The Belle de Nuit nightclub is the focal point of The Saboteur in more ways than one. Part cabaret, part dive bar, part hideout, the “Belle” was the first Paris location to come to fruition during the game’s development. It’s a lively place frequented by Parisians and occupying Nazi forces alike. It also serves as the base of operations for the Saboteur himself, Sean Devlin. Besides playing a central role in the story, the Belle also gives the player a look into the wild nightlife of World War II Paris. With the venue’s opulent early-20th-century veneers and architecture and its dark yet vibrant atmosphere, the artists and designers have created the perfect centerpiece for the game.

The Belle Stage: Concept Art

The idea for the Belle actually evolved from several locations developed by the game’s writers and designers. They wanted a sexy cabaret, a place to showcase burlesque acts and dancers and they needed Sean to have a hideout. They wanted a seedy dive bar where the French Resistance could meet and scheme, and there also had to be a place where the Nazis and French could be on neutral ground under the same roof at the same time without sparking confrontations. As the story and design became more solidified, these elements merged into a single location that could serve all of these functions simultaneously.

The Belle Exterior: Concept Art

From here the art team got started with preliminary design work. We began looking at traditional places in Paris for inspiration such as the Moulin Rouge and Le Lido de Paris. Another strong influence was "Rick's Café Américain" from the classic film Casablanca. However, given the multiple roles the establishment would serve, we decided we needed to put our own touch on the building. We knew we wanted the Belle to have “seen better days”; it had to be old but still functional. The architecture had to be rife with 1920s Art Nouveau décor inside and out. The space also had to be large enough for show performances, for patrons to sit or walk around, and to house private areas that could be kept hidden from the Nazis.

The Belle Props: Concept Art

The Belle - LeConquin: Concept Art

With this new direction the Belle de Nuit design came together very well and surprisingly quickly. It wasn’t long before new concept designs were completed and the environment art team was able to build the Belle in 3D and get it into the game. Since we had a clear vision of what we wanted to create, it was straightforward to expand upon from here. The location changed very little since the initial designs from the early phases of the project. This is a testament to that clear vision and the great thought and care that went into the Belle’s creation.