Maps of Movies
Les Misérables (2012)
Where Les Misérables says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
Paris on screen, but almost none of it was filmed in Paris: dockyards in England, a Winchester college and a Pinewood backlot played France.
View on the map
Scenes and places
The convict dockyard at Toulon
Prisoner 24601 hauls on a rope with a hundred others, then hears the word parole from the guard Javert. Valjean is free in name, but marked for life.
Set in Bagne of Toulon — The convict prison where Valjean serves nineteen years. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A naval convict prison in the port of Toulon.
Filmed at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (Dock 9) — The opening dock scene was filmed at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard; the dockyard is confirmed by film records, the specific dock by one location blog. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The long road after release
Valjean sets out on foot with his papers, but every door closes when his yellow ticket is seen. Hunger and rejection drive him on.
Set in Roads of southeastern France — Valjean walks from Toulon toward the town where he must report; no single place is named in the film.
A hilltop village in the mountains behind the French Riviera.
Filmed at Gourdon, Alpes-Maritimes — Film records say shooting began in Gourdon, with its mountain roads standing in for Valjean's journey. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The Bishop's church
Turned away everywhere, Valjean is taken in by the Bishop of Digne, steals his silver and is caught. The bishop gives him a reason to start again.
Set in Digne — The town where the Bishop of Digne shelters Valjean. Google Maps · Apple Maps
A small Oxfordshire village church.
Filmed at St Mary's Church, Ewelme — One location blog names Ewelme's church for the Digne scenes; the coordinate is the village, not the church. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The factory at Montreuil
Eight years on, Valjean runs the factory as mayor. His workers are women like Fantine, who is dismissed when her secret daughter is discovered.
Set in Montreuil-sur-Mer — Where Valjean, under a new name, runs a factory as mayor.
A rope-making building in Kent's naval dockyard.
Filmed at Tarring Yarn House, Chatham Historic Dockyard — Film records say the Tarring Yarn House at Chatham doubled for the factory. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Fantine on the harbour streets
Fantine, fired and desperate to pay for her daughter, sells her hair and then more among the harbour streets. Javert's suspicion of Valjean grows alongside.
Set in Montreuil-sur-Mer waterfront — The seedy port streets where Fantine ends up after losing her job.
A film studio west of London with large backlot sets.
Filmed at Pinewood Studios (Lovely Ladies set) — Film records say the harbour and Lovely Ladies street set was built at Pinewood. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Flight through the streets of Paris
Valjean grabs Cosette and runs from Javert through the old streets. The chase ends with a hiding place.
Set in Paris — Valjean flees with Cosette to Paris.
A medieval college street in an English cathedral city.
Filmed at College Street, Winchester — A location-industry article says Winchester doubled for period Paris; a blog places the chase on College Street. The coordinate is Winchester College. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
General Lamarque's funeral
Students and workers follow General Lamarque's coffin. Marius and his friends use the crowd to turn grief into revolt.
Set in Place de la Bastille — The funeral procession for the one official sympathetic to the poor.
A Baroque naval college on the Thames.
Filmed at Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich — Film records say Greenwich stood in for the Bastille funeral procession. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The barricade
Students pile furniture across the street while the army waits. Marius, Éponine and Valjean are all drawn in.
Set in Paris barricade — Barricades rise across Paris as the revolt begins.
A backlot street built for the film.
Filmed at Pinewood Studios (1832 Paris street set) — Film records say the 1832 Paris street was built at Pinewood; Wikipedia adds an elephant model made in Greenwich in April 2012. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Javert at the Seine
After the barricade, Javert is shaken by what he has been shown, and the river becomes the next stop on his road.
Set in The Seine — The river in the heart of Paris.
A river bridge scene reshot in Georgian Bath.
Filmed at Bath — Wikipedia says the Seine scene was reshot in Bath in October 2012; a blog places Valjean's plunge there instead. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The wedding house
Marius and Cosette marry. Valjean stays in the shadows, fearing his past will touch their happiness.
Set in Pontmercy family house — The house of Marius's family; no location is given in the film.
A 17th-century country house in Northamptonshire.
Filmed at Boughton House, Northamptonshire — Film records say Boughton House stood in for the Pontmercy family house. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The last chapel
Valjean sits in a quiet chapel and hands over what he owes. The people he has lost come to him.
Set in A chapel — No location is named in the film.
A medieval chapel in an English school.
Filmed at Chantry Chapel, Winchester College — Film records say a school chapel was used for the final scene. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Characters
- Jean Valjean — A convict freed after nineteen years who starts over under a new name.
- Javert — A police inspector who has hunted Valjean since the prison.
- Fantine — A factory worker who sends every coin to her daughter.
- Marius Pontmercy — A student revolutionary who falls for Cosette.