Beauty and the Beast (1946) – Filming Locations
Drama / Fantasy / Romance · Directed by Jean Cocteau · Starring Jean Marais, Josette Day
The story of a gentle-hearted beast in love with a simple and beautiful girl. She is drawn to the repellent but strangely fascinating Beast, who tests her fidelity by giving her a key, telling her that if she doesn't return it to him by a specific time, he will die of grief. She is unable to return the key on time, but it is revealed that the Beast is the genuinely handsome one. A simple tale of tragic love that turns into a surreal vision of death, desire, and beauty.
Where was Beauty and the Beast filmed?
- Rocamadour, France, Rocamadour – Belle's father travels through the rocky landscape during the opening journey. The dramatic limestone cliffs and medieval village provided the atmospheric backdrop for the merchant's perilous journey through dangerous terrain
- Raray, France, Raray – The Beast's enchanted castle and its grand interiors. This 17th-century château served as the Beast's castle, with Cocteau filming both exterior and interior sequences to create the magical, surreal atmosphere of the enchanted domain
- Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens, France, Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens – Additional castle exterior and grounds sequences. Regional châteaux and gardens were used to supplement exterior castle shots and provide varied perspectives of the enchanted estate's grounds
- Paris, France, Paris – Interior sets for Belle's family home and transitional sequences. Cocteau utilized Parisian studios for controlled interior scenes of Belle's modest home, allowing precise control over the film's distinctive visual style and surrealist elements