Sumith Prasad
Ridley Scott’s historical drama ‘The Last Duel’ centers around the duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris to determine the honor of Marguerite de Carrouges. Marguerite, the wife of Jean de Carrouges, accuses Le Gris of raping her, enraging her husband, who seeks justice for his wife. Carrouges convinces the Parliament to sanction a trial by combat in the absence of any concrete evidence to prove the innocence of Le Gris. The duel is sanctioned, and the film follows the events and conflicts leading to the duel, as the incident exposes the gender norms and statuses that prevailed at the time.
Set in 14th century France, ‘The Last Duel’ depicts an astounding historical account of the country, opening up a gateway to experience the distant past of France. As the film follows the ruling class of the era, ‘The Last Duel’ is breathtaking with its visual appeal, as castles and courtrooms set the stage for the narrative. The captivating setting of the medieval period allures the viewers into the grandeur and magnificence of the past, inspiring us to cover the filming locations of ‘The Last Duel’ in detail. Let’s take a look!
The Last Duel Filming Locations
The filming of ‘The Last Duel’ took place in several locations in France and Ireland. The filming began on February 14, 2020, but was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic as the filming had to stop on March 13, 2020, considering the safety of the cast and crew. The team resumed production in September 2020 in Ireland, wrapping on October 14, 2020. Even though the film is set in Paris, Scott and Crew had to center their filming on archaic towns of France and Ireland to incorporate the 14th-century appeal to the film. Let us take you through the distinct locations in detail!
Dordogne, France
Situated in Southwest France, the department of Dordogne is the principal location of ‘The Last Duel.’ Known for its medieval chateaus and valleys, Dordogne sets the film in the bygone era of knights and duels. Château de Beynac in Beynac-et-Cazenac, which is featured Luc Besson’s ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ is a significant location of the film. Château de Fénelon, which also serves as a filming site of 1998 film ‘Ever After’ is another location in Dordogne where the shooting took place notably. The production team of ‘The Last Duel’ transformed the chateau into a military camp for the filming.
The town of Sarlat-la-Caneda, along with the village square of Monpazier, a bastide in Dordogne, also features in the film. Monpazier’s renaissance buildings were worked upon to match the medieval timeline of the film. Dordogne, located between Loire Valley and the Pyrenees mountains, brings a majestic backdrop to the film’s mood and depth.
Other Locations in France
Chateau de Berzé, situated in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in Eastern France, is an exotic location where filming was done briefly. Abbaye de Fontfroide, a former Cistercian monastery in Narbonne, France, was used to film pivotal duel scenes.
Dublin, Ireland
The capital city of Ireland is where a significant part of ‘The Last Duel’ was filmed outside of France. The mesmerizing Boyne Valley and the hamlet of Bective in Meath County are two remarkable locations where the filming took place. Also used to film several scenes of ‘Braveheart,’ the hamlet of Bective offers an incredible rustic landscape in the north of Dublin. The County of Wicklow, in the south of Dublin along with various spots in the capital city can also be seen in the film.
County Tipperary, Ireland
Cahir Castle, one of the largest castles in the country, has a notable appearance in ‘The Last Duel.’ Situated in County Tipperary, the medieval castle was used in the production of the film ‘Excalibur’ and the television series ‘The Tudors.’ The castle’s magnanimity is pivotal with respect to the setting of the film, as it is one of the prime locations used in the Ridley Scott directorial.
Read More: Is The Last Duel Based on a True Story?
