‘Savoring Paris’ is a delight

Category: Television and Streaming

Take off on a fun adventure to the City of Lights when Hallmark Channel premieres Savoring Paris starring Bethany Joy Lenz, Stanley Weber, and Ben Wiggins. As part of the Passport to Love programming event on the channel, this film was shot on location in Paris.

When Ella (Lenz) realizes she is not happy at her job and needs a break, she returns to Paris to hopefully find herself. Why Paris? Because when she was there years ago it was the happiest she had ever been. So why not recover some of that happiness and joy.

Ella immediately sublets part of an apartment from Clotilde (Manon Azem), a woman who becomes her greatest ally in the city. On her first day she knows she must buy some of her favorite cheese and meets Serge (Weber), the owner of the local cheese shop, the Fromagerie,  who thinks she is only an American who loves Cheddar. But Ella surprises him when she talks about all different kinds of cheeses and yes, how Cheddar is good on chili cheese dogs. But her interest in cheese is something new to Serge.

Meanwhile, Ella meets Clotilde’s cousin Gaston (Wiggins) who has a reputation of being a cad. It doesn’t matter to her. She just wants to have new experiences and enjoy her time in Paris. She changes her wardrobe to reflect her new surroundings, and some of her outfits are absolutely adorable. (Where can I buy them here in America?)

She decides to try five different cheeses each day, and to help her with her cheese purchases, Ella takes a part time internship at the Fromagerie helping Serge. They have an unlikely friendship that might lead to more, if Ella opens up her heart.

As she is dating Gaston, her attitudes change and she rediscovers the fun-loving and exciting woman she once was. Is it Paris or is it love? Are they mutually exclusive? 

When her mother (Lucy Newman-Wiliams) comes to see how her daughter is getting along on her own in Paris, the two enjoy all that the city has to offer. And her mother sees how her daughter is happy, fulfilled, and has many friends. But this is only a brief time off from her “normal” life, isn’t it? Mom reminds her she must return to her old life and responsibilities. Or must she?

There’s a magic to Paris that envelops Ella. She encourages Serge to expand his shop and open a wine-tasting salon next to his Fromagerie, an idea he initially discards. However, her enthusiasm and his attraction to her win out.

This is an entertaining escape for viewers with a truly enjoyable main character by the name of Ella. Grab some cheese (not the processed kind), a glass of wine, put your feet up and take off for an adventure in Paris, no passport needed. Say “bonjour” to the City of Lights.

Savoring Paris premieres Saturday, June 8, 2024 on Hallmark Channel. 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.