Ridley Scott’s Napoleon closed out 2023 with its release, showcasing the rise of Napoleon…and a handful of fantastic British properties.
Though the film jet sets around the world, as Napoleon’s conquests did, you’d be surprised just how much of this film was shot in England. A little Hollywood creativity is your gain: thanks to CGI and clever staging, you can now visit the majority of Napoleon’s filming locations by train from London.
Image Credit and Location: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Where was Napoleon filmed? And how to get around by train
Napoleon, a movie about the French Emperor, was certainly filmed largely in France, if not in the many countries he tried to conquer like Austria, Russia, and Germany…right?
Hey, this is Hollywood we’re talking about. Napoleon was filmed in Europe, but director Ridley Scott and his production team played fast and loose with filming locations for Napoleon. Case in point: Fort Ricasoli, Malta.
Napoleon did conquer Malta, but that’s not what Fort Ricasoli was used for in the film. Instead, it was used as a filming location for Napoleon’s siege of Toulon, France. If this fortress looks familiar, you may recognize it as a Game of Thrones filming location as the Red Keep.
Image Credit: Getty Images, YiannisLiassides. Image Location: Old Royal Navy College, Greenwich, London, UK
The UK spots that subbed for France and other countries in Napoleon (2023)
And that’s not all: the United Kingdom got a lot of love in Ridley Scott’s epic historical drama. Many of Napoleon’s scenes were filmed across the UK, with the English countryside portraying everything from Napoleon’s French château to battlefields in present-day Czech Republic.
Blenheim Palace | Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Nearest station: Hanborough
England’s Blenheim Palace is a Unesco World Heritage Site and a primary filming location for Napoleon. From its Great Hall and Library to its grounds, Blenheim Palace stood in for France, Italy, and even Russia throughout the film.
🚆 Trainline trivia: Blenheim Park was also used as a Harry Potter filming location; the “Harry Potter tree” was featured in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix during a Snape flashback scene.
🚆 Trainline pro tip: Blenheim Palace offers a "green travel" discount, which gets you 20% off your admission ticket when booking online if you show proof of travel by bike, bus, or (you guessed it) train once you arrive.
Boughton House | Kettering, Northamptonshire
Nearest station: Kettering
Blenheim Palace wasn’t the sole English palace standing in for France. You’d have to do a double take to make sure Boughton House isn’t really the Palace of Versailles, and that’s the point. Boughton House was the filming location for Napoleon’s château.
Old Royal Navy College | Greenwich, London
Nearest station: Greenwich | Maze Hill
Who would have thought that walking around the streets of London could make you feel like you’re strolling through Paris? Ridley Scott, and other filmmakers, sure did. The streets outside of Old Royal Navy College, as well as the Painted Hall, were stand-ins (or, we suppose, walk-throughs?) of Paris.
Image Credit: Getty Images, David Clapp. Image Location: Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, England, UK
Lincoln Cathedral | Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Nearest station: Lincoln
Lincoln Cathedral, an 11th-century cathedral in England, was crowned as a filming location for Napoleon’s coronation, which historically took place in Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral. Given the state of Notre-Dame at the time of filming, it’s no surprise an alternate cathedral was found.
Petworth House | Petworth, West Sussex
Nearest station: Pulborough
Built in the 17th century and adorned with French-style interiors, Petworth House was an obvious choice for a Napoleon filming location. Posing as both Josephine’s home and the Victims’ Ball, this National Trust property was the location for multiple scenes.
Image Credit: Apple TV+. Image Location: Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, England, UK
Know before you go to the show: Napoleon, explained
What to know about the real-life history of Napoleon before you see the film.
Where did Napoleon live in England?
Napoleon I never lived in England, but his descendants did. This includes his nephew Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon III, who was the final emperor of France. Napoleon III, who had lived in England in the 1830s and 1840s, was forced into exile again in 1870 after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and died two years later at Camden Place in Chislehurst, Kent, just outside London. Take the train to Chislehurst station and you’re nearly there.
How old was Napoleon when he died?
Napoleon was 51 years old when he died in exile in 1821. While we can’t get you to Saint Helena Island where he died, we can get you to Napoleon’s birthplace in Corsica. Rail and sail from Nice to Corsica, then take the train to Aiacciu.
Where is Napoleon actually buried?
Napoleon’s body currently rests in Paris at Les Invalides. It was brought to The Dome from Saint Helena Island by King Louis-Philippe. To reach Hôtel des Invalides, which is full-up with tombs of other important French military leaders, head to the 7th arrondissement, using the Paris métro to reach the station Invalides, Varenne, or La Tour-Maubourg.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Nickos. Image Location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England, UK
Conquer Europe!
Want to see it for yourself, plus all of the Napoleon filming locations? We’ll meet you at Waterloo (too soon?) or even London Waterloo. Download the Trainline app and purchase tickets to filming locations across the UK including Mission: Impossible, V for Vendetta, and loads of other movies shot on location in London.
Header Image Credit: Apple TV+