Tonight on TV: 2024’s Biggest French Hit! Where Was Artus’ Comedy Filmed?

After drawing an impressive 10.7 million viewers to cinemas and becoming the biggest hit of 2024 in France, the comedy “Un p’tit truc en plus” premieres tonight on Canal+. This is a great chance to catch up on the film that has sparked significant buzz, featuring two criminals (played by Artus and Clovis Cornillac) who hide out in a summer camp for people with disabilities.

Artus was stunned

Overseen by Artus himself, the filming took place near Malleval-en-Vercors in Isère. The location instantly captivated Artus, as shared by Mayor Christophe Durand with Le Parisien: “When Artus first saw this place, he was blown away. It was love at first sight. He immediately declared, ‘This is where we’re going to shoot the movie, and nowhere else!'”

The lodge had no electricity!

In the movie, the young people with disabilities arrive at their usual holiday lodge, but in reality, it was an “old 19th-century barn that was uninhabitable, nestled amidst a stunning alpine meadow frequented by cows in the summer”, reports Le Parisien. A barn… without basic necessities!

“There was no electricity, no water, and the road was so narrow and rugged that it was impassable for production trucks”, explains the mayor. “It’s so rarely used that moss covers the middle of it. Artus had never seen anything like it.” To transport the film equipment, the mayor had to bring out a snowplow, the only vehicle capable of reaching the location.

The film crew stayed in the village at the Les Galopins inn. The innkeeper, Philippe Ledner, told Le Parisien: “[Artus] had wanted to stay a bit further away in a larger place, but it was such a hectic schedule that it was more practical here, just steps from the shooting location. In the end, Artus ended up in the last available room, the smallest one!”

Ever since the filming, that room has been dubbed… the Artus Room.

Artus without a shower?

“The room didn’t even have a shower, so every day, Artus had to walk across the village with his towel to wash up at the community lodge across the street. (…) He didn’t take himself too seriously, although he was very focused and concerned about the filming. Perhaps the film’s success is due to the good vibes of Malleval, the energy of the mountain. Here one rests well, even during the heatwave that occurred during the filming, thanks to the cool mountain altitude.”

Whether it’s to visit the lodge or to go rowing as in the film, it’s not unlikely that Malleval-en-Vercors might become a popular tourist spot following the resounding success of “Un p’tit truc en plus.”