World's Worst Tour Guide: Paris Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. We meet Phillipe Mauvaise standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. "I am the greatest tour guide alive," he tells us. "I will prove it with amazing facts about this famous symbol of Paris. It was built in 1920, to celebrate France's victory in the First World War. At 285 meters, it is the tallest structure in Paris. And for a while, it was the tallest structure in the entire world." We ask Phillipe how we can get up to the top. "Unfortunately, you have to walk all the way up, there are no elevators," he tells us. What is the only thing he got right?

Answer: Tallest structure in the world

Between its completion in 1889 and 1930, the Eiffel Tower was the world's tallest structure. It was surpassed by the Chrysler Building in New York City. The Eiffel Tower is recognized as the symbol of Paris world-wide.
As for the rest: 1) The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889, to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. 2) The tower is 324 meters tall, just short of 1000 feet. It weighs just over 10,000 tons, and has 2.5 million rivets. 3) The tower does have elevators. Which is a good thing, because there are 1665 steps.

2. The next stop on our tour is Les Invalides. "Ah, the burial place of some of France's greatest intellectuals, such as Voltaire and Rousseau," exclaims Phillipe. "Most people don't know this, but King Louis XIV personally designed the domed church here. The dome has influenced many architects, including the designer of the US Capitol in Washington DC. If you look directly north, you can see the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris." Well, one of his statements is right. Can you determine which one?

Answer: Inspired the US Capitol building

Mansart's dome at Les Invalides has influenced many other designs, the US Capitol building being one of them. The City Hall in San Francisco was also modeled after Mansart. As for the rest: 1) Les Invalides is dedicated to the military history of France, and is the burial site of some of its greatest martial heroes, including Napoleon.

Intellectuals such as Voltaire and Rousseau are at the Pantheon. 2) Jules Hardouin Mansart, one of the foremost architects of the Baroque era, designed the dome at Les Invalides.

He also designed the Grand Trianon at Versailles and the Place Vendome in Paris. 3) The bridge directly north of Les Invalides is Alexander III. Pont Neuf is much farther east.

3. Phillipe has brought us to the Musee D'Orsay. "This is a wonderful case of reclamation," he states. "This was a steel factory before they turned it into a museum. When it was vacant, Orson Welles filmed a movie here in the 1960s. If we are lucky, we can see "Impression, Sunrise" by Claude Monet. Unfortunately, we'll have to go elsewhere if we want see anything by Vincent Van Gogh." What is Phillipe correct about?

Answer: Orson Welles Movie

Orson Welles did film "The Trial" (1962), based on the novel by Franz Kafka, at the Gare D'Orsay. The film starred Welles, Anthony Perkins and French actresses Jeanne Moreau and Romy Schneider. As for the rest: 1) The museum is in the Gare D'Orsay, which was built as a railway station in 1898.

It declined in use in the 1930s, and became a museum in 1986. It has the world's largest collection of Impressionist art. 2) You would have to be extremely lucky, as "Impression, Sunrise," the work that gave the movement its name, is part of the permanent collection of the Musee Marmottan Monet, which is in the 16th arrondisement. 3) The Musee D'Orsay has an extensive Van Gogh collection, including "Portrait of Doctor Gachet" and "The Church at Auvers." Other major works at the Musee D'Orsay include "The Gleaners" by Millet, "Olympia" by Manet and Whistler's Mother.

4. As we stand in the large plaza near Notre Dame, a large boat glides by. "Ah, yes, the Gateau Louche," says Phillippe. "Those boats are a free travel service provided by the French Ministry of Tourism. There have been boat tours on the Seine since 1867. If you would like to catch one, the tours begin at the Pont des Arts." Well, he is right about one thing one - which one is it?

Answer: Started in 1867

Phillipe is correct about the first tours of the Seine taking place in 1867. The practice continued until the Depression of the 1930s, and resumed after World War II. As for the rest: 1) The boats are known as "Bateau Mouche", literally "fly boats," although the name comes from the fact the boats were built in the Mouche shipyards near Lyon. "Gateau Louche" would translate as "Questionable Cake". 2) The boats are anything but free.

They are run by private companies, Bateau Mouche being the oldest.

A regular tour runs around $16, while evening dinner cruises can be $130-$180. 3) Bateau Mouche tours begin at the Pont de l'Alma. The Pont des Arts is known for the locks put there by couples, and has appeared in a variety of films and television shows since 2001.

5. As we are standing in awe of Notre Dame Cathedral, Phillipe explains it is one of the most important sites in Protestant history. "Yes, it was here that Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis." Phillipe goes on to tell about how the church was begun by Charlemagne in 774, to celebrate becoming king of Lombardy. He states there are over 5000 gargoyles located around the sides of the church. "And one cannot forget Quetzalcoatl, the famed hunchback of Notre Dame," Phillipe reminds us. Can you figure out what he got right?

Answer: 5000 gargoyles

There are over 5000 gargoyles located on Notre Dame. If you are willing to climb the church's 386 narrow steps, it is possible to see them up close, along with spectacular views of the city of Paris. As for the rest: 1) Notre Dame is one of the more important Roman Catholic pilgrimage sites in Europe. Luther nailed his theses on the church at Wittenberg, Germany. 2) The church was started in 1163 by Bishop Maurice de Sully and Pope Alexander III.

