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Test your knowledge: fun French facts
Try our fun quiz featuring a notorious criminal and the Sorbonne
1. The nick of time
The last intra-muros prison in the French capital is La Santé, which has been closed since 2014 for major renovations.
Q: Which notorious criminal, portrayed in a film by Vincent Cassel, escaped from La Santé in May 1978, one of only three escapes from the prison in 147 years?
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Jacques Mesrine
2. Hanging around
The Sanson family tomb at Montmartre cemetery is dedicated to one of the more unusual French families... they were executioners.
Q: The most notable Sanson was Henri-Charles, (1739-1806) who carried out 2,918 executions. But by what nickname was he affectionately known?
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He was known by the traditional title “Monsieur de Paris”.
3. Battle for the Sorbonne
The Sorbonne in the Latin Quarter of Paris is France’s most famous seat of learning. It was a focal point for student protests during May 1968, when 20,000 marched upon the college and ran pitched battles with the police. This became known as the ‘Night of the Barricades’. Its chapel has been classified as an historic monument since 1887.
Q: Where does the name Sorbonne come from?
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It is named after Robert de Sorbon, who founded the collège in 1257.
