The Great Mobylette Voyage of 1980 Quiz

Answer: true

Mopeds are motorized bicycles. By the late 1970s, French law defined them as having engines with no more than 50cc displacement and pedals. But one of my fellow exchange students had one which looked, and acted, more like a small racing motorcycle than like a bicycle. Mine was much less interesting.

Answer: Montpellier

Montpellier's university was founded in 1220. The medical school is the oldest medical school still in operation in the world.

I was enrolled in the Universite Paul Valery, which is named after poet Paul Valery.

During the time of the plague, in order to keep the city safe, the citizens of Montpellier made a candle which was long enough to circle the city walls. I don't know if it was effective or not, nor if it was burned.

Answer: Carcassonne

From Montpellier, I travelled west along the Canal du Midi to Carcassonne, where I spent the night. Carcassonne is effectively divided into two towns. The medieval city sits atop a hill overlooking the Aude, while the newer city is below, on both sides of the river.

The walls surrounding the ancient city of Carcassonne were restored by the French architect, Viollet-le-Duc, who also worked on restorations of Paris' Notre Dame cathedral and the Sainte-Chapelle, among others.

Answer: The Black Mountain

The road from Carcassonne to Albi goes over the highlands of the Massif Central, in particular over the Black Mountain. The Mobylette struggled on the steep road, and I had to help the motor out some by pedaling. (This was a good thing, indeed, because mountain mornings in early spring can be pretty cold, and the pedaling kept me warm.)

Answer: brick

Like the cathedral of Toulouse, Albi's cathedral is built of brick. It looks more like a fortress than a church from the outside. Inside, though, it's sumptuously decorated.

Near the cathedral is the palace of the Bishop of Albi, which has been converted into a museum honoring Toulouse-Lautrec. Among his artworks and other memorabilia, you will find his cane, which conceals a flask and a small goblet for his absinthe.

Answer: Bergerac

Though Cyrano was a historic person, and was known for his duels and other accomplishments, Rostand's play is very heavily fictionalized. Bergerac, in the Dordogne, is famous for its wines as well as for Cyrano, and was a lovely place to stop for lunch.

Answer: truffle

Cahors has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. It houses the remains of a Roman amphitheater, as well as many medieval buildings. One of the most famous buildings is the fortified bridge, le Pont Valentre, which was built during the Hundred Years War. The Cahors region produces a very dark red wine, mostly made from the malbec grape, which is called the black wine of Cahors.

Answer: comics

Angouleme has over 40 animation and video game studios, and accounts for half of the animated films produced in France. The Angouleme International Comics Festival was started in 1974 and draws over 200,000 attendees annually.

Answer: Rene Descartes

Poitiers, "the city of 100 bells" (la ville de cent cloches) was also the seat of Eleanor of Aquitaine's court. It was the site of a famous battle during the Hundred Years War.

Answer: SNCF

The Societe National de Chemins de Fer (SNCF) is France's national railroad.