authorisation, with fees depending on the use.
Can we shoot with child models in Paris?
Yes, with the prefect's prior authorisation for each child under 16, or through a model agency that holds the specific approval for minors. An individual authorisation is given after a specialised commission's opinion, and the prefect has a month to decide, so start the paperwork when you start casting.
What is the best time of year for a fashion shoot in Paris?
Avoid the fashion weeks unless the shows are your subject: models, stylists, vans and hotels are booked out. Autumn after the October shows and the quieter weeks of winter and spring are the easiest windows for permits, crew and prices.
Planning a photo shoot in Paris?
Send the moodboard, the dates, the locations and the size of the team. We tell you which route applies and keep the shoot light and legal.
Or email [email protected]. We reply within 3 hours.