Test your French knowledge: from Astérix inspiration to a famous Queen record cover

Answers at foot of page

1. Bottoms up

France has inspired the creative process of many famous British and American rock and pop stars over the years. From studios such as Château d’Hérouville, Val d’Oise hosting the likes of Elton John (Honky Chateau, 1972) Iggy Pop (The Idiot, 1977) and The Bee Gees (How Deep Is Your Love? single, 1977). 

The Tour de France, viewed from a Nice hotel window in 1978, inspired Brian May of Queen to write his cheeky song Fat Bottomed Girls. The band were recording their album Jazz at Super Bear Studio in Alpes-Maritimes.

Q: In which French town did The Rolling Stones largely record Exile on Main Street in 1972?

2. Light-fingered intellectual

One of France’s great writers, and its Minister of Culture from 1959 to 1969, André Malraux was not quite so respectful of cultural heritage in 1923. The 22-year-old was on a four-week tour of Cambodia when he and his wife Clara Goldschmidt, stole four Hindu deity statues from the Banteay Srei Khmer temple. They were soon arrested and the statues returned.

Q: Malraux’s most celebrated novel La Condition Humaine (translated as Man’s Fate) is set in which city?

3. The call of Gaul

Of all the characters from French bandes dessinées (comic books) Astérix and Obélix are perhaps the best recognised around the world. They first appeared in Pilote magazine in 1959 and by the time the 9th volume of compiled comics appeared in 1967, 1.2million copies were sold in two days.

The protagonists enjoyed adventures far and wide but were best known for their Gaul village. One of the creators, Alberto Aleandro Uderzo, spent time in Brittany and loved it. His co-creator, René Goscinny, wanted their characters to be able to take boat trips, so they gave them a coastal home.

Q: Which Brittany village, to this day unconfirmed by the authors, is thought to be the main inspiration?

Answers

1. Villefranche-sur-Mer near Nice. The band hired Villa Nellcôte and recorded songs using a mobile studio.

2. Shanghai

3. Erquy in Côtes d’Armor, Brittany