- Title: Paris Metro gets a makeover for Asterix's 60th birthday
- Date: 9th October 2019
- Summary: ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** "ASTERIX" FAN, FREDERIC, IN "ASTERIX" T-SHIRT HOLDING OBELIX STUFFED TOY "ASTERIX" CHARACTERS POSING FOR PHOTO WITH FAN (SOUNDBITE) (French) "ASTERIX" FAN, FREDERIC, SAYING: "It's great that RATP (the transport company which runs the Paris metro) took the initiative to honour this beautiful piece of French culture. And we drove for almost three and a half hours to come here, we postponed all our plans to really come and experience the 60th birthday of our heroes." RATP SPOKESPERSON, MICHEL GARRET, POSING FOR PHOTO WITH COLLEAGUES BEHIND "ASTERIX" CHARACTER GETAFIX'S CAULDRON (SOUNDBITE) (French) RATP SPOKESMAN, MICHEL GARRET, SAYING: "So the idea is that it's a birthday for characters which transcends all generations. You see here, all generations are here, they're superfans of these characters and the story of the comic book, in any case." PEOPLE ENTERING METRO DETAIL FROM METRO POSTER OF ASTERIX AND OBELIX HOLDING WILD BOARS VARIOUS OF POSTER SHOWING CHARACTERS FROM THE COMIC BOOK, READING (FRENCH) "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" (SOUNDBITE) (French) "ASTERIX" FAN, JEAN-MARC, SAYING: "I think it's an excellent idea. It's very pretty, it livens it up, and it reminds us of our real roots, regarding the society we're in today." "ASTERIX" FANS, JEAN-MARC AND TUTRVI TAKING PHOTO OF POSTERS IN METRO (SOUNDBITE) (French) "ASTERIX" FAN, TUTRVI, SAYING: "It's a memory of childhood. For me it's funny to see all this. It's amusing." METRO DOORS CLOSING WITH DETAIL OF "ASTERIX" CHARACTER GETAFIX SEEN BEHIND METRO LEAVING STATION IMAGE OF MAP OF GAUL FROM "ASTERIX" COMIC IN METRO STATION POSTER OF "ASTERIX" CHARACTERS FIGHTING DETAIL OF "ASTERIX" CHARACTERS FIGHTING CUSTOMISED METRO SIGN READING (FRENCH) "PLACEDECLICHIX", AN "ASTERIX"-STYLE CUSTOMISATION OF THE METRO STATION'S NAME, PLACE DE CLICHY
- Embargoed: 23rd October 2019 16:55
- Keywords: Asterix anniversary comic book Gaul Obelix metro RATP
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Books,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA003B0DIUL5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Paris metro has given itself an "Asterix"-style makeover to celebrate the comic book's 60th birthday this October.
Twelve metro stations around the city were temporarily renamed on Wednesday (October 9) to pay tribute to the comic book series.
Menilmontant station became "Menhirmontant" ("boulder-lifting") after Asterix's sidekick Obelix's super strength, while Rome station was decorated in "Asterix"-themed posters.
Beloved characters Asterix, Obelix, and Getafix also made an appearance to pose for photos with fans in Gare de Lyon station, which had a Roman-themed makeover, becoming "Gare de Lugdunum" to match the comic's Roman-era setting.
The pint-sized Gaul, who has been entertaining readers with his exploits alongside oversized Obelix since 1959, has become a mainstay in the publishing industry with more than 370 million albums sold worldwide.
As well as being translated into more than 100 languages, the books have inspired a dozen movies and cartoon series.
The original books, written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo, built up a mass following in the 1960s and 70s, with many readers from those days still snapping up the titles half a century on.
After Goscinny's death in 1977, Uderzo both wrote and illustrated the series until he retired in 2009.
(Production: Kathryn Carlson, Thierry Chiarello) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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