Here’s a quick guide to all the filming locations in Beauty And The Beast. Disney’s live-action remake of its perennially popular 1991 animation Beauty And The Beast was one of the most anticipated movies of 2017. This big budget fairy tale starred Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens (The Guest) as the Beast and set Disney back somewhere between $160 million and $255 million to make. The investment proved well worth it, however, when Beauty And The Beast took in over $1.2 billion worldwide and went on to rank as one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.
Not only was Beauty And The Beast a big box office smash, but it also was a hit with critics and Disney fans too. Particular praise was aimed at the film’s exquisite and enchanting visuals, thanks to the efforts of its talented art department. Beauty And The Beast even got a nod at the Academy Awards for its gorgeous visuals with production designer Sarah Greenwood and set decorator Katie Spencer receiving a nomination for Best Production Design.
Unfortunately, it’s virtually impossible for fans of Beauty And The Beast to visit the movie’s filming locations as the majority of the live-action remake was shot not in provincial France where the fairy tale is set, but on purpose-built sets in the sound stages and backlots at Shepperton Studios just outside of London, England. The crew built some amazingly intricate sets at Shepperton Studios, the biggest of which was the beautiful ballroom at the Beast’s castle – which incorporated 12,000 square feet of marble flooring and ten chandeliers – and Belle’s village Villeneuve which was constructed on the studio’s backlot and spanned almost 30,000 square feet.
A few scenes in Beauty And The Beast were filmed outside of Shepperton Studios, however. The cast and crew spent two weeks filming on location at spots that included Ashridge Forest and Ivinghoe Beacon – both at the National Trust-run Ashridge Estate in Buckinghamshire – and in the woodlands of the Surrey Hills close to the picturesque village of Shere.
While the sets that made up Belle’s village and the Beast’s castle have long since been deconstructed, Beauty And The Beast fans can always visit the places that inspired them. Several grand buildings across Europe influenced the interiors and exterior of the Beast’s opulent abode including the Palace of Versailles and Chateau de Chambord in France and Germany’s Nymphenburg Palace, while the beautiful French village of Conques served as the main inspiration for Villeneuve.