Vive La Belle France! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Maximilien Robespierre

Although the idea of 'liberty, equality and fraternity' wasn't new, Robespierre is believed to have used the phrase in a speech of 1790. He proposed that the motto be used on uniforms and the flag. A revised version was used, adding the words 'or death', a threat which was carried out during the French Revolution. Robespierre himself became a victim of the guillotine in 1794.

Answer: Montreal

Mary was born in 1975, with her father being an American, which is why her name is not immediately recognisable as French. Her mother was a Frenchwoman, though, and Mary can claim to be a citizen of three countries - USA, France and Canada. During her career, Mary won two major championships, the Australian Open in 1995 and the French Open in 2000.

Answer: Fire

The tunnel links France and Italy and runs for around seven miles (eleven kilometres). In March 1999, a lorry laden with margarine caught fire in the tunnel, with the driver being unable to extinguish the flames. Many vehicles and their drivers were trapped, with the death toll eventually reaching around forty (reports of numbers vary) including a fireman.

Answer: Marseille

Marseille is France's oldest city, with its history dating from 600 BC, or thereabouts, when it was settled by Greeks from Asia Minor, now part of Turkey. Being on France's south coast, on the Mediterranean Sea, Marseille was within easy reach of other cities located on the Med. In modern times, Marseille remains one of France's most important trading ports.

Answer: Tallest ever built

The bridge still qualifies as the world's tallest at the time of writing this quiz in 2020. This should not be confused with it being the highest - the tallest refers to the overall height of the viaduct from the ground to its highest point, although it is quite a long way above the ground.

The design was a joint effort between Norman Foster, an English architect, and a French civil engineer named Michel Virlogeux. Far from taking an age to build, construction took only a little over three years, with the viaduct opening ahead of schedule.

Answer: Provence

Provence is located in south-eastern France, bordering Italy and the River Rhone, and with a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. Mention of the name conjures up the image of swathes of lavender fields to many people, with the period from mid June to mid July being the time to see them in flower. Lavender is used in perfumes, essential oils and cookery, to name just a few of the reasons it is grown.

Answer: Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci spent the last few years of his life in France, under the patronage of King Francis I. Among the king's residences was the Château d'Amboise, in the valley of the River Loire, and da Vinci was given use of a large manor house nearby. He died in 1519 at the age of sixty-seven.

Picasso died in Mougins, near Cannes, Monet died in Giverny and van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise, near Paris.

Answer: South America

With Brazil and Suriname as its neighbours, French Guiana has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. It is officially part of the French Republic, with its capital at Cayenne. French Guiana is home to France's spaceport, the European Space Agency. The infamous Devil's Island, used for holding prisoners in a place from which they were unlikely to escape, is located off the coast of French Guiana.

It now has rather happier visitors as a popular tourist destination.

Answer: François Truffaut

Born in Paris in 1932, Truffaut's first film was called 'Les Quatre Cents Coups' in 1959. He was also known for 'Jules et Jim' (1962) and 'L'Homme qui Aimait le Femmes' (1977). Truffaut found his experience of directing 'Fahrenheit 451' a difficult one, not least because he spoke little English.

His diary of the time described a difficult working relationship with Oskar Werner, who played Guy Montag. At the time, the film was criticised, but has since been cited by directors such as Martin Scorsese as having been an influence on their own work.

Answer: Johnny Hallyday

Johnny Hallyday was the French Elvis Presley, beginning his career in 1960 and singing in French. Over his career, he is said to have sold well in excess of 100 million records, all without having broken into the charts in any English speaking country. He died from cancer in 2017.

Plastic Bertrand did have one big hit with 'Ça Plane Pour Moi' in 1977, but is Belgian, not French.