Vanished filming locations: From Paris to Marseille and another country 2,000 miles away that's hiding a secret
If you thought it was filmed in Jordan, think again
Vanished, Amazon’s new thriller, follows Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin as they run around France – and this is where it was all filmed.
The new Prime Video series has an intriguing set-up: Alice (Cuoco), an archaeologist, meets up with her boyfriend, Tom (Claflin), in Paris. They board a train for a romantic getaway in Arles – but he “vanishes” along the way, leaving Alice to figure out where he is and why he disappeared.
This forces Alice to look far and wide, whether it’s across Marseille or scenic bridges and landmarks.
So, if you’re curious about Vanished’s filming locations, you’re in the right place.
Where was Vanished filmed?
Vanished was filmed entirely in France. That’s right: no studio sets, no trickery, all on-location and in the real world.
We’ll get into some more specific places shortly, but the shoot was primarily set in Marseille, with a brief section of the show’s opening episode filmed in Paris.
According to Lourdes Diaz, an executive producer on the series, Marseille is a character of its own.
“It is the beauty of Marseille. The darkness of Marseille. Marseille has many layers to it. Marseille has many faces to it,” she told Prime Video.
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“Not only in the diversity of the people who live there, but in the topography from the ocean, to the mountainside, to the docks, to the port, to the clubs and the restaurants. It’s just a fantastic place that allowed these characters to go in and out and weave through places that really enhanced the story and made it a character for our show.”
Preston Thompson, a co-creator on the show, also highlighted Marseille’s qualities. “On one side, it’s this beautiful kind of French Riviera on the Med, and has that kind of glamour to it. But it also has this grit and this underworld,” he said.
Vanished filming locations you can visit
You could spend hours pausing all four episodes of Vanished in search of places to visit. We’ve picked out a few of the notable ones – including Alice and Sam’s hotel.
Paris landmarks
In episode 1 of Vanished, you can see a few notable Paris locations, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.
They’re two of the most famous European landmarks, on a par with the likes of Big Ben, the Louvre, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
As for why the series wasn’t filmed entirely in Paris, it’s likely due to cost. Marseille will definitely be cheaper to film in compared to Paris, which is why we don’t get to spend a lot of time there.
Hotel Regina
Again, we only spend a little bit of time at Hotel Regina.
Located opposite the Louvre and overlooking the Tuileries Garden, this is considered to be a “remarkable” five-star hotel with baroque, lavish stylings and quick connections to all the major spots in Paris.
Fancy staying a night? No problem: a one-night stay for two people in its cheapest room costs anywhere between around €500-1,400!
Hotel Peron
Hotel Peron can be seen throughout Vanished, as it’s where Cuoco’s Alice stays for the majority of the series.
Located in the La Corniche district of Marseille, the hotel has a stunning view of the sea and is only a short distance away from the city’s top attractions.
It may only be a three-star hotel, but most of its bookings for the year have already been snapped up (and you can get a room for the €100 mark).
Roquefavour Aqueduct
The Roquefavour Aqueduct is a key location in Vanished. In the first episode, when Tom initially disappears, this is the only landmark Alice can see from the train.
The structure, first built in the 19th century and standing 83 metres high and 375 metres long, is located around 30 miles from Marseille.
While stemming from an idea in the 1500s, French officials gave it the green light in the wake of the 1834 drought and cholera epidemics, hoping to reroute the water from the Durance river to Marseille.
Notre-Dame de la Garde
Notre-Dame de le Garde, a basilica that sits atop the hill near the Old Port, is the most visited monument in all of Marseille. You can spot it in the opening credits of Vanished.
At its highest point (154 metres), you can get a stunning 360-degree view of the whole city and its nearby islands. Crucially, there’s a bus that takes you there, so you don’t need to hike to the top!
Noailles district
The Noailles district, nicknamed the “belly of Marseille”, is one of the liveliest, most culturally vivid areas of the city. It appears in multiple scenes in Vanished as Alice searches for Tom.
It’s home to fishmongers, butchers, and loads of other merchants from across the world. Where do you think it gets its name? It’s a must-see place for any foodie – just be prepared for a bustling, busy atmosphere.
Old Port of Marseille
The Old Port is one of the most recognisable areas in Marseille. It’s home to a sea of boats, and centuries on from when it was founded in 600 BC, it’s become the social and cultural centre of the city.
Was Vanished really filmed in Jordan?
No, Amazon didn’t film Vanished in Jordan. They filmed the whole series in France, so they used the French countryside for the Jordan scenes.
Thanks to the anonymity of where those scenes are filmed, and the yellowy tinge of the flashbacks, you can hardly figure out exactly where it is.
However, we know two things: Jordan is around 2,000 miles away from Marseille, and filmmakers exclusively shot Vanished in France.
The credits explain that the production benefited from a tax credit for foreign productions. In the easiest terms to understand, it was cheaper to make. It wouldn’t have made sense to cart everyone over to Jordan for a small handful of scenes.
Why filming Vanished in Marseille was a big decision for Kaley Cuoco
Cuoco had her first child in 2023 (with fiancé and fellow actor Tom Pelphrey). The star had pared back her work after her daughter’s birth, but Vanished required her to travel abroad.
Speaking to TV Insider, she explained how it was the “first time [she] had to make a big decision since being a mom”.
“When they first said that we want to shoot Marseille, it was like this big backdrop of vision, [I was] like, ‘God, you really need to do that? Can we shoot here for there? I’ve got a 2-year-old. How do I leave?'” Cuoco said.
“Luckily, my fiancé was amazing. He’s like, ‘You gotta go. It’s a great opportunity.’ And he really took over at home, which enabled me to go and immerse myself into the job, and the people there, and the environment.
“I don’t know if I’ll have an opportunity like that again, so I’m glad that I did it.”
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