NAME:
SCORE:
Arts and Culture
1 Following the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war, this French
painter took refuge in England where he studied the works of
Constable and JMW Turner. At the beginning of the 20th century, he
painted the Houses of Parliament series. Which painter?
2 The 1648 painting “Seaport with the Embarkation of the Queen of
Sheba” (picture) can be seen at the London National Gallery. This
and similar works by Claude Lorrain inspired which English
romantic painter (1775-1856) to paint works such as “Dido
Building Carthage” and “The Decline of the Carthaginian Empire”?
3 The battle of Waterloo was fought on the 18th of June of which
year?
Bonus: What is this named time period encompassing Napoleon’s
return from Elba until his defeat at Waterloo?
4 Which king (c. 466 – 511) was the first King of the Franks to
unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler and subsequently
became the first catholic King to rule over France?
5 Taking place in the north of France, which important battle of
Hundred Years' War took place on 26 August 1346 and saw a
decisive English victory? Anglo-Welsh army of around 10000
commanded by Edward III of England was heavily outnumbered by
Philip VI of France's force.
6 This French military officer (1757-1834) served as a general
during the American Revolutionary War. He was the first person
granted honorary US citizenship. Who was this general?
7 In September 1911, surrealist poet Guillaume Apollinaire, who
died during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, was arrested and
jailed for the theft of which famous painting?
8 This building in the 5th arrondissement of Paris was built during
the 18th century according to the design of Jacques-Germain
Soufflot. Originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and
her relics, by what name is this building better known? The first
person to be buried in the building was the Comte of Mirabeau.
9 Originally known as the banner of the Abbey of St. Denis which
name meaning golden flame in Latin is given to the battle standard
of the King of France?
10 French philosopher Auguste Comte's motto of positivism:
L'amour pour principe et l'ordre pour base; le progrès pour but
("Love as a principle and order as the basis; Progress as the goal")
appears on the flag of which country?
11 A famous love interest to Jean Paul Sartre, this philosopher used
to be nicknamed Castor or Beaver, which female philosopher
wrote the Mandarins and The Second Sex?
Bonus: “Les Temps Modernes”, an important cultural review of the
period after World War II, was founded by Jean Paul Sartre. The
current editor in chief is which French filmmaker renowned for his
nine-and-a-half hour documentary film “Shoah” (1985), which is an
oral history of the Holocaust?
12 An UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, this complex of
caves in south-western France famous for its Palaeolithic cave
paintings is located near Montignac in Dordorgne. Discovered by
four teenagers and their dog in 1940, the paintings were first
damaged by CO2 produced by the visitors and later by fungus.
Which caves?
13 A great supporter of the impressionist movement, which French
physician is famous for treating the painter Vincent van Gogh
during his last weeks in Auvers-sur-Oise? He also was the subject of
two Van Gogh’s paintings.
14 The battle of Fontenoy took place in 1745 and saw the defeat of
Duke of Cumberland by the force of the French army under Maurice
de Saxe. The battle of Fontenoy was a decisive battle of which war
(1740–48)?
15 Established by Napoleon in 1802, which order is the highest
decoration in France and is divided into five degrees: Chevalier
(Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand
Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand Croix (Grand Cross)?
16 This French politician was named Time Person of the Year in
1931 and later became the head of government of Vichy’s France.
Which politician embodied the collaboration process with
Marechal Petain under the occupation?
Bonus: This town in southern Germany is renowned for its castle
which was the seat of the Vichy government-in-exile during the
closing months of the Second World War (Sept 1944 to April 1945).
Which town or castle described in one of Celine’s novel?
17 This sculpture is one of the most famous sculpture made by
Auguste Rodin and can be seen in Calais. What sculpture?
18 Louis XIV was known by which celestial nickname?
Bonus: Which Paris landmark located in the 20th arrondissement
is named after the confessor of Louis XIV?
19 Although not as iconic as Alfred Eisenstaedt’s the sailor kiss on
the V-E Day, which French photographer is renowned for “The
Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville,” taken on a Parisian street in 1950? It is
considered one of the most romantic and popular photos ever taken.
