Record year for culture-goers

CINEMAS and museums in France enjoyed record attendance levels during 2010, according to latest figures.

Some 206 million people went to the cinema in 2010, up 2.7 per cent on the previous year, and the highest figure in more than 40 years.

Five French films brought three million viewers each; Les Petits Mouchoirs (5.2 million), Camping 2 (3.9 million), L’Arnacœur (3.7 million), Des hommes et des dieux (3.1 million) and Arthur 3 (3 million).

Of the 15 films of 2010 that saw more than three million viewers, nine were American: US films drew 98 million viewers in France, down 1.6 per cent on last year.

However cinemas attendance has yet to beat France's historic high of 211.45 million, recorded in 1967.

◊ The Louvre also had a record year in 2010 with 8.5 million visitors. The museum's temporary exhibitions, including Russian art from the time of Peter the Great and the archaeology and history of Saudi Arabia, drew 420,000 people.

A further 66,000 people were drawn to the museum's musical programme and its website www.louvre.fr received more than 10.7 million visits.
Photo: Des hommes et des dieux won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2010 and also found box office success in France.