Herdado do Zambujal

We had booked our entire day to visit what will remain, without doubt, the place I preferred during our stay in Portugal. Probably one of the grals for any traveller in James Bond's footsteps: the Herdade do Zambujal, alias domain of Marc Ange Draco, less than an hour's drive from Lisbon.

Chosen by the film crew, the Herdade do Zambujal offered an ideal setting: a private arena, a sumptuous residence, and a private beach and a proximity to Lisbon, only 60 kilometres away, which greatly simplified the logistics of the film.

However, his identification remained complex for a long time. The press release of the time mentioning Estremoz as a place of marriage — an error repeated for years. He's the pioneer. Martin Mulder that ends up discovering the real site.

The domain is located in Águas de Mourain the municipality of Poceirão e Marateca (Palmela, District of Setúbal), not far from the Sado estuary. Access is strictly private and requires prior authorisation. For this, I came into contact with the trusted man of the owners. The appointment was set at the end of the morning, with the promise of exclusive visit.

The Herdade do Zambujal spreads over near 1,400 hectaresbetween agricultural areas, forests, rivers and natural observatories. Today, it is only reached through the east: the west bridge, which once crossed the Sado estuary, is now out of use and banned from traffic. After crossing the first gate, you follow a long path that winds for several kilometers, in the heart of vast enclosures where the Corrida toros. The ganaderia belongs, like the whole domain, to the Vinhas family, which has owned the Herdade since more than 120 years. Management is now shared between Luís Vinhas And his cousins.

By borrowing flowery aisle that is seen in On Her Majesty, we reach the main court, the same one Tracy crosses before attending his father's birthday.

This is where we get to know our host, perfectly francophone. He explains that this part of the domain belongs to Luís Vinhas, while access to the beach is the responsibility of another family member.

For the famous Bond and Tracy wedding scene, director Peter Hunt gives to its decorator chef Peter Lamont Three simple instructions: « Flowers, flowers, flowers »

To create this floral explosion, Lamont uses several local florists. But after the installation of garlands and table centers, a sudden rain sank in the evening, destroying all unprotected compositions under the umbrellas.
Without becoming discouraged, the teams brought new flowers the next day and installed their equipment in a barn, in order to preserve everything from the weather. This barn, today transformed into rest space for agricultural workers, still houses some beautiful shots of the shooting that we can admire during our visit.

Before we go to the arenas, we have permission to take some photos in the courtyard. The building is identical to that of the film — majestic — except for fountain, which is not the same as that filmed by Peter Hunt.

We continue by the stairs leading to the wedding reception room, where appear M and Draco. The filming took place in late spring 1969, in a festive atmosphere. We can discover many photos where we see all the smiling team, especially Peter Hunt. For the anecdote, many of the List of the film were in reality workers in the field.

We take the car and follow a long dirt road that leads us to the private arenas in the field. The place is immediately recognizable, even though it has evolved somewhat since the shooting. The atmosphere is almost unreal: the silence, the golden light, and the privileged feeling of having all the space for us alone.

The arenas are still in operation, but only when thePrivate eventsat certain periods of the year. Partially painted in yellow and decorated with beautiful azulejos (see article on Palácio Fronteira), they now emit more heat. We take advantage of this rare moment to capture every detail, every perspective — one true cinema decor.

The scenes of the Bond and Tracy's wedding are completed in five days, and this is the 6 May 1969 that the team takes its quarters in the arenas to turn the Draco's birthday sequence. Although the arena never had the dimensions of a plaza official, it was perfectly adapted and was already used for training Spanish bullfighters. They even say that the famous "El Cordobés" It would have come!

The Portuguese tauromachie, the one visible in the film, differs from the Spanish version : the bull is not killed. It is mainly practiced in horse and often ends with the "pega", when men face the bull face to control it collectively — a scene that is found elsewhere in the film.

Before leaving, we ask if it is possible to reach the famous beach where Bond and Tracy kiss on the air We Have All the Time in the World. Unfortunately, access is strictly forbidden.

We tried... but without success: too many sand Hey! Several options: equip a real one 4×4 (not a rental Polo!), access it by the sea, or undertake a long hiking in the sand. I mean, with my partner, it wasn't possible. One thing is certain, however: I will come back.

Thanks to Thomas Gleistmann

Sources

• The Making Of the The On Her Majesty
• On The Tracks Of 007 – Martin Muller and Dirk Koosterboer

• Googlemaps

This blog shares my travel experiences, from unavoidable destinations to the most original and exclusive places. Each article is the result of careful work and a real time investment. If you use this information elsewhere or for your own adventures, consider citing your sources and thanking – that's what I do myself, and it's always fun.
Julien Abauzit (JaBoz)