20 When Eric Cantona mentioned this French poet, the British press
thought he was talking about a character played by Sylvester
Stallone. Which 19th century French poet had an influence on
modern literature and art but he is best remembered for his
tumultuous relationship with French poet Paul Verlaine?
Bonus: This 19th century French poet was a pioneer in the
translation of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Which poet published
in 1857 his first and most famous volume of poems, Les Fleurs du
mal (The Flowers of Evil)?
Civilisation
1 As April 2012, which politician (1916-1996) was the longest
serving President of France (1981-1995)?
2 Chateau Margaux and Chateau Mouton Rothschild are wines from
which French region?
3 Egyptologist JF Champolion deciphered the hieroglyphs of which
artifact discovered in 1799? The artifact displays three different
scripts written in hieroglyphs, Demotic and ancient Greek?
4 Used in the same way as Downing Street to describe the Prime
Minister and his officials, what is the official residence of the
French Prime Minister?
5 Named after the wife of a French navigator Jules Dumont
d'Urville, what name is given to the territory claimed by France in
south Antarctica?
6 Part of one of the six super major oil companies in the world, this
company was created in 1924 as “La Compagnie Française des
Pétroles”. Which company merged with Elf Aquitaine in 2003?
7 Not to be confused with a French philosopher, this French lawyer
and politician, served as Minister of Health in the 1970s, is
responsible for legalizing abortion. Which politician is a survivor
from the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp?
8 Probably involved in the capture and execution of Che Gueverra,
this Nazi criminal was arrested in Bolivia in 1983, extradited to
France, put on trial and sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes
against humanity. Which war criminal was nicknamed the Butcher
of Lyon?
Bonus: Escaping justice for years thanks to the help of the Catholic
Church, this French Nazi collaborator was arrested in 1989 and died
in 1996 of prostate cancer at Fresnes prison. Which Frenchman was
the first Frenchman convicted of crimes against humanity for his
actions in Vichy France?
9 Which French car manufacturer has series of cars named after
the painter Pablo Picasso?
10 Named after French explorer Louis de Bougainville,
Bougainville Island is geographically part of the Solomon Islands
archipelago but is the main island of an autonomous region of which
country (not France)?
11 Built between the two World Wars, this line of concrete
fortifications was located along the frontier with Germany in order
to avoid any invasions. Which fortifications named after a Minister
of War was found to be useless in 1939?
12 Following protests about nuclear testing in the Pacific ocean,
which Greenpeace ship was sunk by French intelligence operatives
in New Zealand in 1987?
Bonus: Which atoll part of French Polynesia was the site of nuclear
testing from 1966 to 1996?
13 In July 2011, Christine Lagarde replaced DSK as managing
director of which international organisation?
14 Which Anglo French project underwent its first significant test
in March 1969?
Bonus: Launched from the Centre Spatial located in Kourou, French
Guyana, which name is given to a series of a civilian expandable
rockets for space launch use?
15 Which Canadian province is the only constitutionally bilingual
French-English province?
Bonus: Born in the province of Quebec, which Canadian politician
was the first francophone Prime Minister (1896-1911)?
16 Which French King born in April 742 was crowned Emperor in
800 at Aix la Chapelle?
17 The most populous country in the world where French is the
official language is not France. Which African country?
18 This free-reed musical instrument resembling a saxophone is
often referred as a goofus or queenophone. It is also named after the
French manufacturer who was awarded the patent. What name?
19 This newspaper was created as a weekly satirical journal in 1826.
Being considered the oldest newspaper in France which daily
newspaper is owned by Dassault Group?
20 While campaigning for the Colombian presidency as a Green
candidate, which female Colombian politician with French
citizenship was kidnapped by the FARC and held captive for six and
half years before being rescued in 2008 during Operation Jaque?
Entertainment
1 Vanessa Paradis recorded this song while she was 14 years old.
The song performed very well in the charts through Europe. Which
song reached number 3 in the UK charts in 1988?
