Beauxbatons Academy of Magic

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Beauxbatons Academy of Magical Arts
LocationCannes, France
Founded1552 A.D.
Closed6th June, 1940
Reopened2nd September, 1945

Founding and Glory Days

Founded in 1552 A.D., Beauxbatons Academy of Magic was the premier magical school in Western Europe. Its early years as an academy were marked by the wizarding crusades, during which academics used Beauxbatons as a haven for texts and artifacts recovered from muggle Europe. For centuries, wizards of Western Europe traveled to the academy for important research, bringing with them fascinating cultural tidbits from all across Europe.

In the late fifteenth century, the wizarding world experienced a cultural Renaissance that emboldened Beauxbatons to incorporate the arts into its curriculum. Graduates from Beauxbatons were highly regarded as some of the most talented witches and wizards in all of Europe. By the mid-eighteenth century, Beauxbatons became notorious not only for dueling prowess and the arts, but also for its collective fashion and etiquette that was envied by other magical schools.

Up till 1940, Beauxbatons Academy was a school that caters to the whole of its students. The student body is comprised primarily of pureblood and halfblood witches and wizards with a total enrollment between 125 and 150 students. Beauxbatons curriculum consists of core wizarding subjects as well as a concentration in any of these Écoles:

  • Culinary Arts
  • Humanities
  • Literary Arts
  • Performance Arts
  • Studio Arts

The Beauxbatons Palace had three wings, each containing compartmentalized areas of student life: dining hall, reception parlor, classrooms, dormitories, studio spaces, and the dueling block. The Palace Grounds were well manicured and cared for by fairies and sprites. The most alluring features of the Palace Grounds were the lake and the world famous gardens. Extracurriculars at the school included dueling and fencing, Quidditch, horseback riding, social arts, and an honorary society.

Through high-achieving academics, numerous artistic opportunities, discipline, and grace, Beauxbatons had dominated the magical world with highly desirable and well-rounded graduates for decades.

Closing

See official article "Rescue Effort At Beauxbatons Becomes British Victory" (F. Gibbitt) here

The memoire of Alfred Willowsnap, representative of the Department of Magical Defence, states the following in regard to the battle of Beauxbatons:

"We had become aware that Beauxbatons Academy was being secretly occupied by German wizarding troops due to the actions of a few brave informants in the last few months, without whose help we could not have evacuated the school or reclaimed the grounds from the Germans. It is thanks to them and our boys in uniform that we can claim success."

British wizarding troops were able to evacuate dozens of Brits and French citizens from Beauxbatons Academy on 7th June 1940 (start operation at 5AM local time), holding off enemy forces until the civilians were able to get to safety. Wand fights ensued by dawn, and the fighting continued well into the afternoon until the Germans were forced to retreat. In the process, most of the school's outer buildings were damaged or destroyed, although the main building has remained largely intact.

There has been no word about why or how Germany was able to gain access to Beauxbatons Academy, nor has there been any indication that an inquiry is being made into the circumstances. It is also reported that the only member of staff not accounted for is Miss Darcy Audley, formerly Directice of Beauxbatons Academy. Sources in the Ministry tell us that Miss Audley was reported missing upon the arrival of the evacuees at the Ministry, and that her whereabouts remain unknown.

In addition, Beauxbatons Academy has officially closed, the students and staff sent home or evacuated to Great Britain, and the Order of Defence has taken control of the buildings and grounds. It has been converted into a hospital for the duration of World War II.

Reopening

The liberation of continental France began on D-Day, 6 June 1944, with the invasion of Normandy, the amphibious assault aimed at establishing a bridgehead for the forces of operation Overlord. At first hampered by very stiff German resistance and the bocage terrain of Normandy, the Allies broke out of Normandy at Avranches on 25–31 July 1944. Combined with the landings in Provence of operation Dragoon on 14 August 1944, the threat of being caught in a pincer movement led to a very rapid German retreat, and by August 24th 1944, Cannes was liberated as well.

The former educational institute stopped serving as a hospital soon after the liberation when it released its final patients whom had been injured by the liberation of Cannes. After, the Beauxbatons buildings and grounds required some renovation and restoration to its former glory. It was in September of the subsequent year, 1945, that Beauxbatons reopened to educate witches and wizards.

The Grounds

The Academy’s grounds and buildings are often called the Palace, and for good reason. Beauxbatons Academy sits upon nine acres of land in an undisclosed location in the south of France, near Cannes (don’t tell!), and overlooks a cliff, giving a spectacular view of French farmlands. The Academy has a large, rectangular, man-made lake just outside the entrance, which is home to a very large swan, named Clarence. The gardens are famous and extremely vast, home to a variety of flower and plant specimens. While these gardens are cared for primarily by fairies and by sprites, it gets a helping hand from the Academy’s grounds and gamekeeper, Rèmy Vieuxpont, who tends to the stables and also helps to teach horseback riding as an extracurricular class. In the past there have also been courts for various kinds sports.

Visual layouts may be found here.[1]

The Main Building

The main building is lavish, with exquisite architecture and very wide windows. One enters into, of course, the entrance hall, and is quickly faced with two spiral staircases leading up to the next floor. To the right, one will find the dining hall and kitchens, and to the left are the reception parlour and the student gallery. The ballroom can be found on the second floor of the main building, and the third and fourth floors are reserved almost entirely for classrooms, as well as the library on the third.. The offices and quarters for the Directrice and the Adjoint-Directeur may also be found on these floors.

