Beauxbatons Carriage

• Type: Magical Transportation, Magical Dwelling
• Owners: Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
• Maker: Unknown

The Beauxbatons Carriage is an enormous, powder-blue carriage, described as being the size of a large house. It is designed for long-distance air travel and is pulled by a team of a dozen Abraxans, which are gigantic, winged palomino horses with shining white eyes. The carriage door is adorned with the Beauxbatons coat of arms: two crossed, golden wands, each emitting three stars. The interior is lavishly appointed and enchanted to be much larger on the inside than its external dimensions suggest, serving as a comfortable living space for its passengers. When the Beauxbatons delegation arrived at Hogwarts, Harry Potter observed Madame Maxime sitting inside at a polished table.

The carriage possesses several significant magical properties that enable its function as both transport and lodging.

• Flight: Its primary function is to fly, allowing it to cover vast distances. It successfully transported the Beauxbatons delegation from their school in the Pyrenees mountains of France all the way to the Hogwarts grounds in Scotland.
• Undetectable Extension Charm: The interior of the carriage is magically expanded to house the entire Beauxbatons student delegation and their Headmistress, Olympe Maxime, for the duration of the Triwizard Tournament. It functions as their home away from home, complete with tables and other furnishings.
• Self-Sufficiency: The carriage is equipped to support its residents for an extended period, suggesting it contains living, sleeping, and dining quarters.

The carriage is the traditional method of transport used by the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic for official travel. In October 1994, the carriage was used to bring the Beauxbatons delegation to Hogwarts to participate in the revived Triwizard Tournament. Its dramatic arrival, soaring over the Forbidden Forest and landing on the castle grounds, was a spectacular sight for the Hogwarts students. For the remainder of the school year, the carriage was parked near the Forbidden Forest. The Abraxans that pulled it were housed in a specially prepared paddock and were given single-malt whisky in their drinking water, a detail which sparked conversation between Rubeus Hagrid and Madame Maxime. The carriage and its occupants departed from Hogwarts following the tragic conclusion of the tournament in June 1995.

The Beauxbatons Carriage's primary role is in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Its grand and elegant arrival serves as a powerful introduction to the students and culture of Beauxbatons, contrasting sharply with the dark and formidable Durmstrang Ship and the familiar, land-based Hogwarts Express. The carriage acts as a symbol of the visiting school's identity—sophisticated, refined, and impressive. By serving as the students' on-campus residence, it also subtly maintains their separation from the main Hogwarts populace, reinforcing their status as visiting competitors.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the carriage is depicted as being made of a shimmering, ice-like material. Upon landing, it magically disassembles and then re-forms into a more compact structure (film).
• The film also shows the carriage being pulled through the air with a weightless, ethereal quality, whereas the book describes its landing as a “thundering crash” that shook the ground (film).
• The Abraxans in the film have feathery wings, similar to those of a bird (film).