Beauxbatons

Beauxbatons Academy of Magic is a French magic school in the fictional universe of Harry Potter created by the British author J. K. Rowling. Beauxbatons [bo.ba.tɔ̃] translates from French as "beautiful sticks".Beauxbatons Academy of Magic was a French magic school for witchcraft and wizardry,which was one of the biggest and oldest in Europe located in the Mount Pyrenees. This school consists many of witchcraft and wizardry mostly from France. And large numbers from España, Portugal, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. No one knows if students from other countries were allowed. The school’s logo consisted of two golden wands crossed over one another, each shooting three stars. Beauxbatons provide education to wizards and witches of all bloodlines.

Description

In the fourth book of the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000), students from Beauxbatons arrive at Hogwarts to take part in the Triwizard Tournament. They arrive in a carriage, brought by winged Palomino horses.

Beauxbatons is described as a boarding school located in the Pyrenees mountains of southern France full of ice sculptures and forest nymphs.

Beauxbatons has a preponderance of French students, though Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Luxembourgians and Belgians also attend in large numbers.

The delegation is led by headmistress Madame Olympe Maxime, a half-giantess; despite her proportions, she is beautiful, graceful, and well-dressed. Also singled out is Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons champion in the Triwizard Tournament, a beautiful girl with silvery hair who is a quarter-veela.

Students

Students of Beauxbatons are described rather stereotypically, mainly as beautiful long-haired girls and attractive boys, in contrast with the serious and surly students from the Eastern European school Durmstrang. They have good manners and in general are positive, while the unpleasant appearance of Durmstrang students implies their dishonesty. Similarly, the carriage of the Beauxbatons is well-lit and nice, while the ship, by which the students of Durmstrang arrive, is gloomy.

They speak French and stereotypical, heavily accented English. Jean-François Ménard, the translator of Harry Potter into French, wrote Madame Maxime as arrogant with very correct, aristocratic speech, while Fleur's tone was more distrustful. Ménard made these choices because "you cannot write French with a French accent".

In the screen adaptation Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Beauxbatons students are all female and Durmstrang students are all male, in contrast to the books which portray both schools as co-educational.

History

Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, a renowned institution nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains, has been a cornerstone of European wizarding education since its founding in 1552. With a rich history intertwined with the wizarding world's crusades, it has served as a sanctuary for magical knowledge and a cultural melting pot for wizards across Western Europe. In the late fifteenth century, a magical Renaissance inspired Beauxbatons to integrate the arts into its curriculum. Beauxbatons graduates were renowned for their exceptional magical abilities and artistic talents. By the mid-eighteenth century, the academy gained fame not only for its dueling skills and artistic pursuits but also for its elegant fashion and refined etiquette, setting a high standard for other magical schools. Beauxbatons Academy caters to pureblood and half-blood students, offering a comprehensive curriculum that includes core wizarding subjects and specialized programs in culinary arts, literary arts, performance arts, and studio arts. Students choose a concentration in their third year. The academy's impressive palace houses various facilities, including dining halls, classrooms, dormitories, and a dueling block. The beautiful grounds, tended by magical creatures, feature a serene lake and world-renowned gardens. Students can participate in extracurricular activities like dueling, Quidditch, horseback riding, and social arts. Beauxbatons' emphasis on academic excellence, artistic pursuits, discipline, and grace produces highly sought-after graduates who excel in the magical world.

Competition between 3 magic schools

Beauxbatons Academy and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have historically enjoyed a friendly rivalry, especially evident during the Triwizard Tournament. Beauxbatons has won the tournament sixty-two times, while Hogwarts has won sixty-three. However, the 1994-1995 tournament, marked by Lord Voldemort's interference, strained the relationship between the two schools. Despite this, individual students from both schools maintained friendly ties, and Madam Maxime's attendance at Dumbledore's funeral signified the enduring cordial relationship between the two institutions. Beauxbatons and Hogwarts also have a long-standing rivalry in Wizard's Chess. Before 1989, Beauxbatons had an undefeated streak against Hogwarts. However, in the 1988-1989 school year, a team of Hogwarts students, including Jacob's sibling, managed to defeat the world's top student player, Celine Castillon, from Beauxbatons, marking a significant victory for Hogwarts.

