Question about Beauty and the Beast's time period

[pokeria1]

Ok, What was the exact time period of Beauty and the Beast?

I mean, I know that there are elements of the early 18th century at the latest, especially with the fact that there's still a prince (going by history, had it been the late 18th century/early 19th century, there wouldn't be a royal family, and the village is certainly not quiet), the style, among other things. On the other hand, during "Be my guest", specifically, when Lumiere says "Don't believe me, ask the dishes! They can sing, they can dance, after all, miss, this is FRANCE!", the silverware and dishes take the form of the Eiffel Tower, which would imply that the movie takes place in the late 19th century (since that's when the Eiffel Tower was created), which makes it even more confusing.

[Toastie2]

It only looked like the Eiffel Tower as a joke. Like an inside joke. They just made a tower, that happened to look like a tower French people would later build and love. Disney stories have Disney magic, and characters can do things normal people back then couldn't do!

I believe they say the story is meant to be in 17th or 18th century France in a book about the making of the film. I forget which they said, but it is supposed to be the royal times.

[fathomsbelow]

I'm pretty sure it's the eighteenth century. You can tell by the hairstyles and the attire.

[pokeria1]

I was able to tell that from the hairstyles and the like, but the Eiffel Tower-esque structure that the dishes made threw me off. That's why I asked.

[fathomsbelow]

I think that's just a joke thrown in by the animators. I never took that literally.