Unveiling the Enchanting Filming Locations of All the Light We Cannot See: A Journey through Saint-Malo

Article Overview

The Netflix limited series "All the Light We Cannot See" is based on the war novel by Anthony Doerr and was filmed in various locations in Europe.

One of the pivotal filming spots in the storyline that truly embodies the wartime ambiance is Saint-Malo, France. Budapest, Hungary, was chosen as an alternative to Paris in the series, likely due to financial considerations or its aptitude in evoking a European backdrop from the 1940s. Additionally, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France, served as the backdrop for outdoor scenes in Saint-Malo.

The Netflix limited series, All the Light We Cannot See, portrays the experiences of two teenagers navigating World War II in Europe. The show was extensively filmed in various European locations, capturing the essence of the war depicted in the 2014 war novel of the same name by Anthony Doerr, which earned the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Netflix secured the rights to adapt the novel into an on-screen production and enlisted the talented Shawn Levy to direct all four episodes, with Steven Knight taking charge of the writing. The creators spared no expense in ensuring that the show authentically captured the war's essence.

The cast of All the Light We Cannot See features Aria Mia Loberti as Marie-Laure LeBlanc, Nell Sutton as a young Marie-Laure LeBlanc, Louis Hofmann as Werner Pfennig, Lars Eidinger as Reinhold von Rumpel, Hugh Laurie as Etienne LeBlanc, Mark Ruffalo as Daniel LeBlanc, and Marion Bailey as Madame Manec. These actors, along with the dedicated crew, traveled throughout Europe from March to July 2022 to film scenes for the Netflix limited series. While some sequences were shot on meticulously built sets, many others were filmed on location in France and Hungary.

Saint-Malo, France

Saint-Malo, a port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, France, is a significant filming location for All the Light We Cannot See due to its rich history. The miniseries portrays the Battle of Saint-Malo, an intense conflict between the Allied forces and German troops that took place from August to September 1944. Naturally, shooting this part of the story in the actual French coastal town was essential. At the beginning of the show, Marie-Laure LeBlanc and her father, Daniel, flee Paris after the city is occupied by the Nazis. They find refuge in Saint-Malo, a seaside town in northern France. According to Anthony Doerr, the book's author, maintaining the accuracy of every detail in Saint-Malo was paramount. This attention to detail ensures that individuals who experienced the siege would perceive the authenticity of the project.

Since the port city played such a crucial role in the story and the town, which suffered extensive damage during the war and required reconstruction, still retains the ambiance and appearance of 1940s France, it was imperative for the production team to choose it as a filming location. Saint-Malo is the only place that was specifically mentioned and had a significant impact in All the Light We Cannot See. In contrast, various locations across Europe stood in for all the other towns depicted in the limited series.

Budapest, Hungary

While the Saint-Malo scenes in All the Light We Cannot See were filmed in the actual French port town, the production team opted for a different approach when it came to depicting Paris in the 1940s. Instead of traveling to Paris, France, the cast and crew transformed the streets of Budapest, Hungary, into a convincing Parisian setting. In the miniseries, Marie-Laure and Daniel initially relocate from their home in Paris to Saint-Malo as a means of evading the Nazis. However, as the war eventually reaches the northern port town, Marie-Laure's path intertwines with that of Werner Pfennig, a German soldier.

According to Radio Times, the Festetics Palace, Zichy Castle in Sopoly, and the Exchange Palace in Budapest were chosen as filming locations for the cast and crew. Additionally, Vécsey Street in Budapest was used to depict the famous Champs-Élysées in Paris. The reasons behind choosing Budapest over Paris for these street scenes in All the Light We Cannot See are unclear. It is possible that the Hungarian capital was a more cost-effective option for the production or that it better captured the 1940s European setting for the audience.

Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France

For the principal photography of All the Light We Cannot See, the final location chosen was Villefranche-de-Rouergue, a commune situated in the Aveyron department of France. Simon Elliott, the production designer for the TV show, revealed to Tudum by Netflix that Villefranche-de-Rouergue was utilized to film certain exterior scenes depicting the streets of Saint-Malo in the series. Working diligently, the production team transformed a section of the commune to emulate the desired atmosphere of 1940s France. They painstakingly modified the shops and buildings until they perfectly embodied the vision for All the Light We Cannot See.

Sources: Tudum by Netflix, Radio Times

Editor's P/S

As a fan of the book "All the Light We Cannot See," I was thrilled to learn that it was being adapted into a Netflix limited series. The novel is a beautifully written and heartbreaking story about the experiences of two teenagers during World War II. I was eager to see how the filmmakers would bring the story to life on screen.

I was very impressed with the filming locations that were chosen for the series. Saint-Malo, France, is a particularly evocative location, as it was the site of a major battle during the war. The city's old town is full of charming cobblestone streets and historic buildings, which provided the perfect backdrop for the series. I also appreciated the fact that the filmmakers used Budapest, Hungary, as a stand-in for Paris. Budapest is a beautiful city with a rich history, and it was the perfect place to recreate the atmosphere of Paris during the war.