L'Aile Est

L’Aile Est, or the East Wing, is home to the dueling block, on the first floor; studio space and darkrooms (for our photography lycée students!), on the second floor; and classrooms on the third and fourth floors.

L'Aile Ouest

L’Aile Ouest, or the West Wing, is comprised expressly of dormitories for staff and students. There are six floors - and each Communaté have their own, and so does the Staff.

Floors............Communaté

First.............Ecoles
Second..............Renault House
Third...........Orange Studios
Fourth................Charlemagne Club
Fifth.................Overflow

Sixth..................Staff

Each of the student floors has a wing for male students and a wing for female students, each wing with eight rooms, as well as bathing and toilet accommodations. Seven of these rooms are used as double or triple occupancy, for students. The eighth room is single occupancy, for the Communaté préfet.

The staff floor may only be accessed by means of a password known only to staff, which changes bimonthly.

A l'Extérieur

The Textiles Cottage

Surrounded by flowers, the Textiles Cottage is a two-room building made of limestone. The first room houses bolts of fabrics and mannequins, as well as two large supply closets. The back room holds workstations for each textiles student, as well as a chalkboard and lectern for classes. There is an attic, and it is primarily full of trunks of remnants and old thesis projects that have been left or donated to the school. It is a dusty, cramped space, only accessible by a narrow staircase.

The Cliffside Cottage

The Cliffside Cottage is an extremely old building, rumoured to be older than the Academy itself. Most notably, the daughter of one of the old headmistresses is said to have lived there after falling in love with her ballet instructor. It is said that she died quite tragically of a broken heart in the small, three-room cottage nestled in the cliffs after being disowned by her mother and rejected by her lover. There is no real evidence of this. The cottage can only be reached by a steep climb up the cliffs, though there are lanterns to light the way sporadically. Students are not permitted to visit the cottage, and the lanterns are there only as the sparsest safety precaution.

Curriculum

Calendar and Events

The academic year is split into trimesters, beginning September 1st and ending July 8th. Additionally, monthly soirees are held for students and their families. There is a Fashion Week that is held every spring. The Beauxbatons End-of-Year fête occurs the first week of July, showcasing all the students’ accomplishments during the year and including the graduation weekend.

Each Communaté, in addition, runs its own events.

  • 01 septembre | start of term: Charlemagne Arrive
  • 03 septembre | start of term: Orange Arrive
  • 05 septembre | start of term: Renault Arrive
  • 18 octobre | all saints break begins
  • 25 octobre | classes resume
  • 30 octobre | orange annual party
  • 20 décembre | holiday break begins
  • 03 janvier | classes resume
  • 17 janvier | mid-term examinations [IC only]
  • 14 février | hiver [winter] holiday begins
  • 28 février | classes resume
  • 06 -11 mars | fashion week
  • 11 avril | printemps [spring/easter] holiday begins
  • 25 avril | classes resume
  • 25 juin | charlemagne end of term gala
  • 01 juillet | end of year fêtes
  • 08 juillet | summer recess begins

Core Classes

  • Charms
  • Divination
  • Etiquette
  • Potions
  • Transfiguration

Core Concentrations

  • Culinary
    • Culinary Arts
    • Patisserie
  • Humanities
    • Art History
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Composition – Music
    • Composition – Poetry
    • Composition – Prose
    • Composition – Theatre
    • Literature
    • Language
  • Performance
    • Dance
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Studio Art
    • Architecture
    • Drawing
    • Painting
    • Photography
    • Sculpture
    • Textiles

Directrice and Professeurs

Past Directeurs and Directrices

  • 1552-1572: Madame Gisselle-Marjolaine Bathylle Noémie Châtillon
  • 1572-1598: Madame Jeunesse Angelique Moreau
  • 1598-1610: Madame Suzanne-Emeline Cornett
  • 1610-1670: Monsieur Vivien Thierry Fauxcheux
  • 1670-1675: Madame Agate Labelle
  • 1675-1693: Madame Yolande-Ninette Janvier
  • 1693-1704: Monsieur Cyprien de Luca
  • 1704-1720: Madame Germaine Mullins
  • 1720-1729: Monsieur Mainfred-Gigi Garcon
  • 1729-1751: Monsieur Enéas Amable Darling
  • 1751-1782: Madame Adrienne-Simonette de la Fontaine
  • 1782-1792: Monsieur Grégoire Mercier
  • 1792-1800: Madame Fleuretta-Roxane Cèleste Fabien
  • 1800-1821: Madame Mireille-Bernadine Moreau
  • 1821-1885: Raimund de la Fontaine
  • 1885-1888: Madame Lunete Sylvie Richilieu
  • 1888-1912: Monsieur Aousten Sauveterre
  • 1912-1969: Madame Lea Fournier
  • 1969-1937: Madame Marcelline-Thérèse Marchand Anne Sordeau
  • 1937-1938: Georgia Olivier
  • 1938-1939: Darcy Audley
  • 1939-1940: Lyndon Audley

Staff

See for an extensive list of professors during various terms can be found here