The most famous spot is Castle Combe in the Cotswolds, England. It’s the village that doubled as the quaint, fictional “Vulgaria.” If you’ve ever wandered through a village that looks like it was plucked straight from a storybook, Castle Combe is that place. I swear, when I visited, I half-expected Jeremy Fisher and Grandpa Potts to come strolling out of the pub.
Walking down the main street, you can stand exactly where the candy-colored car popped its parade of sweets. The locals are used to visitors pointing at the old stone bridge and grinning like children. It’s one of those rare locations where the film and reality feel perfectly stitched together.
Where the Car Actually Flew
Now, for the flying scenes, the production headed to Pinewood Studios near London. Most of the airborne magic was shot on their massive sound stages, with Chitty suspended from wires. Think of it like a giant puppet show, but with winds machines and a lot of whimsical music.
You can actually visit Pinewood on a tour and see the exact tank where they filmed the car bouncing on the sea. It’s a huge, blue-painted basin that now looks totally ordinary, but your brain will instantly fill in the waves and the song. It’s a bit like seeing a magician’s workshop after the show—still thrilling knowing how the trick was done.
