Disneyland® Paris was long considered as an ‘American’ destination. But how could anyone have forgotten that Walt Disney was actually inspired by a wealth of European cultures? Europe has always been present in his work, whether it be through literature, movies, architecture or landscaping.

In 1928, Walt Disney invented the first animated short with synchronised sound, Steamboat Willie. Then in the 1940s he began work on a crazy project with Salvador Dali, the animated movie Destino. It was during the summer of 1935, however, that he visited Europe with his brother, and then went back home again with over 300 publications to enrich his artistic influences.

The animated movies produced by the Disney Studios represent bridges between intellectual and popular cultures, and they helped the art form of animation to reach a wide audience. There are countless tributes to Western artworks such as fairy tales by Charles Perrault and the Grimm brothers to German expressionist movies!

Today the current flows in both directions.  Influences go between European’s number one tourist destination and many artistic circles, with Disney often inspiring its peers. New art forms are created in fashion, gastronomy, literature and even photography.  All of this can only make culture lovers rejoice.