It was not completed for almost 200 years. 3) The hero of the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" was Quasimodo. Quetzalcoatl is the feathered serpent god of Mexico.

6. Philipe has led you to the Louvre, one of the world's largest museums. Mauvaise explains that the building was occupied as a palace until 1789, when Louis XVI was kicked out by the Revolution. "One of the curators told me the Louvre had 3.8 million pieces in their collection. That includes "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci" said Phillipe. When we told Phillippe we were art teachers, he said "Tres Bien! Then you can get in for free". Which of Phillipe's statements is true?

Answer: Free admission for teachers

There are several categories of people who qualify for free admission, especially young people. One of the categories is art teachers.
As for the rest: 1) While the Louvre was turned into a museum during the Revolution, it had not been a palace for a century. Louis XIV moved to Versailles in 1682. 2) While the Louvre has a massive collection, it is closer to 380 thousand. Phillipe is off by a factor of ten. 3) While the Louvre has several of DaVinci's most important works, especially the "Mona Lisa", the "Last Supper" is in Milan.

7. As we approach the Centre Georges Pompidou, Phillipe begins his spiel. "The Center Pompidou was built by famed architect I.M. Pei and completed in 1989. The pipes on the outside of the building are color-coded: blue is air conditioning and green is water. The building is named after Francois Pompidou, an industrialist who collected modern art. It contains many Renoirs and Monets in its collection". Our guide did get something right - what is it?

Answer: Color-coded pipes

The pipes are indeed color-coded. The architects placed much of the building's infrastructure on the outside, to maximize space for art work. The pipes and ducts are all color-coded: blue for air, green for water, red for elevators, yellow for electricity, gray for corridors and white for the building itself. As for the rest: 1) The Center Pompidou was designed by Italian architects Renzo Piano and Gianfranco Franchini, and British architect Richard Rogers.

It was built between 1971 and 1977, and is famous for its industrial-style design. If you want something built by I.M. Pei in 1989, swing by the Louvre Pyramid. 2) The museum is named after Georges Jean Pompidou, who served as President of France from 1969 to 1974. 3) The Musee National d'Art Moderne focuses on exactly that, modern and contemporary art. You have to look elsewhere for Impressionists.

8. As we exit Gambetta Metro station, we see a large cemetery up ahead. "Welcome to Pere Lachaise, the largest cemetery in the world," announces Phillipe. "It was first begun by Louis XIV in 1700. The cemetery contains the graves of many French celebrities, like Jean-Paul Sartre. I have also heard the Jim Morrison, the rock and roll musician, is buried here. But I am not certain about that." What did Phillipe say that was correct?

Answer: Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison is buried at Pere Lachaise (if he really is dead), and his grave is one of the more popular tourist sites in Paris. The cemetery also contains the graves of lovers Heloise and Abelard (a popular spot for romantics), Frederick Chopin, Oscar Wilde and Gertrude Stein.

As for the rest: 1) Pere Lachaise, at 44 hectares, is the largest cemetery within the city limits of Paris. But it is not close to the largest in the world. That would be Wadi Al Salaam (Valley of Peace), a Shia Muslim cemetery in Najaf, Iraq, which holds almost five million people. 2) The cemetery was begun by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. It was not very popular at first, but the management buried some notable people there, and business soon took off. 3) Sartre is buried in Montparnassee Cemetery, on the south side of town.

9. "Here we are at the beautiful Sacre-Coeur church" Phillipe informs us. "We just walked up over 200 steps to get here. This church was begun in 1801 by Napoleon. It is at the top of Montmartre, which is named after the marten, a weasel like creature common in the area. The building is a beautiful pink because of marble mined in Ruschita, Romania." What part of Phillipe's description is true?

Answer: Walking up the steps

The walk up from the Place St Pierre is 235 steps, by most counts. As for the rest: 1) The church was built begun in 1873, as a penance for the Franco-Prussian War. It was completed in 1914. 2) Montmartre is named "the hill of martyrs" and is dedicated to the famous martyr Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris. Martens actually are a member of the weasel family. 3) Sacre-Coeur is a dazzling white because it is constructed from calcite, quarried from Chateau Landon, a community near Paris.

10. Phillipe finishes his tour at the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysee. "This arch was built by Louis XIV in 1706 to celebrate his victories in the War of the Grand Alliance. At 212 meters tall, it is the second highest structure in Paris. During the Tour de France, riders actually travel through the arch. Finally, the Arc has been copied in many places, even in Pyongyang, North Korea." What did our misguided guide actually say that was true?

Answer: Copied in North Korea

The Arc de Triomphe has been copied in other triumphal arches around the world, including in Pyongyang. The Korean arch was built in 1982 by Kim Il-Sung. At 60 meters (just under 200 feet), it was the largest triumphal arch ever built. As for the rest: 1) The Arc de Triomphe was begun by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806, to celebrate his victory at Austerlitz, and completed in 1836. On top of that, Louis XIV had very little to celebrate regarding the War of the Grand Alliance. 2) The arch is only 50 meters (164 feet) tall. Still impressive, but not even in the top 100 when it comes to tall things in Paris. 3) Riders on the Tour go past, not through, the arch during the concluding leg of the race.

Source: Author parrotman2006

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Come to Paris and meet Phillipe Mauvaise, the world's worst tour guide. Only occasionally does he stumble across the truth, and your job is to figure out when.

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