2 Which 1967 hit by the Beatles begins with a clip from the French
national anthem, "La Marseillaise," written and composed by
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg on April 25, 1792?
3 Best known for the 1960 recording by Edith Piaf, “Non, Je ne
Regrette Rien” was dedicated to which wing of French Army?
Bonus: which French actress won an Academy Award for playing
Edith Piaf in the 2007 movie “La Vie en Rose”?
4 Which French controversial singer burnt a 500 francs note on
television to protest against heavy taxation and also on live
television said "I want to fuck her" while speaking about Whitney
Houston?
5 Which Italian poet winner a Literature Nobel Prize shared the
same name as a character from a French novel published in 1831?
6 Released in 1986, “The Queen is Dead” is the third album of
which English band? The album cover designed by the lead singer
Morrissey features a picture of French actor Alain Delon from the
1964 film L'Insoumis.
Bonus: Alain Delon appeared in the classic French movie “Le
Samourai” where he played a perfectionist hitman. The movie was
directed by which legendary French director born Jean-Pierre
Grumbach? This French director stage name was created in honour
of famous American writer.
7 On collecting his BAFTA award for The Artist, which French
actor said: “I’m shocked to receive this award from the country of
Laurence Olivier, William Webb Ellis, and Benny Hill”?
8 Which title is given to the autobiographical novel by Marguerite
Duras, published in 1984? The novel has been translated to 43
languages and was awarded the 1984 Prix Goncourt. It was later
adapted to a film in 1992.
9 In 2004, French director Michel Gondry directed a movie starring
Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey. The film became a critical and
commercial success, developing a cult following and, winning the
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Which movie
whose title is taken from the poem Eloisa to Abelard by Alexander
Pope?
10 Between 1965 and 1972 French actress Catherine Deneuve was
married to which British photographer whose works included
the Box of Pin-Ups (1964): a box of poster-prints of 1960s
celebrities and socialites?
Bonus: The sister of Catherine Deneuve was also an actress
appearing in movies such as Genghis Khan, Where the Spies Are
and Billion Dollar Brain. The movie “Billion Dollar Brain” was her
last movie before being killed in a car accident. What was her
name?
11 Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo created a comic strip character
which appeared in the magazine Pilote on October 29, 1959. His
first visit in Britain was published in 1966. Which character?
12 French actress Claudine Auger (born 1941) was the first
runner-up in the 1958 Miss World contest. She is best known for her
role as Bond girl Dominique "Domino" Derval in which James
Bond movie?
13 This movie could easily be mistaken for a sequel of Casablanca.
Also directed by Michael Curtiz, this 1944 war movie reunited
much of the Casablanca cast (Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains,
Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre) with French actress Michelle
Morgan replacing Ingrid Bergman. Which movie uses a flashback
within a flashback within a flashback?
14 Italian virtuoso Niccola Paganini commissioned the composition
of the symphony “Harold in Italie” to which 19th century French
composer married to an English actress? Paganini was so
overwhelmed by the work that he sent a letter of congratulations,
enclosing a bank draft for 20,000 francs.
15 Recorded in 1976 in a makeshift studio at his home, the album
“Oxygene” sold 12 million copies. Which composer of electronic
music whose father won three Academy Awards winner?
Bonus: Between 1978 and 1998, he was married to which English
actress?
16 The script of this 1947 movie was written by Charlie Chaplin
following an idea of Orson Welles This movie deals with the life of
an unemployed banker who marries rich widows and murders them.
Which movie based on the case of French serial killer Henri
Landru?
17 Between 1986 and 1988, her hit single "Voyage Voyage" made it
to number one in many European and Asian single charts and sold
over five million copies. Which French singer with an androgenic
look was born on Christmas day 1952?
18 In 1997, French movie director JP Jeunet directed the fourth
installment of which movie franchise?
19 Making his name in the nightclubs during the 80s and 90s, this
French DJ released “Turn Me On” from his 5th album “Nothing But
The Beat”. The song features Nicki Minaj for the vocals. Which
DJ?
