Vivendi acquires famous French studio

European median group Vivendi has acquired Paris film studio Studios de Boulogne as it continues to bring its pay TV company Canal+ closer into the coporate fold.

The studio has long been seen as a cornerstone of the French film and TV industry, providing the setting for iconic French movies including Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot and Touchez pas au Grisbi as well as being used for Hollywood movies such as Love in the Afternoon and Charade.

The facility was renovated in 2000 as a TV production studio. Canal+’s Le Grand Journal and Canal Football Club are produced there.

Vivendi said the acquisition was in line with its “strategy to provide Canal+ Group with the financial and technical means for its development”, and said it secured “tighter control over its means of production in order to create and distribute more content”.

Production outfit Flab Prod, creator of Canal+’s La Nouvelle Edition, which was acquired by Vivendi this year, is housed at the studio.

Vivendi’s latest foray into acquiring production assets followed the news that it is in exclusive talks to become a minority shareholder if the merged Banijay-Zodiak Media group.

Vivendi chairman Vincent Bolloré (pictured) has in recent months made a series of moves designed at bringing Canal+ under his control more directly.