Beauxbatons
| Related terms: | Hogwarts, Ilvermorny, Durmstrang |
| See also: | Harry Potter, Houses (Harry Potter) |
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Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, more commonly Beauxbatons, is a magical school in the Harry Potter series. Located in the mountains along the Franco-Spanish border, the school dates to at least the late thirteenth century. Its Headmistress during the events of the Harry Potter series is Madame Maxime.
Canon
Beauxbatons is one of eleven known magical schools located throughout the world, and one of the three schools present on the European continent (the others being Hogwarts and Durmstrang.) Located in southern France, the school likely accepts students from across Europe, including France, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy. International students and students from francophone countries are also likely accepted.
Throughout history, Beauxbatons and Hogwarts are believed to have had a competitive rivalry; the Triwizard Tournament is described as being held between Beauxbatons, Hogwarts, and Durmstrang every five years "from seven hundred years ago" until roughly 1792, and then recommencing in 1994. It is this statement of seven-hundred years that enables the rough estimate of the establishment of the school being before 1290 CE (1994 - 700 = 1294).
Notably, in the books the school is clearly co-educational, whereas in the film adaptation of the Goblet of Fire all Beauxbatons students are depicted as female.
Fandom
Beauxbatons makes somewhat frequent appearances in fanfiction, in particular when discussing opportunities or alternatives outside of the United Kingdom. When students in fanworks are seen leaving Hogwarts, they are often stated to continue their education by attending Beauxbatons or Durmstrang. Given that Beauxbatons' headmistress is half giant and the school's Triwizard champion is one-quarter veela, a frequent headcanon is that wixen France is much more inclusive of muggleborns and those of non-human ancestry than wixen Britain. The events of Goblet of Fire are also particularly well represented within fanfiction, resulting in original Beauxbatons characters and curriculum being created regularly.
The school is often portrayed as having a student body more similar to the real-life French education system, with no houses or points system as in Hogwarts. The architecture of the school is frequently written as following a classical or renaissance style favoring marble and color, in contrast to the gothic style of Hogwarts. Another common portrayal is that the school is housed in the palace and estate of a nobleman, variously gifted to the school by the King of France between medieval times and the French Revolution.
Example Fanworks
- The Arithmancer by White_Squirrel
Meta & Headcanons
- Les Amis as Beauxbatons ghosts headcanon by Anonymous; ratheralark and shellcollector expand on this, theorizing that "Beauxbatons students get sorted into either the ‘seemingly effortless chic, circumlocution to avoid saying un hamburger, strong beliefs about which of the local boulangers is the good one and which is the one we Do Not Enter’ house, or the ‘what, WHAT you messed with my working hours? Strike! STRIKE!!’ house." (2016)
Archives & Fannish Links
- Beauxbatons tag on the AO3