20 This French actress and dancer appeared in movies such as
“Gigi” and “An American in Paris“. She had the unique privilege to
dance with the greatest dancers such as Nureyev, Baryshnikov,
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Which actress?
Lifestyle
1 Often associated with a chemical process, which name is
given to the removal of sediments in a wine by a gentle transfer
between two containers?
2 First created privately by Givenchy for Audrey Hepburn in
1957, which perfume whose name means “forbidden”?
3 This sect created by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret in 1984
in Geneva was based on the myth of the Knights Templar. The
sect appeared in the news in 1994 when 48 members were found
dead in Switzerland and Canada. In 1995, 16 more members
were found dead in France. Which sect?
4 What kind of products is manufactured by Laguiole and
Opinel?
5 Named after two French physicians, who described it in 1916,
this polyneuropathy is sometimes called French polio. Which
disease instead of poliomyelitis had affected FDR?
6 Which name is shared between a clothing company created in
1972 by Stephen Marks, a 1971 movie and cocktail made of
Cognac and amaretto?
7 This French chef from Lyon is associated with the term
Nouvelle Cuisine and gives his name to the most prestigious
award for chefs in the world. Which name?
8 Created by Eugene Schueller in the 1900s, which large
cosmetics company is known for its slogan: “Because you’re
worth it”?
Bonus: This French model was one of the Victoria' Secret
Angels from 1998 to 2000. She also was the official face of Dior,
and Chanel. She made some forays in the cinema industry
starring as Brigitte Bardot in “Serge Gainsbourg, vie héroïque”
(2010). Which top model?
9 The five brothers of the Guillemot family founded this major
French video game publisher and developer. Which company
published the Assassin Creed franchise?
10 One of the oldest brandy produces in France, which brandy
made with grapes such as Ugni blanc and Colombard is named
after a region of Gascony?
11 Which French or Parisian small type of restaurant gets its
name from the Russian word for quickly?
12 Which company manufacturing anise-flavoured liqueurs
was founded in Franche-Comte as a distillery of absinthe in 1805
and merged with Ricard in 1975?
Bonus: The creation of this cocktail is often attributed to
Toulouse-Lautrec. Which cocktail is made of 50% cognac and
50% absinthe?
13 This recreation resort opened its doors in 1992. Which
amusement park is located at Marne La Vallee next to Paris?
14 This combination of three vegetables (carrots, onion and
celery) is known in Italian as soffrito. In French cuisine this
mixture is named after a Duke who, according to the Oxford
Companion to Food, was an incompetent and mediocre
individual owing his fortune to the affection Louis XV felt
toward his wife. Which name?
15 This town located on the shores of Lake Geneva in
Haute-Savoie department is often considered as an elite resort
welcoming Royal family but the town is better known for his spa
and mineral water. Which town?
16 This crystal glassworks company was founded after Louis
XV gave his permission in 1734. Located in a town of Meurthe
et Moselle (Lorraine) that shares the same of the company, the
company built a worldwide reputation for making quality
stemware, chandeliers, barware, and perfume bottles. Which
company?
17 Created in 1971 following the aftermath of the Biafra War,
this aid humanitarian organization was co-founded by French
politician and doctor Bernard Kouchner. Which organization?
18 On February 1947, Christian Dior launched his first fashion
collection for Spring-Summer 1947. Originally, the two
collection lines were named as "Corolle" and "Huit. However,
the new collection went down in fashion history by which name
given by the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar Carmel Snow?
19 This worldwide French magazine focused on women’s
fashion was created in 1945 by Pierre Lazareff and his wife.
Jean-Dominique Bauby, who wrote the book “The Diving Bell
and the Butterfly” by blinking after suffering of a stroke, was
once editor and journalist of this magazine. Which magazine?
20 This French fashion designer and perfumer collaborated with
the Cirque Du Soleil for the creation of the costumes for the
show Zumanity. Coinciding with the release of the 2006 movie
“Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” (an adaptation of Patrick
Suskind’s novel) he released a 15-piece perfume coffret titled
"The Perfumes of Perfume”. Which designer?
