Normandy: History and Beauty

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Normandy is geographically divided into two regions. What are these? Basse and Haute Coastal and Inland Calvados and Vernonnais Brittany and Cotentin

2. As we leave Paris and head to Normandy, we follow the Seine river and reach Vernon, my hometown. As we cross the Seine here, I admire the chalky cliffs at Vernonnais, directly flanking the town. We turn right, and just one kilometer after leaving Vernon, we reach a little town more renowned than Vernon. In this village we find a long pink house, gardens, lily ponds, and an artist's studio. Where are we? Answer: (One Word)

3. We drive along the Seine until we reach the lovely fishing village of Honfleur. I have to get my fill of French cheese, so I ask for the cheese cart as I take in the sea breeze and charming gray rowhouses along the harbour. The French are proud of their regional specialties, and since I am in Normandy, which of the following cheeses would our server not particularly recommend? Brie Livarot Neufchatel Pont-L'Eveque

4. We travel to a city of historical importance in the life of Joan of Arc. In which city is there a memorial and a church at the site where she was burned at the stake? Caen Rouen Lisieux Cherbourg

5. There is an attractive city in Normandy which is the birthplace of William the Conqueror, and the castle in which he was born still stands. The town also gives its name to the gap through which many German soldiers escaped after the D-Day landings of June 1944. What is the name of this town? Bayeux Conetin Caen Falaise

6. The area between the Orne and Vire rivers is known as Calvados, renowned for its Calvados apple brandy. What gave this region its name? The name of the Celtic tribe who settled the area The variety of apple which is used to make the brandy The sinking of a Spanish Armada ship off the coast The name given to the country manors which dot the region

7. Which of the following are not located in Normandy The Rose Coast Mont-St-Michel The Mother-of-Pearl Coast The limestone cliffs of Etretat

8. There is a handsome chateau named Brecourt a few miles from Giverny located at Pacy-sur-Eure, the home of Boursin cheese. It used to be owned by the U.S. ambassador to France. The Germans invaded France in 1940. What did the ambassador do with the chateau in 1939? Fortify it Burn it Insure it Sell it

9. Dotting the Normandy countryside are structures used to house pigeons, usually on the grounds of timbered manor houses. Pigeon is a common dish in France, and these houses, built in many architectural forms, are frequently painted, photographed, and admired by artists and tourists. What is the name of these buildings? Pigeonnaires Domaines de l'Oiseau Aviaries Dovecotes

10. Mont-St-Michel is an architectural marvel and is one of the most significant sights in Normandy. Which one of the following is not true about it? It is named after the archangel Michael It is alternately flooded by the tide to make it an island The abbey was captured repeatedly between the French and English It served as a prison during and after the French Revolution