The Art of Crime is back on France Télévisions with its ninth season, airing since February 23, 2026. The highly anticipated premiere drew over 4.9 million viewers in France. Still led by the charismatic detective duo Nicolas Gob and Éléonore Bernheim, the series combines crime-solving with art history, spotlighting a different work or figure from European cultural heritage in each episode—this season features Paul Cézanne and Jacques-Louis David. A captivating mix of entertainment, light-crime investigation, and culture, The Art of Crime continues to win over audiences at home and abroad, already setting the stage for a tenth season.
For this season, Isabelle Degeorges (President – Gaumont Télévision France and producer), Garance Auboyneau (Artistic Producer at Gaumont), and Cécilia Rossignol (EVP, International Library Sales at Gaumont) share insights on the show’s global success, the behind-the-scenes of the new season, and its international ambitions.
Unifrance: Season 9 of The Art of Crime has been broadcast on France Télévisions since February 23, and its launch has been a remarkable success with French audiences. How do you explain the longevity of the series and the loyalty of its audience, season after season?
Isabelle Degeorges: In my opinion, the longevity of The Art of Crime can be explained by a simple but highly effective formula: a charismatic duo of investigators, well-crafted plots rooted in art history—an inexhaustible visual and narrative playground—meticulous production values combining suspense and aesthetics, and finally a light tone bolstered by the impossible romance between our two heroes.
With France Télévisions, we have managed to strike a rare balance between mainstream entertainment and cultural ambition, appealing to crime drama fans and art lovers alike.
Audience loyalty is also due to the series' regularity—one season per year, with no break in tone or quality—and its French roots, which showcase the richness of our heritage while also exporting well.
Is this new season also eagerly awaited internationally? What are your ambitions in foreign markets?
Cécilia Rossignol: With this new season, we have two ambitions. On the one hand, we want to continue to build loyalty among the channels and platforms that have trusted us from the beginning: MHz Choice (United States), Mystery Channel (Japan), Cosmote (Greece), to name but a few. What made the series so appealing from Season 1 continues to captivate their audiences: an effective procedural format, with an original plot for each episode, a narrative arc throughout the season, and a truly endearing duo of investigators.
This new season also attracts new partners, because after nine seasons, the series' longevity is an argument in itself. For a broadcaster, it guarantees a proven series with enough content to fill several weeks of programming, create a regular viewing slot, and build audience loyalty. Recently, Helio Media, in Latvia decided to acquire the complete collection.
This season introduces new characters, new settings, and new storylines. What are the main new features and what do they bring to the series?
Garance Auboyneau: The challenge each season is to continue the legacy of a series that has created its own codes, somewhere between crime fiction and the art world, while constantly reinventing itself.
Through their choice of themes and aesthetics, the series' creators, Pierre-Yves Mora and Angèle Herry Leclerc, ensure that each episode echoes the work of the artist being honored—Cézanne and David for Season 9. This year, for the first time, we left the Paris region with our director, Anne Péjean, to shoot for a few days in Aix-en-Provence, and the colors of Montagne Sainte-Victoire play an important role in the episode dedicated to Cézanne.
In Season 9, in addition to the new actors who joined us for this storyline, we welcomed a guest who was original to say the least. Nicolas Gob plays not only Captain Verlay, but also a character named Vincent Doppel, who turns out to be his distant cousin... and who looks a lot like him, except for a few details. This new character, who will not leave Florence Chassagne—played by Éléonore Bernheim—indifferent, allowed us to create new comedic situations while continuing to explore the romantic storyline of our duo.
Alongside the investigations, the relationship between Chassagne and Verlay takes some unusual and unexpected new turns. Is its development now a key dramatic driver of the series?
GA: The relationship between Chassagne and Verlay is at the heart of the series, and in this sense, the narrative arc centered around their romance is indeed essential. One of the challenges of the series is therefore to develop this relationship while creating obstacles for it.
The writers constantly impress us with their inventiveness. In Season 9, they managed to breathe new life into the comedy in this area, notably thanks to the character of Doppel, but also to bring more emotion and depth by exploring Florence's past.
Art remains central to each episode, providing an entertaining and educational introduction to a facet of French and European heritage (artists, works, artistic movements, cultural sites, etc.). How do you select these artistic references?
GA: The choice of artists is based on several criteria. Together with the authors and the channel, we try to select iconic and recognizable artists who we can also portray on screen in Florence Chassagne's daydreams, and whose work and personal journeys resonate with our times. The Art of Crime also aims to showcase equally iconic locations, with a particular attachment to the Louvre, where we filmed again this year, and a desire to highlight different monuments of our heritage each season. In Season 9, we filmed at the Sorbonne, the Musée Grévin, and at the foot of Montagne Sainte-Victoire, so dear to Cézanne.
Do you think that showcasing this heritage, as well as the settings (museums, châteaux, cities, iconic landscapes, etc.), contributes to the series' international appeal?
CR: Absolutely. The Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the narrow streets of Aix-en-Provence... these places are dreams destinations for foreigners. What makes The Art of Crime so appealing is that we film on location, in real settings, without any reconstruction—which adds significant production value. What's more, each season introduces new artists and new worlds, which keeps buyers and international audiences curious.
What other aspects do you think appeal to foreign broadcasters? Its balance between entertainment, light crime investigation, and art history? Its format and the number of episodes available?
CR: The Art of Crime strikes a subtle balance between crime drama, comedy, and romance, which develops season after season and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The production is adept at reinvention—new sets, new supporting characters—while retaining the series' identity.
After nine seasons, the volume of episodes and self-contained storylines mean that the series can be scheduled both in the evening and during the day. It is therefore an ideal choice for broadcasters looking to build audience loyalty over time.
The series' success in France and internationally has led to Season 10 being greenlit. What can you tell us about it so far?
ID: Season 10, announced after the success of Season 9, will continue in the same vein as the series, with perhaps a few surprises, but above all powerful stories, memorable guest stars and artists, as well as iconic locations yet to be explored. The production teams are used to working with significant creative constraints—budgets, filming in natural settings—which forces them to innovate in terms of writing and directing.
While Season 9 confirmed the audience's appetite, Season 10 will also play on a certain nostalgia, with a nod to the series' beginnings, while introducing new elements that will revive the narrative. On the production front, the challenge will be to maintain this alchemy while integrating the expectations of an audience now accustomed to short formats and platforms.
GA: In Season 10, our two investigators will be immersed in the world of two famous artists, Renoir and Rembrandt. We can't reveal much else, except that our creators have once again pulled out all the stops, with lots of unexpected developments!
