Hidden filming locations revealed: where Netflix's Summer '36 was really shot

If you like your European period dramas glossy and a little dangerous, Netflix just slid a new French limited series onto your queue. It is called 'Summer '36', it is set on the Riviera in the 1930s, and yes, the locations are the star almost as much as the cast.

What is it and when can you watch?

Netflix is keeping its productive pipeline with French broadcaster TF1 going. After its domestic run in France, 'Summer '36' has started its global Netflix rollout, with most territories getting it on July 1. It is a six-episode French period murder mystery primarily set in Nice, and the production leans hard into that old-world Riviera sheen.

'Six-episode French period murder mystery 'Summer 36 / L'Ete 36' is on Netflix.'

The cast (and a familiar reunion)

The core ensemble is four women: Julie de Bona and Sofia Essaidi — both of whom Netflix viewers will recognize from 'Women at War' — plus renowned French singer-actor Nolwenn Leroy and Constance Gay. If you have been into Netflix's earlier French historical imports, you will probably clock those names right away.

About those locations (aka the show knows it is pretty)

Most of the action unfolds in and around Nice in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, with the production team rebuilding a 1930s version of the city. It is unabashed location porn in the best way: glamorous hotels, sweeping sea views, and the kind of boulevards that make you want to buy linen and a wide-brim hat. Here is where they actually shot:

• Nice, French Riviera (Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur): The series mostly takes place here, with 1930s Nice meticulously brought back to life to match the timeline.
• Massena High School: The historic lycee was cleverly used to stand in for the long-gone Jetee-Promenade Arena — a neat bit of production sleight of hand that nods to a forgotten Riviera landmark.
• Castle Hill Park (Colline du Chateau): Used to showcase the full sprawl of the Mediterranean coastline and Nice's dramatic cliffs and greenery. On screen it looks unreal because, in real life, it kind of does.
• Hotel Negresco: The iconic luxury hotel on the Promenade des Anglais hosts much of the show's stylized bar and lounge action. If the chandeliers are doing too much, that is exactly the point.
• Grasse: Beyond being the perfume capital, its countryside and historic streets add texture. The perfume houses and museums are catnip for the camera and help the world feel lived-in.
• Cannes: Not just a film festival stop. The waterfront, Belle Epoque architecture, and overall Riviera glamour make it a natural fit for the series' vibe.
• Sospel: A more low-key corner of southern France — hills all around, stone buildings, slower rhythm — that gives the show a grounded counterpoint to all the seaside sparkle.
• Promenade des Anglais: Quick geography check: this is the famous seafront boulevard in Nice, not a hotel. The Negresco sits on it, and the show uses the Promenade like a character — those long shots of sky, sea, and sun do a lot of storytelling.
• Paris: Because of course. Beyond being a familiar gateway city for global viewers, a significant chunk of the plot plays out here, and the contrast with the Riviera setting works.

The takeaway

'Summer '36' is exactly the kind of glossy historical mystery Netflix loves to drop in the warmer months: moody murders, a sharp female-led cast, and locations that do half the work before anyone even opens their mouth. It is now streaming in most regions, and if you are watching for the scenery as much as the story, you are in good hands.

Got a favorite location from the show — Negresco's bar scenes, that Castle Hill panorama, or the quiet streets of Sospel? Tell me which spot stole the episode for you.