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France trivia: 46 questions and answers

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History

  1. On which date do the French celebrate their national day, remembering the storming of the Bastille in 1789?

    1. A. 14 July
    2. B. 1 May
    3. C. 11 November
    4. D. 25 August
    Show the answer

    14 July. The Bastille was stormed on 14 July 1789, and 14 July is France's national day.

  2. At which battle in 1815 was Napoleon finally defeated?

    1. A. Austerlitz
    2. B. Waterloo
    3. C. Marengo
    4. D. Jena
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    Waterloo. Napoleon's final defeat came at Waterloo, in present-day Belgium. Austerlitz, Marengo and Jena were among his victories.

  3. In which city was Charlemagne crowned emperor on Christmas Day in the year 800?

    1. A. Paris
    2. B. Rome
    3. C. Reims
    4. D. Aachen
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    Rome. Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor in Rome on Christmas Day 800.

  4. Which currency did euro notes and coins replace in France in 2002?

    1. A. The Deutsche Mark
    2. B. The French franc
    3. C. The Italian lira
    4. D. The Spanish peseta
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    The French franc. In 2002 euro notes and coins replaced the French franc.

  5. In 1429 Joan of Arc helped the French army end the English siege of Orléans.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. The siege of Orléans was lifted in May 1429, during the Hundred Years' War.

  6. The 2024 Games were the first Summer Olympics ever held in Paris.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. Paris had already hosted the Summer Olympics in 1900 and 1924, so 2024 was its third time.

Food and drink

  1. Which port city is famous for the fish stew bouillabaisse?

    1. A. Lille
    2. B. Strasbourg
    3. C. Marseille
    4. D. Lyon
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    Marseille. Bouillabaisse comes from Marseille, where fishermen first made it from rockfish they could not sell.

  2. Choucroute garnie, sauerkraut with sausages and smoked pork, is a speciality of which region?

    1. A. Brittany
    2. B. Alsace
    3. C. Provence
    4. D. Normandy
    Show the answer

    Alsace. Choucroute garnie comes from Alsace, on the border with Germany.

  3. What is special about the way a tarte Tatin is made?

    1. A. It is baked upside down, with the pastry on top of the apples
    2. B. It is cooked without an oven, in a frying pan
    3. C. It is made without any sugar
    4. D. It is baked twice, a day apart
    Show the answer

    It is baked upside down, with the pastry on top of the apples. It is baked upside down, with the pastry on top of the apples, then turned out so the caramelised apples are on top.

  4. What turns a croque monsieur into a croque madame?

    1. A. An egg on top
    2. B. A slice of tomato
    3. C. Smoked salmon
    4. D. Mustard instead of butter
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    An egg on top. A croque madame is a croque monsieur with an egg on top, fried or poached.

  5. In 2022 UNESCO added the craft and culture of the French baguette to its list of intangible cultural heritage.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. The artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread was inscribed in 2022.

  6. On a French menu, the 'entrée' is the main course.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. In France the entrée is the starter. The main course is the 'plat principal'.

  7. Camembert is made from sheep's milk.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. Camembert, from Normandy, is made from cow's milk.

Cities

  1. Which city, founded by Greek settlers around 600 BC, is the oldest in France?

    1. A. Lyon
    2. B. Marseille
    3. C. Bordeaux
    4. D. Lille
    Show the answer

    Marseille. Marseille began as the Greek colony of Massalia around 600 BC.

  2. Which French city is the official seat of the European Parliament?

    1. A. Lille
    2. B. Lyon
    3. C. Strasbourg
    4. D. Paris
    Show the answer

    Strasbourg. Strasbourg, on the German border, is the official seat of the European Parliament.

  3. Toulouse is nicknamed the 'Pink City' because of its terracotta brick buildings.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. Its warm pinkish bricks gave Toulouse the name 'la Ville Rose'.

Landmarks

  1. Which Paris museum is home to Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa?

    1. A. The Musée d'Orsay
    2. B. The Louvre
    3. C. The Centre Pompidou
    4. D. The Musée Rodin
    Show the answer

    The Louvre. The Mona Lisa hangs in the Louvre, once a royal palace.

  2. In which palace is the famous Hall of Mirrors?

    1. A. The Palace of Versailles
    2. B. The Louvre
    3. C. The Palace of the Popes
    4. D. The Élysée Palace
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    The Palace of Versailles. The Hall of Mirrors is in the Palace of Versailles, built by Louis XIV.

  3. In which cathedral were most kings of France crowned?

    1. A. Strasbourg Cathedral
    2. B. Reims Cathedral
    3. C. Amiens Cathedral
    4. D. Notre-Dame de la Garde
    Show the answer

    Reims Cathedral. Most French kings were crowned in Reims Cathedral, the last one in 1825.

  4. What is the Pont du Gard?

    1. A. A Roman aqueduct bridge
    2. B. A medieval castle
    3. C. A Gothic cathedral
    4. D. A royal palace
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    A Roman aqueduct bridge. The Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct bridge from the 1st century AD that carried water to Nîmes.

  5. The Eiffel Tower was built for the world's fair of 1889 and was first meant to stand for 20 years.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. It was due to be taken down in 1909, but it proved useful and became the symbol of Paris.

  6. Notre-Dame de Paris reopened in December 2024, five years after the fire of 2019.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. The cathedral reopened on 7 and 8 December 2024 after its restoration.

  7. Mont-Saint-Michel is an abbey on a mountain peak in the Alps.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. Mont-Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island off the coast of Normandy, in the northwest.

Fun facts

  1. As of 2025, France is the most visited country in the world.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. France welcomes about 100 million foreign visitors a year.

