Quiet! Quiet! We're shooting...
The scene above was taken on the road bridge linking Saint-Denis-Lès-Martel to Vayrac and spanning the railway line. For the occasion, the asphalt was completely covered with earth to match the road surface during the 2nd World War. The German convoy was heading for Aurillac. Later in the film, one of the houses on the left was also used for a scene. As a souvenir of the filming, a papier-mâché set, the signal box, is on display at Martel tourist train station. Not to mention a few locals who took part as extras and told me some very nice anecdotes.
You can watch the trailer here : https://youtu.be/ovx-3dZ7hV0
Another film, another village, not far from the Moulin du Boisset, Loubressac. It was the location for a much less dramatic film in 1972. "Quelques Messieurs trop tranquilles" (A Few Gentlemen Too Quiet) by Georges Lautner, starring such French cinema greats as Michel Galabru, Jean Lefebvre, André Pousse and Miou-Miou...
Synopsis: The residents of Loubressac take a dim view of a group of hippies who have moved into their village. A murder is committed and the newcomers are blamed. However, some of the townsfolk decide to investigate...
Many scenes, including the final shoot-out, were filmed in the village of Loubressac, which hasn't changed much since. The film also shows the Château de Belcastel overlooking the Dordogne, and footage of Autoire. Since then, Loubressac and Autoire have been listed among the "Most Beautiful Villages in France".
The trailer is here : https://youtu.be/JeYh_fCE11M