Physical World/Science
1 Named after a French microbiologist and chemist, what name
is given to the process of heating a food (usually a liquid) to a
specific temperature for a definite length of time and then
cooling it immediately?
2 In the CGS system of units, the poise is the physical unit of
which physical property?
3 Named after French physician and 1903 Physics Nobel Prize
Winner, at which temperature a ferromagnetic material becomes
paramagnetic on heating. Which name is given to this
temperature?
4 Discovered in 1907 by French scientist Georges Urbain,
Austrian mineralogist Baron Carl Auer von Welsbach, and
American chemist Charles James, which element has the
atomic number 71 and is named after the Latin name for Paris?
5 19th century French engineers Benoit Fourneyron and Denis
Burdin made significant contributions to the development of
which rotary mechanical device whose early examples are
associated with windmills and water wheels?
6 The French psychologist Alfred Binet invented the first usable
intelligence test or also known as IQ test. A further refinement
was published in 1916 by Lewis M. Terman. The revised
examination became known by which name referring to a
famous American University?
7 Located in the Lesser Antilles the islands of Marie-Galante, La
Désirade, and the Îles des Saintes belong to which French
overseas department?
8 Benoit Mandelbrot the author of “How Long Is the Coast of
Britain? ” coined the term for these figures which have a
Hausdorff dimension larger than their topological dimension.
Which figure can also be exemplified by the Koch snowflake
and Sierpinski triangle?
9 This layer of the Earth atmosphere was discovered in 1913 by
the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson. Its
properties were explored in detail by the British meteorologist
G. M. B. Dobson, by using a spectrophotometer. Which layer of
the atmosphere is located in the stratosphere?
10 The team led by American medical researcher Robert Gallo
and the team led by the virologist Luc Montagnier co-discovered
which virus in 1983?
11 Given its name to three different French departments, which
river rises in the Cevennes and is the longest river in France?
Bonus: Which river rising in the Vosges joins river Rhone in
Lyon?
12 This 16th century French surgeon was the official royal
surgeon for four French kings. In 1567 he described in
experiment to test the properties of the Bezoar Stone in order to
prove that the bezoar stone could not cure all poisons. Which
surgeon introduced the ligature of arteries instead of
cauterization during amputation for treating gun wounds?
13 Proposed by French ophthalmologist Ferdinand Monoyer in
1872, which name is given to the non SI unit of measurement of
the optical power of a lens or curved mirror?
14 This programming language was developed by Niklaus Wirth
in the late 1960s and based on the ALGOL programming
language.
Which language named after French
mathematician?
15 Patients suffering of Expressive aphasia are individuals who
know "what they want to say, they just cannot get it out." This
disorder is caused by damage to the anterior regions of the brain,
including the area with functions linked to speech production.
This area is named after which French physician who also
gives its name to the Expressive aphasia?
16 This French physicist (1872-1946) was a student of Pierre
Curie and also the lover of Marie Curie after the death of her
husband. Highly involved against the rise of the far-right in the
1930s, which scientist filed two US patents in 1916 and 1917
regarding a systematic ultrasonic submarine detection?
17 Given its name to a geological period, which mountains are
located on the French-Swiss-German border?
18 Thanks to his achievements, this French mathematician,
music theorist and monk had made himself the centre of the
world of science and mathematics during the first half of the
1600s. In his book “L’Harmonie Universelle (1637)”, his
eponymous law describe the frequency of oscillation of a
stretched string. Which mathematician has a set of prime
number named after him like Fermat?
19 Known as early as the 14th century, this breed of dog is one of
the most ancient French breed. Which city in the Southwest of
France in the Aquitaine region lends its name to this dog?
20 La Manche is a French department that is part of the Cotentin
Peninsula. La Manche (The sleeve) is the French name for
which arm of the Atlantic Ocean?
Sports and leisure
1 Which French football manager appeared in the final of each
European Cups (UEFA Cup, Winner’s Cup and Champions
League) and lost all of them?
