If you’ve recently looked up Għarb, Gozo on Google Street View and found yourself doing a double take, you’re not alone. The Maltese actor and photographer Henry Zammit Cordina spotted something rather curious, and it’s all thanks to a bit of TV magic.

Search for Triq il-Knisja in Għarb on Google Earth or Street View, and you might think you’ve been virtually transported to a quaint French village. French road signs, a French bar, even a French Police Station – all appear in what is clearly a Gozitan setting. So, what gives?

As Henry pointed out in his post, this all makes perfect sense once you know the backstory: The Madame Blanc Mysteries, a UK Channel 5 TV series, was being filmed there at the time the Google Earth car passed through, in August 2022. The production team had temporarily transformed this picturesque Gozitan town into a fictional French locale known as Sainte Victoire, the series' primary setting.

The charming streets of Għarb have doubled as French town squares in multiple seasons of the show, which follows an antique dealer-turned-sleuth played by Sally Lindsay as she solves mysteries in the South of France. It turns out, the South of France is actually a lot closer than you think – right here in Gozo!

This little Easter egg captured by Google is a fun peek behind the scenes for fans of the show and curious Google Earth explorers alike. So next time you’re virtually strolling through Għarb and wondering why things suddenly look très Français… now you know.

Did you notice this French touch on Google’s Għarb?