Top Gear 'à la française' filmed in Jersey

Thursday 21 December 2017

The team behind the French version of 'Top Gear' chose Jersey's west coast and the north’s rugged cliffs as the backdrop for an upcoming episode of the fourth season of the show, which was shot at the end of June and will be aired early in the new year.

The three hosts, actor and director Philippe Lellouche, driver Bruce Jouanny and motoring reporter and driver Le Tone, had to drive on the unfamiliar left-hand side on the narrow roads around St. Ouen's bay for the episode.

A team of around 30 people, including cameramen, sound engineers and production assistants, travelled to Jersey at the end of June for the filming. Florent Huguet, editor in chief of BBC Worldwide, is part of the team who writes the episodes. He told Express: "We always try to find destination that can help tell a story about cars and who provide good sceneries for filming. This time around we wanted to talk about British cars so we thought a British backdrop would be more appropriate. We came to visit Jersey and thought it would suit the scenario we had in mind."

Et voilà, the team didn't need more to convince them to film in the island. The episode, like all others in the season, will include small reports on cars and images shot in the island in a mix of entertainment and information.  Mr Huguet explains: "There is a part about history and cars and a few scenes at the Mansell Collection which we visited and where the hosts are on some sort of quest. 

"We filmed around Les Mielles in St. Ouen and on the north coast where the landscapes looked 'wilder' or with rugged coasts in the background. It was a very nice scenery by the seaside. We filmed from St. Helier to the west coast, it was very picturesque." 

Pictured: The hosts of the French Top Gear, Le Tone, Philippe Lellouche and Bruce Jouanny.

It took the three hosts some getting used to to drive on the left-hand side, and the narrow roads around St. Ouen's bay didn't exactly help. Mr Huguet says: "There were a couple of times where they came close to the stone walls or the bushes whilst driving. Some turns weren't the easiest but it makes for some good images. It should be quite entertaining to watch."

The Jersey getaway left all members with good memories even if conditions were not always ideal. Mr Huguet said: "It was overall a very nice stay. Travelling to a new destination can sometimes be a bit of a logistical nightmare but the advantage of an island is that everything is localised. It made it easier for the team to film.

"We were not very lucky with the weather, it rained most of the time but we did get some here and there. We ate very well! It was a nice stay and a pleasant memory. This season we went to a lot of different destinations, we have a nice variety and we tried to change scenery with each episode."

Pictured: Mr Lellouche was spotted by French fans whilst filming in Jersey. (Antony Gicquel)

The Jersey episode will be broadcast on French channel, RMC Découverte, early next year. The airing date has yet to be confirmed but it will include a French Stig and maybe even some stunts.