Interactive quiz: 20 questions on France
Who turned down the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964? What is France's most important naval port? How many can you get right?
Which French river rises in the High Pyrenees and flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay) near Bayonne?
Unai Huizi Photography/Shutterstock
1. Which hot beverage was widely consumed at the court of Louis XIV? A. tea, B. coffee, C. chicory
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B. Coffee became popular in France in the 17th Century, and Louis XIV himself was known to enjoy it. He ordered coffee plants to be grown in the Royal Botanical Garden in Paris.
2. What is a “mât de cocagne” ? A. a tall, smooth pole that competitors must climb in traditional festivals, B. the foremast of a sailing vessel, C. a tent pole
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A. Participants try to climb the pole, which is often greased or otherwise made slippery, to reach prizes attached to the top. These prizes can include food (like hams, sausages, or cheeses), money, or other rewards.
3. Which one of these fairytales was not written by Perrault? A. Le Petit Poucet (Tom Thumb), B. Le Joueur de Flûte (The Pied Piper of Hamelin), C. Peau d'Âne (Donkeyskin)
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B. The Pied Piper of Hamelin was recorded by the Brothers Grimm
4. Which French river rises in the High Pyrenees and flows into the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay) near Bayonne? A. the Adour, B. the Garonne, C. the Dordogne
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A. It flows 80km northwards before turning sharply west and southwest to reach the coast.
5. Jacques Brel, Claude Nougaro and Nino Ferrer were popular entertainers. What was their profession? A. dancers, B. singers, C. TV presenters
6. Which French writer was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964 but turned it down?
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Jean-Paul Sartre
7. On which French circuit did Alain Prost win his first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1981?
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Dijon-Prenois, near Dijon
8. Besides horses, what species of animal is most representative of La Camargue?
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The pink flamingo
9. Which former French president was known for playing the accordion?
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Valéry Giscard d’Estaing
10. Which is France's most important naval port?
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Toulon. Its naval base is home to the flagship of the French Navy, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and nuclear submarines. The ports of Brest and Cherbourg are also important.
11. What is the Concours Lépine?
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A competition for inventions and innovations, created in 1901 by Louis Lépine, then Prefect of Police of Paris, which rewards inventors and in various fields.
12. Which sport are we talking about if we refer to the “ailier gauche”, the “pilier droit” and the “talonneur”?
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Rugby. We would be talking about a winger, a prop and the hooker – although it is common to refer to the positions by their numbers rather than their names.
13. In which part of France was Napoleon Bonaparte born?
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Corsica
14. Which American film star and his Lebanese-born wife acquired French citizenship on December 31, 2025?
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George Clooney
15. Which three words are represented by the abbreviation TGV?
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Train à Grande Vitesse
16. The French Airforce uses a multirole military aircraft called the Rafale. You will also hear TV weather forecasters talk about a “rafale”. What does the word mean in meteorology?
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A gust (of wind). A synonym is “bourrasque”.
17. Guignol is the name of the most well-known puppet character in France. In which city was he created?
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Lyon. He was created in the early 19th century by Laurent Mourguet, a puppeteer and silk worker.
18. Who works in a “fournil”?
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A baker. A fournil is where bread is made. It is part of a boulangerie.
19. Les Alyscamps is a Roman necropolis that inspired a pair of paintings by Dutch painter Van Gogh. In which city is it located?
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Arles
20. Which country is on the other side of France’s longest land border?
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Brazil. It shares a 730km border with the département of Guyane (French Guiana). The frontier with Spain, along the Pyrenees, is just less than 630km