2 This French football club was created in 1919 and shares with
Marseille the highest number of wins for the French
Championship with ten. They were runners-up in the 1976
European Cup losing against Bayern Munich. Which team also
gives its name to an English electronic music band from London,
formed in 1990and consisting of Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley
and Pete Wiggs?
Bonus:
Probably the most famous alumni from my school, this former
French football international played for famous clubs such as
Olympique Lyonnais, Paris St Germain and Milan AC. One of
his career’s highlights was to be named Bolton Wanderers
Player of the Year in 2005. Which French international?
3 Which French racing driver (born in 1955) is a four-time
Formula One Drivers' Champion (1985, 1986, 1989, 1993)?
4 The Award-winning film director Albert Lamorisse invented a
famous strategic board game in 1957. Which board game was
originally called “The Conquest of the World”?
5 Known as the Morrocan Bomber, this world champion boxer is
mainly remembered for his affair with Edith Piaf and his tragic
death in a plane crash in 1949. Which boxer?
6 Specialized in 100m and 200m, which sprinter is the current
European title holder for both disciplines?
7 Which French commune and ski resort was the site of the
1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics?
Bonus: At the 1924 Summer Olympics games in Paris, which
American swimmer won three gold medals and became later a
famous Hollywood actor?
8 This British cyclist was Britain's first men's road race World
Champion in 1965. He famously died of exhaustion in 1967 on
the slopes of Mt Ventoux during a stage of the Tour de France.
He was later discovered that he had taken amphetamine and
alcohol. Which cyclist?
9 Created by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, which round-the-world
single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without
assistance takes place every four years since 1992?
10 Designed by former French international rugby union player
and professional sculptor Jean-Pierre Rives, this trophy was first
awarded in 2007. Which trophy named after an Italian
historical figure is awarded to the winner of the annual Six
Nations Championship (rugby union) match between France and
Italy?
11 Laura Flessel-Colovic is currently number one on the all-time
list of French female Winter or Summer Olympic medal winners
with five medals. She was a top performer in which combat
sport divided in three weapons?
12 The 1982 Formula one season was won by Finnish driver
Keke Rosberg. Up to mid-season, the championship was led by a
French driver who had a massive accident at the German GP, the
accident put to an end to his F1 career. Despite the fact, he only
competed in 60% of the GPs, he finished second in the final
standings. Which driver was killed in 1986 in an accident
during an Offshore powerboat race?
13 This French tennis player was the last French male player to
win a Grand-slam tournament in 1983 by winning the French
Open. Which former player is also known for his musical
career and for his son who plays professional basketball in
NBA?
14 At the 1964 Winter Olympics Games, the Giant Slalom and
the Slalom in Alpine Skiing were respectively won by two
sisters Marielle for Giant Slalom (Christine won the silver) and
Christine for Slalom (Marielle won Silver). Which surname?
15 In January 1986, Thierry Sabine died in a helicopter crash
while supervising the annual rally raid type of off-road race he
founded in 1979.Which race?
16 This female French tennis player admitted sipping cognac
between sets to prevent fatigue. Known as the Divine One, she
won Grand Slams tournaments in single, women double and
mixte-double without losing a final. Which woman tennis
player died of illness in 1938 only aged 39?
17 Following a depression, former athlete Pierre Quinon
committed suicide in August 2011. His moment of fame came at
1984 Olympics games where he won a Gold medal in which
discipline profiting of the boycott by Sergei Bubka?
18 French basketball player Tony Parker was once married to
actress Eva Longoria but he is now divorced. He played
professional basketball for which NBA franchise located in
Texas?
Bonus: This French town in the Limousin region is more famous
for its medieval enamels than its basketball team. In 1993, it was
the first French club team to become European champion in a
collective sport by winning the Euroleague. Which town or
team?
19 Not really considered as a sport, this game takes its name
from an Occitan word meaning “feet anchored”. Which game is
played with metal balls and a small wooden ball called a
“cochonnet” or piglet in English?
20 Currently playing for Chelsea FC, these two football players
played together in 2002-2003 for the French team Guingamp.
Which players whose pictures are shown below?