The Serra de Arrábida

Lisbon and its surroundings have naturally served as the setting for several scenes of the very iconic On Her Majesty. This sixth opus remains unquestionably My favorite the whole saga. After exploring the Swiss heights of the Piz Gloria on the traces of Blofeld end 2015, I wanted this time to leave on the steps of Tracy and Draco to Portugal.

Planned at the end of August, this couple trip was also the opportunity to rediscover the unique charm of Lisbon — its steep streets bordered byazulejos, its trams and trams and its golden light — and the wonderful Sintra and other places with undeniable character: Costa de Galé, Azenhas do Mar.
From a logistical point of view, we chose to house at Setúbal, a strategic location that allowed us to radiate easily by car throughout the region on the traces of James Bond. Lisbon was also one of the first destinations where I undertook a strong upstream tracking effort, notably to organize a tour of the Zambujal estate.

As soon as we left the plane, we took the direction of the Serra de Arrábida, passing through the famous Ponte 25 de Abril, often compared to a miniature version of Golden Gate of the San Francisco. Inaugurated in 1966, this iconic bridge connects Lisbon to Almada. He was renamed after the Eyelet Revolution of the 25 April 1974, which ended the dictatorship of Salazar — His name at the time of the film.

It is on this building that Bond cross the Tiber at the rear of the Draco Rolls, towards his residence. Finding an ideal location to grasp the right angle of view can be tricky, due to the heavy traffic which reigns permanently on the bridge.
It is also borrowed by Bond and Tracy When they leave their marriage. All shots filmed insideAston Martin DBS were turned on or just after the bridge. The scene was shot on May 18, 1969.

After about an hour's drive, you finally reach the N379-1, near the Miradouro do Portinho da Arrábida. It is here that the tragic scene of Tracy's death — One of the most striking moments of the film.
Although the road has some visual similarities with the scene of introduction of Bond to the Guincho beach, Peter Hunt still choose this portion of the nature park of Arrábida and its stunning view of the cityAtlanticas a backdrop to the tearing end of the film.

A little visible parking on screen allows you to stop without difficulty, and you can easily walk to different points of view. Even if the landscape has evolved somewhat since 1969, it is easy to recognize the natural decor andatmosphereso particular of the sequence.
The contrast between beauty of the place and drama who plays on the screen remains striking. We even came back later in the week, so much the site deserves to be attarded — both for its importance in the film and spectacular view that it offers on the sea and the surrounding reliefs.

It is said that, to prepare George Lazenby the emotional charge of the scene, Hunt He adopted a singular method: he did not address him and made him wait almost all day to increase his frustration.
Lazenby later said that he had read the last page of the novel to better grasp the intensity of the moment, going so far as to cry during the first take. Hunt, not convinced, asked a second catch without tears.

After two days of filming this sequence, the team moved towards a completely different set to film the scene where Bond and Tracy choose their wedding ring at the jewelry store Joalharia Ferreira Brands, Lisbon.

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)