In addition to its lighter approach to the murder mystery crime genre of television series, there’s also another reason for Death in Paradise’s popularity over the years: the picturesque backdrops and sunny weather. Magnified by the fact that the series is mainly broadcast on the BBC during the winter months of cold, dark, wet British nights, all that tropical sunshine offers viewers a much-needed escape.
Death in Paradise TV Filming Locations – Where is the series filmed for BBC?
The highly popular crime comedy-drama is set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint-Marie, but is actually filmed on the real-world Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. The French island of Guadeloupe, which is located in the East of the Caribbean Sea, makes up part of the Lesser Antilles.
Deshaies, Guadeloupe – Photo by Anna Rydin (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Most of the filming for Death in Paradise takes place in the Deshaies region, located in the north-west of the tropical island.
Where is Death in Paradise filmed? – An in-depth look
For all its sunlit crimes and sea-breezy denouements, the BBC’s long-running hit Death in Paradise is rooted in a very real place: Guadeloupe, the French Caribbean archipelago in the Lesser Antilles. Since the show launched in 2011, production has based itself primarily in and around the fishing village of Deshaies on Basse-Terre, using the town to stand in for Honoré, the capital of the fictional island of Saint Marie. The choice wasn’t just about picture-postcard looks, Guadeloupe offers a mix of colonial architecture, dense rainforest, volcanic peaks and wide, golden beaches that collectively sell the fantasy of a compact Caribbean island with endless variety.
Deshaies provides many of the series’ most familiar backdrops. Stroll its waterfront and you’ll recognise the red-roofed buildings and church square that often frame the show’s opening scenes. Production turns the Church of St Peter and St Paul’s ancillary buildings into the Honoré Police Station, with the priest’s office doubling as the incident room, with television sleight of hand that lets the cameras move swiftly between interiors and exteriors without leaving the village heart.
One of the show’s most-asked-about locations, Catherine’s Bar, uses beachfront bars for filming and has become a pilgrimage spot for fans hunting selfies beneath the shade sails. In both cases, the bars’ open decks, painted shutters and uninterrupted sea horizon supply the convivial, sun-dappled vibe the series leans on between murders.
Another signature location is the detective’s beach shack, home to DI after DI. The structure isn’t a permanent dwelling but a purpose-built set erected on Anse de la Perle (La Perle Beach), a sweeping arc of sand just outside Deshaies. It’s typically dismantled between shoots to protect it from winter swells, then rebuilt when cameras return, ensuring the view stays pristine and the set survives the Caribbean off-season.
Here’s an aerial view of the coastal area of Deshaies, as seen on Google Earth:
When storylines call for resorts, marinas or more formal settings, the Langley Resort Fort Royal often stands in as a luxury hotel backdrop and the occasional crime scene, while Jardin Botanique de Deshaies provides those lush, hummingbird-busy pathways that the show uses for strolls and talks.
Filming on French territory for a British series comes with practical perks. Guadeloupe’s film office has long supported the production, and local hires extras, drivers, set dressers, and caterers have become part of the fabric of the show. Over time, what began as a challenging tropical shoot has evolved into a well-oiled operation that treats Deshaies like a seasonal studio backlot.
If you’re plotting a fan trip, timing matters. The series typically shoots in a single block each year, with schedules arranged to sidestep the heart of the hurricane season, while exact dates can vary by series.
It’s worth remembering that Saint Marie itself is fictional, a British Overseas Territory dreamed up by creator Robert Thorogood, yet its texture is stitched from Guadeloupe’s very real culture: French road signs and boulangeries, Creole cooking, markets where the colours rival the sea. That blend of British procedural rhythms with a French-Caribbean setting is the show’s secret sauce, and Deshaies is where it simmers.
So Death in Paradise os filmed on Guadeloupe, mainly Deshaies, where the town becomes Honoré, a pair of beachfront restaurants pour as Catherine’s Bar, a church outbuilding morphs into the police station, and a temporary shack rises on La Perle Beach for whichever detective is fated to solve the next sun-baked mystery.
The Main Characters of Death in Paradise
Over the years, Death in Paradise has become as much about its revolving door of lead detectives and loyal sidekicks as its Caribbean scenery. Here are the key characters who have carried the series across its many seasons:
- DI Richard Poole (Ben Miller) — Series 1–2
A straight-laced, tweed-wearing British detective who loathed the heat and sand of Saint Marie, Poole was the original fish-out-of-water lead. - DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) — Series 3–6
Quirky, clumsy but endearing, Goodman replaced Poole and brought a lighter, more romantic tone to the investigations before leaving for London. - DI Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon) — Series 6–9
Mooney, a widower with a gentle, thoughtful manner, provided warmth and empathy until returning to the UK to be closer to his daughter. - DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) — Series 9–present
Lead detective Parker battles a host of allergies and anxieties but proves an astute investigator, gradually adapting to island life. - DS Camille Bordey (Sara Martins) — Series 1–4
A spirited local detective sergeant who partnered with Poole and Goodman, Camille was beloved for her quick wit and island knowledge. - DS Florence Cassell (Joséphine Jobert) — Series 4–8, 10–11
Intelligent and dedicated, Florence became a long-running presence, returning to the team after personal tragedy to mentor new recruits. - Sergeant Fidel Best (Gary Carr) — Series 1–3
Young and ambitious, Fidel was an early team member who eventually left the island for a promotion elsewhere. - Sergeant JP Hooper (Tobi Bakare) — Series 4–10
A rookie turned seasoned sergeant, JP grew up before viewers’ eyes, eventually leaving to focus on his family. - Officer Dwayne Myers (Danny John-Jules) — Series 1–7
A street-smart, easygoing officer, Dwayne was the team’s comic relief and heart, deeply connected to Saint Marie’s community. - Officer Marlon Pryce (Tahj Miles) — Series 10–present
A former petty criminal turned police officer, Marlon injects youthful energy and comic bravado into the current lineup. - Catherine Bordey (Élizabeth Bourgine) — Series 1–present
Camille’s mother and the ever-hospitable bar owner, Catherine, is one of the show’s few constants, bridging the world of the police with the wider island community.