To call the BBC/France 2’s ‘Death in Paradise’ a hit show is a bit like calling an unexpected all-expenses-paid midwinter trip to the Caribbean ‘a nice change of scenery’: it’s true, but it hardly does the thing justice. Recently marking its 100th episode, the escapist crime comedy is into its thirteenth season, with huge audiences in the UK and France and a successful spin-off in ‘Beyond Paradise’ that’s also racking up the ratings.
The new season is again set on the fictional Antilles island of Saint Marie, where its perfectly judged mix of crime procedural and gentle humour will be backdropped by the sparkling waters and some lush Caribbean scenery. Saint Marie is such a fixture now, it has its own Wikipedia page, but where was the island actually recreated by the show’s cast and crew? Here’s where the magic happens.
Where is Death in Paradise filmed?
The series is filmed on the island of Guadeloupe, an archipelago of six inhabited islands in the southern Caribbean. ‘Death in Paradise’s main seaside setting, St Honoré, is actually the picturesque fishing village of Deshaies in the north eastern corner of Guadeloupe. Honoré Police station, where much of the action takes place, is filmed at Church of St Peter and St Paul in Deshaies.
Where is Catherine’s Bar?
‘Death in Paradise’s bar, where refreshing beverages are consumed on a regular basis in the show, is actually a beachfront bar called Le Madras on Rue de La Vague Bleue in Deshaies. The TripAdvisor reviews veer from the gushing to a few sniffier comments about how the spot’s newfound popularity is impacting service. But with mojitos and photo opps on offer, honestly, what’s not to love?
Le Madras is actually the second location used for Catherine’s Bar. Back in the show’s early days, a nearby restaurant called La Kaz du Douanier was the setting for those scenes. You won’t find it on the beach, though. Unlike its successor, it’s set back from the seafront on a road running through the town – which might explain the switch of locations.
Can you visit the filming locations?
Catch a flight to Guadeloupe’s Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport and the pretty fishing village of Deshaies is just an hour’s cab ride to the west. There’s a few unofficial ‘Death in Paradise’ tours on offer, although any long-time fans shouldn’t have too much trouble finding selfie spots outside their favourite locations.
Who’s in the cast for Death in Paradise?
Ralf Little is DI Neville Parker, now the show’s longest-serving expat detective, with fellow police officers Marlon Pryce (Tahj Miles), DS Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) helping solve the
They all report to Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington), another veteran cop. Season 13 will see him targeted by a mysterious assassin while at a party celebrating his five decades on the force. Catherine Bordey (Elizabeth Bourgine) is the island’s mayor and owner of Catherine’s Bar, and mum to top detective Camille Bordey (Sara Martins). And then there’s rascally new recruit Marlon Pryce (Tahj Miles). It’s a beefy police force at St Honoré, but then, there are corpses galore on this lovely island.
Mixed, tbf. While there’s been praise for the show’s longevity and comforting qualities, the consensus is that the centenary episode rather fumble the cake. ‘“Death in Paradise”'s milestone episode had all the ingredients it needed to be a special, celebratory chapter in the show's history but somehow managed to fumble its execution,’ writes Digital Spy.
But there was also praise for the easy joys of this sun-soaked ‘comfy crime’ series. ‘“Death in Paradise” is a televisual shepherd’s pie,’ writes The Guardian. ‘Old-fashioned comfort food that combines nostalgia with nourishment.’
‘It was, in many ways, vintage “Death in Paradise”,’ agreed The Daily Telegraph, ‘lovely tropical views, gentle comedy, terrible attempts at Caribbean accents, jeopardy so low that the NHS could prescribe a weekly episode to combat hypertension.’
‘If you thought too much about it, you’d get really quite irritated at all the flaws and inconsistencies in the story,’ notes The Independent.
Where can I watch season 13 of Death in Paradise?
The new season started airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK on Sunday, February 4, with new episodes launching every week. In the US, the show will start streaming on BritBox from February 15.
What happens in the spin-off show, Beyond Paradise?
The BBC show’s hit spinoff stars ‘Love Actually’s Kris Marshall as a policeman, DI Humphrey Goodman, who decamped from Saint-Marie in season six of ‘Death in Paradise’ to the significantly chillier shores of Devon. Crimes continue to be solved under Goodman’s watchful eye, as the fictional town of Shipton Abbott turns out to be rather awash with ne’er-do-wells, but the series has brought romance, too, as Goodman and his on-off fiancée Martha Lloyd (Sally Bretton) forge a life together and try not to miss the Caribbean too much.
Where is ‘Beyond Paradise’ filmed? All the locations used in the ‘Death in Paradise’ spin-off.