France Trivia (History & Geography) | Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast

It’s time to travel again! We’re back to Europe with a country I’ve actually had the joy of visiting! Let’s do some France Trivia this week. Home to wild history, beautiful culture, and some of the best food on the planet, we just had to drop by and visit France this season.

So, uncork some wine. Grab a crepe. And let’s dive in, shall we?

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Episode Transcript/Quiz

Episode Intro

Bonjour mes amis.

This is episode 129 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. I’m your host, Brian Rollins and this week, we’re going to France. The food, the culture, the art, and the history are all fair game this week.

As always, it’s three rounds of ten questions each. You get five seconds to come up with your answer before we move on.

I think that covers things to start, so let’s begin.

The Dorky Round

1. What is the capital of France?

Paris

2. What are the three colors on the French flag?

Blue, White, and Red

3. France produces 1.7 million tons of what food product every year?

Cheese. They make over 1600 varieties and export nearly half of all the cheese they produce.

4. When the Chrysler Building in New York was built, it became the tallest man-made structure in the world. What held the record before it?

The Eiffel Tower

5. What Frenchman survived 32 assassination attempts?

French President, Charles de Gaulle. He holds the record.

6. What French author wrote Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame?

Victor Hugo

7. On June 6, 1944, Allied forces began to retake France from Germany during World War 2 by landing in what region?

Normandy

8. Alexandre Dumas wrote what famous novel about a trio king's guards?

The Three Musketeers

9. What region of France is part of South America?

French Guiana

10. In 1994, what engineering marvel connected France to Great Britain?

The Channel Tunnel (or Chunnel)

The Geeky Round

1. The abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is a tidal island, meaning what?

It’s only accessible by land at low tide.

2. What is the French National Anthem?

La Marseillaise

3. While 51% of the French identify as Christian, 40% identify as what?

Having no religion.

4. What is the motto of France?

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

5. The French are pioneers in aviation, having invented what form of flight in 1783?

The hot air balloon.

6. In February 2016 France banned supermarkets from doing what?

Throwing away food. Stores must donate surplus food to food banks or charities.

7. What is the highest mountain in France?

Mont Blanc. At 4,807 meters, it’s also the highest peak in Europe.

8. What was the name of the fascist government that ran unoccupied France from 1940 to 1944?

The Vichy Regime. So named since it was headquartered in the town of Vichy.

9. What French monarch was known as the 'Sun King'?

Louis XIV

10. France incorporates several large islands. Which is the biggest?

Corsica, in the Mediterranean.

The Nerdy Round

1. How many countries border France?

Eight. Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Andorra, and Spain.

2. In terms of land mass, where does France rank in the world?

42nd. However, it is the largest country in the European Union.

3. France is broken up into regions. How many regions are there?

Eighteen

4. René Laennec invented what now-commonplace medical device in 1816?

The stethoscope

5. French woman Jeanne Louise Calment holds the record for what?

She was the oldest, verified person ever. She lived to be 122. Born in 1875, she saw the Eiffel Tower built, two world wars, the invention of the automobile, the airplane, and the television.

6. In 1910, French rail chiefs outlawed what practice on rail platforms?

Kissing. Apparently, amorous couples were delaying the departure of trains.

7. The iconic cycling race, the Tour de France, began in what year?

It started in 1903.

8. What French town became the seat of the Catholic Church in 1309?

It was moved to Avignon by Pope Clement V. Then, it was moved back to Rome in 1377.

9. While Notre Dame is arguably the most famous church in all of Paris (if not the world), what church is built at the highest point in Paris?

The Basilica of Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart).

10. Who is considered the last monarch of France?

Emperor Napoleon III who ruled from 1852 to 1870. Louis Phillipe I was the last king of France.

Episode Conclusion

Nous somme finis. We’re all done. I hope you enjoyed our little voyage to France. It’s been over twenty-years since I’ve been and I would love to be able to go back. In the meantime, I’ll just chill with you fine folks over some more trivia. Speaking of, here’s your clue for next week’s show.

What actor and comedian was born July 21, 1951?

I’ll see you back here next Wednesday.

This has been episode 129 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. The music has been by Jason Shaw of Audionautix.com. I’m your host, Brian Rollins. You can find me at TheVoicesInMyHead.com.

Merci de m’avoir écouté and thanks for listening.