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."
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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
