Catherine's Bar. The Honoré Police Station. The detective inspector's beach hut. Harry the Lizard.
If these references mean something to you, then see you – you're a fan of the BBC One TV series Death in Paradise. One of the most popular series on British television (and a favorite on Britbox in the US since 2011), the brilliant crime thriller is set on a fictional Caribbean island called Saint Marie. In the series, Saint Marie is a British overseas territory where many French people live. In real life, it was filmed on the island of Basse-Terre in Guadeloupe.
The plot revolves around a detective inspector who has been sent from London to investigate a murder – murders are shockingly common on this small island – and is asked to take the job and move to Saint Marie. If the plot is a little predictable, those who love it won't care. “It's basically a fish out of water story with beautiful scenery,” says Paul Kelley of Barnstable, who has followed the show since its inception.
There are many fans like him. Death in Paradise brings so many visitors to Guadeloupe that local tours have become a cottage industry. The landscape consists of rainforest, a volcano, a fishing port and beautiful beaches, often photographed at sunset, attracting viewers who want to see the real thing. Unfortunately, you won't see Harry the Lizard; It's CGI-generated, “but you can see a lot of its real cousins,” says Olivier Brudey, owner of Karukera Experiences (www.karukera-experiences.com), which offers food and drink tours of the island. It happens that these are extremely popular “Death in Paradise” themed excursions.
Brudey's tours visit three main filming locations: Catherine's Bar (actually a real waterfront restaurant called Le Madras, which is very good); the Honoré police station, formerly the home of a Presbyterian priest, now a full-time tourist attraction (you can buy “DIP” merchandise there); and the Inspector's Beach, also known as Plage de La Perle, a beautiful sandy beach where the Inspector's beach house stands. Or not; The hut stands from May to October when the show is filmed. It will then be dismantled and later recreated for the next season of Death in Paradise. Brudey also usually visits the Botanic Gardens, which houses a villa that will be remembered by astute viewers as the site of Detective Richard Poole's murder.
Although the series is filmed throughout Guadeloupe, most of the action takes place in the village of Deshaies. The stars stay on the island and hang out in town, but the locals leave them alone – “because most locals don't recognize them,” says Brudey. They don't watch the show. “It’s mostly a British show with British people.”
Of course, die-hard fans want to be part of the show. “It’s surprisingly easy,” says the guide, who himself appeared as a background actor in the series. The production posts casting notices for extras throughout the city. You click on a QR code to apply. They are looking for extras for their nine episodes and want different types. Plus, you get paid for it. “I tell everyone who goes on tour, 'Come back next year between May and October to be part of the show.'” You need colorful clothing that looks good on camera, not tattoos, Brudey says. Not even a “Death in Paradise” tattoo.
Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at [email protected]
