Where Was Death In Paradise Filmed?

The Short Answer

Death in Paradise is filmed in Guadeloupe, a French overseas department in the Caribbean. Most scenes are shot in and around Deshaies, a fishing village on the island of Basse-Terre, which stands in for the fictional town of Honoré on Saint Marie. Filming has taken place there since the series began in 2011, with production runs lasting roughly six months a year.

Few television crime dramas are as closely tied to one place as Death in Paradise. The show is set on Saint Marie, a fictional British Overseas Territory, but every sunny street, beach and police station viewers see belongs to Guadeloupe, a French archipelago in the eastern Caribbean. Since 2011 the production has returned annually, shooting for roughly six months at a stretch to dodge hurricane season.

The heart of the action is Deshaies, a small town on the northwest coast of Basse-Terre island. Its red-roofed buildings, harbour and nearby beaches double as Honoré, and many businesses there have become minor attractions in their own right. The town is compact and walkable, which makes a self-guided location hunt surprisingly easy.

Every Location At A Glance

Location	Where	What was filmed	Access
Honoré Police Station (Presbytery, Church of St Peter and St Paul)	Deshaies	Exterior and some interior of the main police station across all seasons	Free to see
Le Madras (Catherine's Bar)	Deshaies	Catherine's Bar scenes, beachfront restaurant used for detective discussions	Free to see
Anse de la Perle Beach (La Perle Beach)	Deshaies	Detective's beach shack (temporary structure erected during filming)	Free to see
Jardin Botanique de Deshaies	Deshaies	Various scenes including gardens and outdoor locations (e.g., DI Poole's death in series 3)	Ticketed
Langley Resort Fort Royal	Deshaies	Cast/crew accommodation and some murder scenes/hotels	Free to see
Deshaies Harbour and Town Centre	Deshaies	Aerial shots of Honoré, street scenes, harbour views across seasons	Free to see
Pointe-Noire Town Hall area	Pointe-Noire	Commissioner Patterson's office scenes	Outside only
Grande Anse Beach	Deshaies	Beach and town scenes near Honoré	Free to see

Filming Locations Map

8 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

The presbytery beside the Church of St Peter and St Paul serves as the exterior, and some interiors, of Honoré Police Station across all seasons. It sits in the centre of Deshaies and is easy to find on foot. Access is public, and the presbytery opens to visitors outside filming periods. Contact the church ahead of a visit to confirm current access details, since production schedules can change.

Le Madras is the working beachfront restaurant that plays Catherine's Bar, where the detectives gather to discuss cases over drinks. It serves Creole food with sea views and opens daily, so fans can simply book a table and sit where the cast has sat. It gets busy in peak season, so reserve ahead. The restaurant is a short walk from the police station exterior.

This public beach north of Deshaies is where the detective's famous beach shack appears. Travellers hoping to see it should time a visit during the filming season, because the shack is a temporary structure that is dismantled after each shoot to protect it from tides and tourists. Outside those months the beach is still a pleasant stretch of sand worth visiting in its own right.

The botanical garden south of Deshaies has stood in for various outdoor locations, most memorably the spot where DI Poole met his end in series 3. Today it is one of the area's most popular attractions, with tropical plants and animals spread across its grounds. It opens daily from 9am to 4:30pm and admission is ticketed, so budget for entry when planning a half-day visit.

This beachfront resort near La Perle beach doubles as a hotel in murder scenes and also serves as accommodation for cast and crew during the roughly six-month filming periods. It is open to guests, so fans can stay where the actors stay. Even non-guests can appreciate the setting from the adjacent beach, which links conveniently with a visit to Anse de la Perle.

The harbour and town centre provide the aerial shots of Honoré along with street scenes and waterfront views across the seasons. Deshaies remains a charming fishing village with red-roofed buildings, and everything of interest sits close together, making it easy to explore on foot. Visitors can wander the waterfront, watch boats come and go, and match on-screen views to the real thing in an afternoon.

South of Deshaies, the town hall at Pointe-Noire supplies the exterior used for Commissioner Patterson's office scenes. It is a modest stop best combined with a drive along Basse-Terre's west coast rather than treated as a destination on its own. Access is exterior only, since the interior is not typically open for tours. Photograph the facade and continue along the coastal road.

Grande Anse, a popular public beach just east of Deshaies centre, appears in various beach and town scenes set around Honoré. It is one of the area's best stretches of sand and draws both locals and visitors, so it can be lively on weekends. The beach pairs naturally with a walk into town, forming an easy loop that covers several filming locations without needing a car.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The series is set on Saint Marie, a fictional British Overseas Territory, but filmed in Guadeloupe, a very real French overseas department. Most shooting happens on Basse-Terre island, with Deshaies standing in for the town of Honoré. The name Honoré itself is a nod to St Honoré from Agatha Christie's A Caribbean Mystery, one of several literary touches woven into the show.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Independent exploration works well in Deshaies because the main locations cluster together, but a guided option appeals to travellers who want commentary, convenience or a driver on standby for the day. One bookable experience covers the key sites with a private driver at your disposal.

Private Driver, Full-Day Sightseeing

Death in Paradise Tour | Driver at Disposal

At $444.77 for the group, this tour puts a driver at your disposal for a full day, pairing Deshaies locations such as the police station and Catherine's bar with the freedom to linger wherever the mood strikes.

4.3 out of 5 · 15 reviews

From$445Check availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit the Death in Paradise police station?

Yes. The presbytery beside the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Deshaies, which serves as Honoré Police Station, is open to visitors outside filming periods. Contact the church for current access details before you go.

Is the detective's beach shack real?

The shack at Anse de la Perle is a temporary structure erected for each filming season and dismantled afterwards to prevent damage from tides and tourists. Visit during production months to see it.

When is Death in Paradise filmed?

Filming typically runs about six months per year, often from December to May or April to August, timed to avoid hurricane season in the Caribbean.

Why is the show filmed in Guadeloupe?

Guadeloupe was chosen partly for tax rebates available as a French department and support from the regional council. The series is a co-production between the BBC and France Télévisions, and many extras on screen speak French.

Is Guadeloupe easy to reach from Europe?

Guadeloupe is a French overseas department with regular connections to mainland France. Travellers from North America typically connect through Paris or other Caribbean hubs. Deshaies is about an hour's drive from the main airport area.

Can you drink at Catherine's Bar?

Yes. Le Madras in Deshaies, the restaurant that plays Catherine's Bar, is open daily and serves Creole food and drinks with sea views. Book ahead in peak season.

Deshaies offers one of the more satisfying filming-location trips available anywhere, simply because so much of what appears on screen is ordinary, visitable town: a working restaurant, a public beach, a church presbytery and a botanical garden all within easy reach. Time a visit outside the busiest holiday weeks, bring comfortable shoes, and the fictional Saint Marie reveals itself street by street.