A Grand Tour of France I

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1. After flying into the sunrise to land at Charles de Gaulle airport north of Paris, we get some euros at the ATM, pick up our rental car, and head towards town. As we approach Paris, we can see a large white church with many rounded domes sitting on a hill overlooking the city. What is the name of this church? Sacre Coeur St. Sepulce Notre Dame Sainte Chapelle

2. We are exploring Paris on the return part of the trip, so we swing northwest on the A13 toward Normandy, and in less than two hours we are in Vernon, my hometown. We admire the white chalky cliffs overlooking the city and cross the river. In five minutes we arrive at a pink house with extensive gardens, lily ponds, and a Japanese bridge. We are in what famous village? Camembert Giverny Livarot Argenteuil

3. After visiting Monet's home and gardens, we tour the American Impressionist Museum in Giverny, and head up to the Normandy beaches to take in some D-Day history. We first come to a famous bridge spanning the Orne, named after a mythological figure. This bridge was captured by British airborne troops the night before D-Day. What is the name of this bridge? Satyr Unicorn Icarus Pegasus

4. We continue up to the English Channel, and find ourselves among some large concrete bunkers formerly used as gun emplacements, and were surprised to find many still had the large cannon in them. In the distance, we see what looks like a string of large structures in the water. A passer-by tells us it represents the remains of an British artificial harbor towed in after D-Day. Where is this engineering marvel? Mulberry Cherbourg Colville-sur-Mer Arromanches

5. We stay in Normandy for our next stop. Just as we come to the boundary of these two vastly different regions, we see a medieval village out in the Channel with the tide rushing in to envelop it.This mound-shaped village is dominated by a church with a pointed steeple topped by a winged figure. What is the name of this edifice? Mont d'Arthur Mont St. Michel Mont St. Romain Mont de Marsan

6. We head down to the Loire Valley, the "Valley of Kings" and the famous châteaux scattered along the banks of the rivers Loire, Cher, and Indre. We come to one where Leonardo Da Vinci lived out his life under royal patronage and is rumored to be buried underneath the chapel. What is the name of this chateau? Usse Azay-le-Rideau Amboise Chenonceaux

7. We choose to reside at one of the private chateau hotels along the Loire. We sit on the terrace among the geraniums and sculptured gardens and the proprietor brings us a famous tart white wine of this region. What did he bring us to enjoy? Gewurtztraminer Sancerre Mersault Chinon

8. We leave the Loire valley and head south to Bordeaux, then follow the Dordogne river to the region of the same name, one of my very favorite areas in all of France. I am ready to dig into the cuisine of this area. What am I going to eat? Perch, asparagus, sausage, and sheep's cheese Beef, lentils, crepes, and hazelnuts Truffles, foie gras, mushrooms and walnuts Tripe, raisins, legumes, and quail

9. We don't stay too long, since I only brought one size of pants on the trip, so we continue east to the Auvergne region. We descend into the bowl of a volcanic cone, in which is situated a city teetering on a series of rock outcrops and basalt pillars. One pillar is topped by a chapel, another by a statue of the Virgin Mary, and a third by a cathedral and cloister. In which city are we? Conques St. Flour Le Puy-en-Velay La Chaise-Dieu

10. Well, we are at the last question, and alas, we haven't made it back to Paris. Perhaps we can finish the tour another time. Let's forget this dilemma and head south once again to Carcassonne, a dramatic double-walled fortress inhabited since the 2nd century B.C.. A nonviolent religious sect professing vegetarianism, sexual abstinence, and personal piety was once protected here before a church crusade annihilated them. By what name was this sect known? The Brotherhood of Purity Huguenots Cathars Opus Dei