  2. Thanks to its overseas territories, how many time zones does France use, not counting Antarctica?

    1. A. 4
    2. B. 7
    3. C. 9
    4. D. 12
    Show the answer

    12. France uses 12 time zones (13 with its Antarctic claim), more than any other country.

  3. Because of its shape on the map, mainland France is nicknamed...

    1. A. L'Hexagone
    2. B. La Botte
    3. C. Le Carré
    4. D. L'Étoile
    Show the answer

    L'Hexagone. Mainland France is called l'Hexagone because it looks roughly six-sided.

  4. Which American monument was a gift from the people of France?

    1. A. The Liberty Bell
    2. B. The Statue of Liberty
    3. C. The Lincoln Memorial
    4. D. The Washington Monument
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    The Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France, designed by Bartholdi with an iron frame by Gustave Eiffel.

  5. The radio distress call 'Mayday' comes from a French phrase. What does it mean?

    1. A. Help me
    2. B. Good day
    3. C. Save the ship
    4. D. Stay away
    Show the answer

    Help me. Mayday comes from the French 'm'aider', which means help me.

  6. The croissant's ancestor is the kipferl, a crescent-shaped pastry from Austria.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. A Viennese bakery in Paris made the kipferl popular around 1838, and French bakers later created the flaky croissant.

  7. The Tour de France bicycle race was first held in 1953.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. The first Tour de France was held in 1903.

Words

  1. In a French restaurant, what does 'l'addition' mean?

    1. A. The bill
    2. B. The menu
    3. C. The waiter
    4. D. The tip
    Show the answer

    The bill. L'addition is the bill. Ask for it with 'L'addition, s'il vous plaît'.

  2. How do you say 'bread' in French?

    1. A. Eau
    2. B. Pain
    3. C. Vin
    4. D. Fromage
    Show the answer

    Pain. Pain means bread. Eau is water, vin is wine and fromage is cheese.

  3. What does 'église' mean?

    1. A. School
    2. B. Station
    3. C. Church
    4. D. Market
    Show the answer

    Church. Église means church.

  4. A 'boulangerie' is a bakery.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. The boulangerie is where the French buy their daily baguette.

  5. The French word 'sortie' means entrance.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. Sortie means exit. An entrance is an 'entrée'.

Phrases

  1. You want to pay at the end of a meal. What do you say?

    1. A. Bon appétit
    2. B. Enchanté
    3. C. L'addition, s'il vous plaît
    4. D. Santé !
    Show the answer

    L'addition, s'il vous plaît. L'addition, s'il vous plaît means the bill, please.

  2. What does 'Je ne comprends pas' mean?

    1. A. I'm not hungry
    2. B. I don't understand
    3. C. I can't find it
    4. D. I'm not ready
    Show the answer

    I don't understand. Je ne comprends pas means I don't understand.

  3. How do you ask 'How much is it?' in French?

    1. A. Comment allez-vous ?
    2. B. Où sont les toilettes ?
    3. C. C'est combien ?
    4. D. Parlez-vous anglais ?
    Show the answer

    C'est combien ?. C'est combien ? means how much is it.

  4. 'Bon appétit' is said just before eating, like 'enjoy your meal'.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. Bon appétit means enjoy your meal.

  5. 'Enchanté' means 'excuse me'.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. Enchanté means nice to meet you. Excuse me is 'Excusez-moi'.

Local customs and tips

  1. In France it is polite to say 'Bonjour' when you walk into a small shop.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. Greet the shopkeeper with bonjour when you arrive and au revoir when you leave.

  2. What does 'service compris' on a French restaurant bill mean?

    1. A. Service is included in the price
    2. B. A 20% tip is expected
    3. C. Bread is charged extra
    4. D. Table service is not available
    Show the answer

    Service is included in the price. Service compris means service is included in the price: restaurant prices already include a 15% service charge.

  3. On which day of the week is the Louvre closed?

    1. A. Monday
    2. B. Tuesday
    3. C. Wednesday
    4. D. Sunday
    Show the answer

    Tuesday. The Louvre is closed on Tuesday, so plan your visit for another day.

  4. Which word for 'you' should you use with a stranger in France?

    1. A. Tu
    2. B. Vous
    3. C. On
    4. D. Il
    Show the answer

    Vous. Vous is the polite form. Tu is for family and friends.

  5. Many shops in France are closed on Sundays.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    True. True. Sunday closing is the norm, though some tourist districts of Paris are exceptions.

  6. Chrysanthemums are a good gift to bring to a dinner host in France.

    True or false?

    Show the answer

    False. False. In France chrysanthemums are associated with funerals and graves. Bring wine, chocolates or other flowers.

Answer key

History

  1. A. 14 July
  2. B. Waterloo
  3. B. Rome
  4. B. The French franc
  5. True
  6. False

Food and drink

  1. C. Marseille
  2. B. Alsace
  3. A. It is baked upside down, with the pastry on top of the apples
  4. A. An egg on top
  5. True
  6. False
  7. False

Cities

  1. B. Marseille
  2. C. Strasbourg
  3. True

Landmarks

  1. B. The Louvre
  2. A. The Palace of Versailles
  3. B. Reims Cathedral
  4. A. A Roman aqueduct bridge
  5. True
  6. True
  7. False

Fun facts

  1. True
  2. D. 12
  3. A. L'Hexagone
  4. B. The Statue of Liberty
  5. A. Help me
  6. True
  7. False

Words

  1. A. The bill
  2. B. Pain
  3. C. Church
  4. True
  5. False

Phrases

  1. C. L'addition, s'il vous plaît
  2. B. I don't understand
  3. C. C'est combien ?
  4. True
  5. False

Local customs and tips

  1. True
  2. A. Service is included in the price
  3. B. Tuesday
  4. B. Vous
  5. True
  6. False

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