We all know that Beauty & the Beast is set in France.  From the bakeries to the books, there is a distinct French quality to both the 1991 and 2017 films.  But did you know that there are several real-life places throughout Europe that are said to have inspired Beauty & the Beast that you can actually visit? Today we’ll be diving further into the phenomenon that is this franchise and how you too can live out your inner-Belle dreams with these real-life places that inspired Beauty & the Beast (both movies).

Places that Inspired the 1991 Beauty & the Beast

While there isn’t as much info readily available for the exact locations that inspired the original classic fairytale, what we do know is that animators took a research trip to France and visited both the Loire Valley as well as the Alsace region of the country.  You can see these influences throughout the film and many journalists have since confirmed these locations.

Chateau de Chambord, Loire Valley – Beast’s Castle

This stunning chateau in the Loire Valley has actually inspired the Beast’s castle in both films but let’s start with the 1991 version.  Producers of the film have talked about visiting the Loire Valley on a research trip.  The Chateau de Chambord provided the perfect backdrop for the Beast’s castle due to the impressive exterior spirals as well as the many staircases inside the chateau.  This is also one of the largest chateaux in the Loire Valley, taking over 28 years to construct.

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Towns of Alsace, Alsace – Belle’s Town

It is widely known that Belle’s “Poor Provincial Town” was modeled after the towns of Alsace. While located on the eastern side of France, these highly German-influenced towns have a very distinct look and feel to them.  Many such as Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé feel like they’ve been frozen in time with cobblestone pavements and wooden homes.  There are many fountains that resemble the fountain that Belle sits at when singing and reading her book.  (Rumor has it that the real fountain that inspired this scene is located in Colmar.)

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Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris – Beast’s Library

There has been a lot of speculation as to which of the many incredible libraries throughout Europe have inspired the Beast’s Library.  And while there are many that would make for a great Beauty & the Beast reenactment, the one with the most credibility is the Oval Reading Room in the Richelieu Building at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris. Its circular structure and high shelves bear a closer resemblance to what you see in the film.

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French Rococo Design, Loire Valley – Beast’s Castle

When asked what inspired the look and feel of the art and design used throughout the Beast’s castle, art directors on the film pointed to many of the famous French Rococo artists of the eighteenth century including Jean-Honore Fragonard, Francois Boucher, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Francisco de Goya. In fact, they spent quite a bit of time studying the art of that era, housed in various museums throughout the Loire Valley. If you still need further proof, Cogsworth even says, “…And as you can see, the pseudo-façade is stripped away to reveal a minimalist Rococo design…” as he gives Belle a tour of the castle.

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Girl with a Pearl Earring – Belle’s Hallway

One of the most famous paintings art aficionado’s may have noticed is the one directly outside of Belle’s bedroom in the hallway.  It is based off of the “Girl with a Pearl Earring” which was painted by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer back in 1665.  You can see this famous painting on display today in the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague in the Netherlands.

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Places that Inspired the 2017 Live Action Beauty & the Beast

When it came to the production of Disney’s 2017 live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, to say that the producing team felt “pressure” to deliver, would be an understatement.  Everything had to be “bigger” and “better” while still remaining true to the original.  And so, filmmakers set out on another research expedition to ensure sets were fulfilling those expectations.  Good news for us super fans, because of this incredible attention to detail, we also have a lot more information on the places that inspired these set designs than we did for the last film.

Chateau de Chambord, Loire Valley – Beast’s Castle

As mentioned previously, this is the only location that seems to have inspired both the 1991 and 2017 films.  The inspiration of the live action, however, does seem to be a little different in terms of the structure of the castle. 

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Palace of Versailles, Paris – Beast’s Castle

Filmmakers have also credited the most famous of all chateaux in France, the Palace of Versailles, for inspiring the grand nature of the Beast’s castle in the live action film.  Aspects of the chandeliers used for the grand ballroom were lifted directly from the Hall of Mirrors to give them a larger than life feel.

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Benedictine Abbey, Czech Republic – Beast’s Castle

Speaking of the Beast’s ballroom, the 12,000 square foot marble flooring was inspired by the patterns found on the ceiling of the Benedictine Abbey in the Czech Republic.

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Wies Church, Bavaria – Beast’s Castle

Filmmakers have also cited Wies Church in Bavaria as helping to inspire the interior of the castle. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the opening scene featuring a stunning Audra McDonald, a very full ballroom of dancers, and a very made-up, very arrogant prince.

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Nymphenburg Palace, Germany – Belle’s Room

When it came to designing Belle’s room for the 2017 version, there was definitely room to expand upon the original look. And so, production designer Sarah Greenwood set out across Europe to find inspiration from some of the most regal locations on the continent. This included the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich Germany, which she has cited as directly influencing the design of Belle’s room.

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St. George’s Fountain, Germany – Fountain in Belle’s Town

Greenwood has also mentioned that the famous fountain in Belle’s hometown, was inspired by St. George’s Fountain in Rothenburg, Germany.

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French Villages (such as Conques), France – Belle’s Town

Speaking of Belle’s hometown, while most of this was filmed on a soundstage, the streets of Conques in the south of France were the inspiration for said set design. 

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Biblioteca Joanina, Portugal – Beast’s Library

The Joanina library in the University of Coimbra was the inspiration for the Beast’s library in the 2017 remake. Most famous for its Baroque design, you can see the clear influences specifically in the woodcarvings and black lacquered shelves included in the set design for the film.

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That concludes our look at the real-place throughout Europe that have influenced the making of both Beauty & the Beast films. Which of these locations are you the most impressed by?  Ready to plan your own European “research” trip?  Check out my 8-Day Beauty & the Beast French Itinerary for helpful tips and vacation ideas.

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