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Normandy: History and Beauty Trivia Quiz

Apple orchards, lush green fields, colorful cows, manor homes, Camembert, D-Day beaches, and Calvados make Normandy a memorable and worthwhile destination. Come along!

A multiple-choice quiz by jstagamtome. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
jstagamtome

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
179,997

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1690

Awards
Editor's Choice

Last 3 plays: piet (4/10), Guest 148 (6/10), Guest 142 (6/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Normandy is geographically divided into two regions. What are these? Hint

Brittany and Cotentin

Calvados and Vernonnais

Basse and Haute

Coastal and Inland

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Question 2 of 10

2. As we leave Paris and head to Normandy, we follow the Seine river and reach Vernon, my hometown. As we cross the Seine here, I admire the chalky cliffs at Vernonnais, directly flanking the town. We turn right, and just one kilometer after leaving Vernon, we reach a little town more renowned than Vernon. In this village we find a long pink house, gardens, lily ponds, and an artist's studio. Where are we?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 3 of 10

3. We drive along the Seine until we reach the lovely fishing village of Honfleur. I have to get my fill of French cheese, so I ask for the cheese cart as I take in the sea breeze and charming gray rowhouses along the harbour. The French are proud of their regional specialties, and since I am in Normandy, which of the following cheeses would our server not particularly recommend? Hint

Neufchatel

Brie

Livarot

Pont-L'Eveque

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Question 4 of 10

4. We travel to a city of historical importance in the life of Joan of Arc. In which city is there a memorial and a church at the site where she was burned at the stake? Hint

Rouen

Lisieux

Caen

Cherbourg

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Question 5 of 10

5. There is an attractive city in Normandy which is the birthplace of William the Conqueror, and the castle in which he was born still stands. The town also gives its name to the gap through which many German soldiers escaped after the D-Day landings of June 1944. What is the name of this town? Hint

Falaise

Caen

Bayeux

Conetin

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Question 6 of 10

6. The area between the Orne and Vire rivers is known as Calvados, renowned for its Calvados apple brandy. What gave this region its name? Hint

The variety of apple which is used to make the brandy

The sinking of a Spanish Armada ship off the coast

The name given to the country manors which dot the region

The name of the Celtic tribe who settled the area

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of the following are not located in Normandy Hint

The limestone cliffs of Etretat

The Mother-of-Pearl Coast

The Rose Coast

Mont-St-Michel

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Question 8 of 10

8. There is a handsome chateau named Brecourt a few miles from Giverny located at Pacy-sur-Eure, the home of Boursin cheese. It used to be owned by the U.S. ambassador to France. The Germans invaded France in 1940. What did the ambassador do with the chateau in 1939? Hint

Fortify it

Burn it

Insure it

Sell it

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Question 9 of 10

9. Dotting the Normandy countryside are structures used to house pigeons, usually on the grounds of timbered manor houses. Pigeon is a common dish in France, and these houses, built in many architectural forms, are frequently painted, photographed, and admired by artists and tourists. What is the name of these buildings? Hint

Pigeonnaires

Dovecotes

Aviaries

Domaines de l'Oiseau

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Question 10 of 10

10. Mont-St-Michel is an architectural marvel and is one of the most significant sights in Normandy. Which one of the following is not true about it? Hint

It is alternately flooded by the tide to make it an island

It is named after the archangel Michael

It served as a prison during and after the French Revolution

The abbey was captured repeatedly between the French and English

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 04 2024 : piet: 4/10
Oct 26 2024 : Guest 148: 6/10
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 142: 6/10
Oct 06 2024 : Luckycharm60: 10/10
Oct 06 2024 : Guest 76: 2/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Normandy is geographically divided into two regions. What are these?

Answer: Basse and Haute

"Upper" and "Lower" Normandy are distinct regions with different traditions, topography and products.

Answer: Giverny

In addition to Monet's home and gardens, there is an American Impressionist museum in Giverny. Monet painted extensively during his long residence here, and he also painted views of nearby Vernon and its church.

Answer: Brie

The three incorrect choices are, of course, all Normandy cheeses. Brie comes from the Ile de France, the region around Paris. Note I didn't include Normandy's most famous cheese, the noble Camembert, my favorite. Too bad all French Camembert sold in the U.S. is overripe, and the domestic ones taste like paper pulp.

A quick hint. When you go to Normandy, eat the Camembert very young, when the center is still chalky. Don't buy that stuff about you want it "aged".

4. We travel to a city of historical importance in the life of Joan of Arc. In which city is there a memorial and a church at the site where she was burned at the stake?

Answer: Rouen

Joan was burned at the stake in the Place du Vieux Marche on May 30, 1431. Although she was rehabilitated by the Catholic Church in 1456, she was not canonized to sainthood until 1920, becoming France's patron saint.

Answer: Falaise

The castle can be visited, and one can allegedly see the room where William the Conqueror was born. There is also an exquisite church nearby with intricate exterior stonework.

6. The area between the Orne and Vire rivers is known as Calvados, renowned for its Calvados apple brandy. What gave this region its name?

Answer: The sinking of a Spanish Armada ship off the coast

Returning from England, the galleon "Salvador" sunk off the coast, and the name gradually was transmuted to Calvados.

7. Which of the following are not located in Normandy

Answer: The Rose Coast

The Rose Coast, a coastal stretch of attractive pink granite, is located in Brittany, to the west of Normandy. Mont-St.Michel is in far Western Normandy, and the Mother-of-Pearl Coast is another name given to the region including the D-Day beaches.

Answer: Sell it

One wonders what he knew in 1939. Today it is a pleasant hotel and has a book with an extensive history, including how, in olden days, an army marching to battle stopped at the chateau, got drunk from raiding the wine cellar, and subsequently did not fight.

Answer: Dovecotes

It was forbidden to shoot pigeons in olden days, and this was a convenient way to supply the dinner table. The materials used to build these dovecotes varied from region to region, but the materials were generally ashlar stone, black flint, white stone, and brick.

10. Mont-St-Michel is an architectural marvel and is one of the most significant sights in Normandy. Which one of the following is not true about it?

Answer: The abbey was captured repeatedly between the French and English

Mont-St-Michel has never been captured. It was founded in the eighth century, and has a number of churches, chapels, towers, ramparts, and a medieval village. Thanks for taking the quiz!

Source: Author jstagamtome

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor minch before going online.
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