Where is Star Trek: Picard filmed?
Patrick Stewart and Jeri Ryan reveal the location of Picard's chateau – and how they filmed those Borg cube scenes **CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Though it'll be no surprise to fans that Star Trek: Picard does eventually venture into outer space, the new series actually picks up with its title character in a more grounded setting – a château in France, where he's been living in retirement.
The château scenes, though, were not actually filmed in France – though Jean-Luc's retirement residence is actually from the country originally.
Confused? We'll let Sir Patrick Stewart explain...
Where is Picard's chateau from Star Trek: Picard?
The vineyard which Picard has made his home since leaving Starfleet is not actually in France. "It's about half-an-hour's drive north of Santa Barbara, [California] so it's in the central wine-growing area," Stewart told RadioTimes.com and other press.
"But the chateau, the building itself, is authentic – it was brought from France, stone-by-stone. Not for us! No-one's that generous to give us a chateau! No, it was brought over and rebuilt [previously], and it replicates a typical French chateau."
How did they film the Borg cube scenes in Star Trek: Picard?
Star Trek: Picard features a number of Borg characters – including the returning Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Hugh (Jonathan Del Arco) – and so, unsurprisingly, includes some trademark Borg cubes.
These particular cubes, though, are unlike any previously seen in the franchise, being built in their entirety as a set.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, actress Ryan said that the experience of filming Star Trek: Picard was "vastly different" in terms of production value to her former show Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001).
"These sets are... epic doesn't begin to cover it," Ryan said. "You walk onto the Borg cube and you're walking onto a Borg cube... the set is massive, colossal. The actual physical sets, the costumes, the special effects already... it's extraordinary. It's not like walking onto a television set, certainly."
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Likewise, the ship that Picard eventually pilots back out into the galaxy was constructed for real, on several levels.
"The entire ship - that we are eventually travelling on - is on a soundstage," Stewart revealed. "It's there – you walk upstairs, you walk downstairs, it's there," Ryan added. "It's really incredible."
Star Trek: Picard streams on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from Friday 24th January
Authors
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across the brand's digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
