Where in Amsterdam is Baptiste filmed?

The first two seasons of this series are set in France and Germany, but in the third, viewers are whisked off to Amsterdam. Tcheky Karyo, the detective, is on a trip to visit his granddaughter while probing into the dark, seamy side of the European society. The story writers Jack and Harry Williams choose Amsterdam to echo the unique story’s unique narrative that is characterised by twists, surprises and turns similar to the city. Amsterdam has a deceiving appearance of a beautiful city but is riddled with hideous issues relating to drugs, sex and crime.

Places fetaured in the film

Most of the episodes are shot at the heart of the city. We see Edward Stratton and Baptiste roaming the city’s red light district, De Wallen. They also strut around the city’s central canal, Oudezijds Achterburgwal and pass the neon-lit Casa Rosso bar when questioning the sex workers in a bid to solve the recent case. The premise is to highlight the city’s complex nature in conjunction with the scenes on the film. The National Monument also features in the film when a pair tries to chase a suspicious boy from Pijlesteeg to Dam Square. The two men follow the boy to De Nieuwe Kerk, one of the oldest church in Amsterdam, which is now used an exhibition space.

Challenges when filming in Amsterdam

Despite the many beautiful sceneries in the city, it was challenging to film Baptiste due to the large number of bicycles. Griffin, the producer, explained that the constant use of bicycles made it almost impossible to film undisturbed. It is nearly impossible to control traffic as they can quickly get around barriers and people. Such distractions made filming even slower hence, the producer’s decision to move to smaller towns like Ghent. Sara’s flat is located here, and it also boasts a few canals.