Christian Parizot (Patrick Paroux) is the most popular character of French private channel TF1's hit Camping Paradis. Now the camper becomes an amateur sleuth in Monsieur Parizot.
This 2 x 45-minute pilot is a welcome addition to TF1's crime/comedy line-up.
The bottom line: Les petits meurtres de Monsieur Parizot.
Aired since 2006, Camping Paradis is produced by Jean Luc Azoulay's JLA Productions with TF1. This comedy series was created by Michel Alexandre, Ludovic Pion-Dumas & Anne Badel. It is centered on the everyday life and problems of Tom Delormes (Laurent Ournac), who runs a campsite in the south of France, and his team. The extraordinary Patrick Paroux (Around the world in 80 days, Amelie) plays the grouchy Christian Parizot, the most faithful client of the Camping Paradis where he has been going every summer for 35 years. Parizot first appeared in the fourth episode, written by Jérôme Michaud-Larivière and Thomas Perrier, as "M. Parizot".
Monsieur Parizot takes Patrick Paroux to Colmar, where Christian Parizot lives. This retiree divides his time between watching detective dramas with the eye of an expert (he read all Agatha Christie three times!) and amateur cycling, his great passion. One day, his cycling companion dies in an apparent accident before joining him. Christian immediately notices very specific details that make him suspect a murder. Lieutenant Alexandra Bauer, of the Gendarmerie, decides to investigate against her hierarchy. As the wealthy family of his friend wants to meet Parizot, Bauer prompts him to accept the invitation.
« Non mais dites donc, j'suis pas à vos ordres! Qu'est-ce que j'irais faire au milieu d'un panier de crabes de nobles alsaciens? »
Directed by Camping Paradis' regular helmer Nicolas Copin, Monsieur Parizot was penned by Laurent Mondy. Frequent writer of Camping Paradis, the latter is the creator of another production from JLA: Magellan (Commissaire Magellan, 2009-2021). Parizot watches an episode of the much-missed mystery drama (1) written by Mondy and complains about "ces tocards de scénaristes"... right before jumping into the tropes of Commissaire Magellan. It's quite enjoyable to watch Patrick Paroux as a comedy Poirot version of the beloved Camping Paradis character. Parizot drives an old
Peugeot 405 and wears plaid sweaters over his famous floral shirts. He
likes to ride his bike or smoke a pipe to think things through.
Of course, there are charming references to Camping Paradis. Lieutenant Bauer, Parizot's "Watson", is played by Clémence Lassalas (Demain nous appartient). Philippe Caroit (Perfect Murders, Borderland) guest stars as Jean-Dominique de Saint-Ulrich. The other actors of this "petit meurtre en famille" are Carole Richert (Astrid de Saint Ulrich), Firmine Richard (Josiane Kopp), Olivier Sitruk (Sainclair Vandeuil), Piérick Tournier (Vianney de Saint Ulrich), Sören Prévost (Hans), Diane Dassigny (Plus belle la vie, encore plus belle) as Faustine de Saint Ulrich, Charlie Joirkin (Jennifer Maillard), Charlotte Lacoste (Camille de Saint Ulrich), Bruno Dreyfürst (Captain Brunet) and Houaria Kaidari (Maître Klein).
Produced by JLA Productions and TF1 with the participation of RTL-TVI and RTS Radio Télévision Suisse. Made with the support of Région Grand Est, Colmar Agglomération (Réseau Plato) and Bureau des images Grand Est. Olivier Guedj exec produces. Produced by Richard Berkowitz and Mathieu Delarive. Emmanuel Libermann is the production manager. Music by Frédéric Porte (Camping Paradis, Magellan). Cinematography by Olivier Guarguir. Editing by Jean-Luc Thomas. Filmed between November and December 2023 in Alsace, Monsieur Parizot aired in Switzerland and Belgium this month but not yet in France.
(1) Première Ballerine, directed by Étienne Dhaene.
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