Menton motorcycle chase - the tunnel

In Never Say Never Again, the motorcycle chase through Menton comes to a brief halt in a tunnel, as Bond is lured into the tunnel by Fatima Blush and her henchmen. Bond is captured but manages to escape and continues the chase of Blush.

Bond escapes from the tunnel

A large part of the motorcycle chase, which has been covered earlier, was filmed in Menton on the French Riviera. Menton is the last village before the Italian border. The tunnel seen in the film is called the Pascal Molinari Tunnel and is located right next to Square Victoria, which contains a monument dedicated to Queen Victoria. 

Bond chased into the tunnel along Quai Bonaparte

Menton in October 2015

Bond is captured inside the tunnel but manages to escape, using the tailgate lift of a lorry as a ramp to jump over the henchmens' cars with the motorbike.

Bond then continues to pursue Fatima Blush along the beach road, Quai Bonaparte, in Menton, before arriving in Villefranche-sur-mer where the chase ends at Port de la Darse, in an old warehouse. The building along Quai Bonaparte with its red and yellow wall, seen in the picture below, can still be found on location.  

Quai Bonaparte along the beach in Menton in October 2015. 

Chasing Fatima Blush - Menton

 In Never Say Never Again, Bond chases Fatima Blush through the French Riviera after discovering that she has killed agent 326, his ally Nicole at their villa in Villefranche-sur-mer. Bond is driving his Q-bike down Les rampes Saint-Michel and follows Fatima Blush down the street called Rue Longe in the city of Menton.

Rue Logettes to the left and Place du Cap seen to the right 

Rue Longe comes out through an archway in a building onto Rue des Logettes, the street that Fatima Blush is seen coming down on in the top picture. She then turns left on the the square called Place du Cap and continues along the beach road. The action on the motorbike was filmed in the city of Menton, a very picturesque village located close to the Italian border on the French Riviera. Several part of the motorbike chase were filmed in and around Menton and Villefranche-sur-mer, which is located further west, between Nice and Monaco.

Standing on Place du Cap - the beach vaguely visible in the background 

The arch from which Rue Longe intersects with Rue des Logettes

Fatima Blush has a few henchmen waiting for her and Bond in two cars at Place du Cap. When they spot Bond they start pursue him along the beach, where he already is pursuing Fatima Blush.

Bond drives across the small square as the two cars start chasing him

A similar marquis with the text Specialiteés, as seen through the windscreen of one of the cars can still be found on location at the restaurant La Coquille d'Or. Menton is a beautiful village on the Riviera and this location is well worth a visit, primarily because you can find so many parts of the motorbike chase within walking distance. A lunch at one of the nearby squares is highly recommended.

Blush calls on her henchmen in the two cars and orders them to stay away from Bond since he is her to catch. They do not appear to follow orders however, as they both start pursuing Bond. Blush of course knows that there are Spectre agents waiting in the tunnel ahead, ready to catch Bond as she lures him into the tunnel.

The view from inside one of the bad guy's cars as they start pursuing Bond 

After driving across the square Blush continues along the beach road and ultimately ends up inside the Tunnel Pascal Molinari where they try to capture Bond. The tunnel will be covered later.

The beach road leading up to Square Victoria and the tunnel

Menton Motorcycle Chase - Rue Longe

During the motorbike chase in Never Say Never Again, Bond is lured away from his villa in Villefranche-sur-mer by Fatima Blush, after she has killed Bond's ally, Nicole. After chasing Fatima's Renault 5 Turbo down the roads of Villefranche-sur-mer, Bond ends up in the small town of Menton, close to the Italian border. Here, still in pursuit of Blush, Bond speeds down the famous steps of Saint-Michel in the old part of the city.

As Bond is driving down the steps, Blush is seen driving down Rue Longe that runs below the steps and separate the upper part with the last few steps that continues down to the beach road called Quai Bonaparte. Just before the last steps of the upper part reach Rue Longe, Bond jumps down with the motorcycle and continues the chase down Rue Longe. This narrow street will eventually lead to Rue des Logettes and Place du Cap where Blush's henchmen are waiting in two cars to capture Bond.

Blush is driving around in her Renault 5 Turbo. 

These steps are a historic monument, constructed in the mid 1700's. Bond and Blush later come out on a larger square, where Blush's henchmen are waiting in two cars and Bond becomes the hunted. The tunnel where Bond later is captured, but manages to escape, is only a short walk away from this location, along the beach.

After driving around Menton, Bond and Blush again end up in the port of Villefranche-sur-mer, namely Port de la Darse, where the motorbike chase finally ends and Blush is blown to pieces by Algernon's pen.

Menton Motorbike chase - Les rampes Saint-Michel

The motorbike chase in Never Say Never Again, was primarily filmed in and around the village of Menton on the French Riviera. The chase starts in Villefranche-sur-mer, when Fatima Blush kills Bond's ally, agent 326, in the mountainside villa. Bond chases Fatima down the mountain roads and into Menton, which actually is located quite far (approximately 25 km) from Villefranche-sur-mer.

Seen in the background in to the right is the bigger Chapelle de la Conception, facing the square. After driving across the small square with the notable mosaic tiles, 007 speeds down the famous steps called 'les rampes Saint-Michel'.

After driving up the steps behind the church in Menton, covered here earlier, Bond comes down on Place de la Conception in front of the small chapel called Basilique Saint Michel.

During the chase Bond's motorcycle is coming down the steps from both left and right, an obvious blooper. After the last curve on the steps, just above Rue Longe, Fatima Blush is visible in her Renault as she is driving down Rue Longe below the steps.

The steps are facing the water and span from the square, Place de la Conception, all the way down to the beach road called Quai Bonaparte. Rue Longue cuts through the steps before the last part reaches Quai Bonaparte and the shore.

The steps was constructed in 1753 and was extended down from Rue Longue to the Quay Bonaparte in 1941. Facing the steps is l'hôtel Pretti de Saint Ambroise, which together with the Basilique Saint Michel and the Saint Michel steps are cultural monuments. This is of course a must see when visiting the city and not only the historical steps but the entire surroundings of this old part of Menton is beautiful. From here you are only a few minute walk away from several other locations seen in Never.

Bond's motorcycle which is supplied by Q is a Yamaha XJ 650 Turbo. He chases Blush in her Renault 5 Turbo 2.

Menton motorbike chase

In Never Say Never Again, Fatima Blush kills Bond's ally Nicole, agent 326, and escapes in her Renault 5 Turbo 2 through the streets of Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Menton. Bond pursues Fatima on his motorbike supplied by Q. A large part of the motorbike chase was filmed in the beautiful town of Menton on the French Riviera.

As Bond is driving up some steps in the old part of Menton, the side of a church is briefly visible at the top of the steps. The church visible in the background is the Basilique Saint Michel, a Catholic basilica located in Menton's historic city centre.

The construction of the basilica begun in 1619 at the request of the Prince of Monaco, Honoré II, who was the son of Hercule, Lord of Monaco between 1562 and 1604. The basilica has been a historic monument since 1947. If you are walking down the steps back to the city centre, you will find a lot of nice restaurants and small shops. For instance, Place aux Herbes is a perfect place for a spot of lunch.

Bond is coming down Rue de Palmier with the motorbike and continues up the steps to Place de la Conception in front of Basilique Saint Michel. From the top of the steps you will have a beautiful view over the sea and part of the Menton coast line that leads to Italy.

Very briefly seen behind Bond, as he drives down Place de la Conception, is another chapel visible, namely Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs, also known as Chapelle de la Conception. The chapel is facing the sea.

Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs in the background and Basilique Saint Michel visible to the left