Castle and Grounds

Nestled in southern France near Cannes, Beauxbatons Academy, also known as "the Palace," boasts a sprawling nine-acre campus. A majestic chateau serves as the heart of the school, surrounded by enchanting gardens meticulously maintained by fairies and sprites. A large, man-made lake graces the grounds, home to a regal swan named Clarence. Students can hone their horseback riding skills with groundskeeper Rèmy Vieuxpont, who also oversees the stables. Beauxbatons' history stretches back over seven centuries, evidenced by its impressive architecture. Inside the grand Dining Chamber, students are serenaded by Wood Nymphs during meals, and the Christmas season sees the hall adorned with magnificent, non-melting ice sculptures. Legend has it that the school's beauty was partly funded by alchemist gold, a nod to the famed Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel who met as students at Beauxbatons. A magnificent fountain named after them adorns the school park, rumored to possess healing and beautifying properties. And of course, no magical school is complete without its own Quidditch pitch, where students can take flight and compete in exhilarating matches.

• The Main Building

The main building is a stunning architectural marvel with expansive windows. Upon entering the grand entrance hall, visitors are greeted by two sweeping spiral staircases. To the right, the dining hall and kitchens beckon, while to the left, the reception parlor and student gallery invite exploration. The second floor houses the Infirmary, while the third and fourth floors are primarily dedicated to classrooms and the school library. The upper floors also house the offices and private quarters of the Directrice and the Deputy Director.

• The East Wing (L'Aile Est):

The East Wing houses various facilities, including culinary labs in the basement, a dueling block on the first floor, studio spaces on the second and third floors, and classrooms on the fourth floor.

• The Textiles Atelier:

The Textiles Atelier is a two-room space dedicated to textile arts. One room stores fabrics and mannequins, while the other houses workstations for students. The basement, though dusty and cramped, holds remnants of past projects.

• The West Wing (L'Aile Ouest):

The West Wing is primarily composed of dormitories for both students and staff. Each floor is divided into sections for male and female students, with shared bathing facilities. The staff floor is restricted, requiring a password for access.

• The Cliffside Cottage:

The mysterious Cliffside Cottage, said to be older than the Academy itself, is shrouded in legend. It's rumored to be the former residence of a heartbroken student who tragically passed away. The cottage is inaccessible to students and can only be reached by a perilous climb up the cliffs.

Houses

Beauxbatons uses a unique sorting method. Students shoot a silver arrow, which bursts into the color of their house: purple for Papillionlisse, blue for OmbreLune, or green for Bellefeuille. The house is determined by the student's personality, character, and demeanor, with certain traits associated with each house. These traits serve as guidelines, not strict requirements.

• Bellefeuille House values bravery, loyalty, and a deep connection to nature. Its members are often kind, hardworking, and empathetic individuals. They prioritize family, friends, and the natural world.Bellefeuille students are often deeply connected to nature, caring for animals and respecting all living things. They are empathetic, understanding the emotions of others, and know how to respond appropriately. While they may not be the most academically gifted, they are practical, hardworking, and skilled in physical activities and crafts.
• Ombrelune House values cunning, logic, ambition, and curiosity. Its members are often strategic thinkers who prioritize results. They can be manipulative and calculating, believing that the ends justify the means. They are often adverse to irrationality and prize logical thinking.Ombrelune students are often emotionally reserved, rarely displaying their feelings unless it benefits them. They are highly ambitious, intelligent, and logical, often striving for power and perfection. They are curious about the world and how it works.
• Papillonlisse House values kindness, artistic ability, maturity, and idealism. Its members are often creative, empathetic, and thoughtful. They can be social and spontaneous, sometimes even unpredictable. Papillonlisse students are known for their sophistication, maturity, and appreciation for beauty, both inner and outer. They are often idealistic and romantic, dreaming of a better world. While they may not be the most analytical, they are deeply empathetic and value personal growth. They are often introspective and emotional, bringing strong feelings to their work.

Subjects

• Care of Magical Creatures
• Charms
• Divination
• Etiquette
• Flying
• Herbology
• History of Magic
• Potions
• Transfiguration
• Astronomy
• Defense Against The Dark Arts
• Drama

Uniforms

Beauxbatons uniform was a set of clothes that were required to wear. Consisted of light blue clothes that made of silk.

Transportation

Beauxbatons students and staff travel in style, using a light blue carriage pulled by a dozen winged Abraxan horses. This mode of transportation, while undeniably magical, is a clear violation of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. The Abraxan horses, known for their elegance and power, have an unusual taste for single-malt whiskey.

Famous person

• Fleur Delacour

Fleur Delacour, a beautiful French witch with Veela heritage, attended Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. She gained fame as a Triwizard Tournament champion, though the event was marred by tragedy. After working at Gringotts Bank and falling in love with Bill Weasley, they married despite the chaos of the Second Wizarding War. The couple fought bravely alongside Harry Potter and his friends, eventually settling down to raise their three children, Victoire, Dominique, and Louis. Fleur's courage and resilience made her a beloved figure in the wizarding world.

• Madam Maxine

Madame Olympe Maxime, a French witch of half-giant heritage, held the position of headmistress at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.She often traveled with her students in a large, powder-blue carriage pulled by twelve winged Abraxan horses, specially raised at Beauxbatons. Though Madame Maxime was indeed a half-giant, she insisted she just had "big bones." This was necessary, as the wizarding world typically viewed giants—and those with giant ancestry—negatively.

Criticism

The portrayal of the two foreign schools has been criticized as stereotypical. On the whole, the students of Beauxbatons, just as the students of Durmstrang, are homogeneous, not showing the cultural diversity of Hogwarts.

The contrast between Durmstrang and Hogwarts can be interpreted as an allusion to the war of the West with the bad from the East, as described in the gothic fiction of the nineteenth century, and contrast between Beauxbatons and Hogwarts as an allusion to the competition between the reasonable and decent Great Britain and the licentious and decadent France. It has been argued that the appearance on the foreground of these old conflicts allows J K. Rowling to sublimate them, and to make them irrelevant to modern readers.

The three different magic schools have also been interpreted as representing the Allies in World War II, with Beauxbatons stadning in for France, in opposition to "Voldemort and his followers represent[ing] Germany".

References

Works cited

• Eccleshare, Julia (2002). Guide to the Harry Potter Novels. A&C Black. pp. 81–82. ISBN 9780826453174.
• Flotmann, Christina (2014). Ambiguity in "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter": A (Post)Structuralist Reading of Two Popular Myths. Verlag. pp. 328–331. ISBN 9783839421482.
• Moore, Miranda (2000). "Translatability of "Harry Potter"". The Linguist: Journal of the Institute of Linguists. 39 (6): 176–177.
• Oziewicz, Marek (2010). "Representations of Eastern Europe in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, Jonathan Stroud's The Bartimaeus Trilogy, and JK Rowling's Harry Potter Series". International Research in Children's Literature. 3 (1) (International Research in Children's Literature ed.): 1–14. doi:10.3366/ircl.2010.0002.

Further reading

• Henderson, Austin; Kenny, Madison; Lane, Cameron; Duc Le, Madison Murray (2017). "The Power of the Potter Patriarchy: Feminist Theory and Harry Potter" (PDF). The Mirror of Erised: Seeing a Better World Through Harry Potter and Critical Theory. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-05-16. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
• Rana, Marion (2009). Creating Magical Worlds: Otherness and Othering in Harry Potter. Peter Lang. ISBN 9783631580714.