The medieval era (High Middle Ages) characters from Les Visiteurs
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Godefroy de Montmirail
Godefroy Amaury de Malefète "Le Hardi", Count of Montmirail, Apremont and Papincourt
Portrayed by: Jean Reno
Appears in: Les Visiteurs | The Corridors of Time | Bastille Day
A French knight whose loyalty to King Louis VI the Fat and exploits in battle earned him the nickname "Le Hardi" and the hand of Dame Frénégonde de Pouille. In the year 1123, an unfortunate encounter with a witch puts his marriage at stake and he resorts to using a secret time travel magic to fix his destiny and ensure his descendance's survival. It doesn't quite work as expected, and he ends up being sent to the late 20th century with his squire Jacquouille instead.
- Badass Longcoat: Dons a 18th century coach driver coat in Bastille Day.
- Battle Cry: He uses two.
- "Que trépasse si je faiblis!" (which roughly translates as "I shall die if I weaken!"), his Catchphrase and family motto. Pretty much a Badass Creed, as it sums up his character very well.
- "Montjoie, Saint-Denis!", which was a real life battle cry for French knights.
- Been There, Shaped History: Which is also a Stable Time Loop between Les Visiteurs and Bastille Day. In 1793, when Jacquouillet is looking for a way to change his name, Godefroy drops "Jacquart" as a suggestion, which is adopted, thus causing himself the change he was puzzled about in the first film when he met Jacques-Henri Jacquart for the first time in 1993.
- Blue Blood: The typical medieval lord whose nobility has been earned by the sword in service of his king.
- Boisterous Bruiser: He's a brave, manly and fierce warrior, and enjoys singing bawdy songs when he feasts.
- Catchphrase: In addition to the above Battle Crys, he frequently says "Mortecouille!" (literally "Dead testicle!") when he's surprised. Like many words in the films, it's pseudo-medieval French.
- Charles Atlas Superpower: He is strong enough to throw a grown man high into the air and neck-lifts another effortlessly, and a single punch of his sends Ginette flying.
- Cool Helmet: His 12th century nasal helmet
. - Dead Person Impersonation: Since many 20th century people think he is "Cousin Hubert", he goes by that name to ease things and avoid returning to the madhouse.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: His outlook on life clashes heavily with modern values in the 20th century.
- For instance, having unpaid servants, having them sleep outside and making them eat on the ground.
- He can't stand the French royalty being humiliated and deposed when he's stranded in the middle of The French Revolution, considering how he prays for Louis XVI after the latter's execution. Moreover, the revolutionary ideals are completely alien to what he has learned and he despises the dandy way of life of the 18th century nobility.
- Everyone Has Standards: In a Black Comedy sense in the first film about the witch.Godefroy: One does not torture a woman on my lands. Burning her at the stake will be enough!
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Fair for Its Day: Actually a pretty swell dude by the standards of his time. Chivalrous, generous, loyal to the core and fun to be around. Even when Jacquouille decides to drop him to stay in the 20th century, he acknowledges that he is a good and just master. - The Fettered: He berates or mocks nobles of the 18th century for being effeminate, weak and cowardly when facing the Revolution that strips them from their properties, titles and head. "I shall die if I weaken!" is not his motto for nothing.
- Fish out of Temporal Water: He is a 12th century knight and he gets sent to the 20th century and The French Revolution. He is undeniably confused by these eras, but he acts with way more common sense than Jacquouille in order to return to the 12th century.
- Friend to All Children: He's always happy and proud when he gets to see his descendants' young children, calling them his "descendance", and he is genuinely nice with them. The worst he does to a child is scaring the crap out of a TV-addicted one enough for him to stop watching TV and do his homeworks.
- Knight in Shining Armor: In some ways he's a subversion of the trope, but his behaviour towards ladies, his bravery and loyalty to his king make him one.
- Made of Iron: Dr. Bauvin comments on how Godefroy only slept two hours with a heavy dose of sleeping pills that would make a normal (20th century) person sleep for days.
- The Magnificent: His bravery earned him the surname "Le Hardi" ("the Fearless").
- Marry for Love: The king states that he has heard of Godefroy's love for Frénégonde, and allows him to marry her to reward him for his services.
- Medieval Morons: Less than Jacquouille, but he still has troubles adjusting to the 20th century. And his superstitious beliefs have a reason to be, since witches and wizards do exist in the century he comes from.
- Mistaken for Gay: Due to his flowery and outdated language, Edouard Bernet starts believing that he's trying to hit on him. Jacquart is also confused when he books a single-bed room for both him and Jacquouille, though he means for his squire to sleep on the floor.
- Mistaken Identity: Due to his extreme resemblance to his (presumed dead) 20th century descendant Hubert de Montmirail, his 20th century family assumes he is Hubert. He progressively uses this to his advantage.
- Not Afraid to Die: There's a reason his surname is "le Hardi", he is never afraid to die in battle. His only fear is not having a descendance.
- Red Baron: He earned his surname "Le Hardi" ("the Fearless") for a reason. He might be confused by the different eras he's sent to, but he is a force to be reckoned with in his rightful era, as demonstrated when he beheads an English knight or when he charges the Burgundians attacking his lands.
- Parental Substitute: Of sorts, in The Corridors of Time. Philippine wanted to see Godefroy as she thought he was her father Hubert. He then tells her the truth, but she still insists that he should stay at least for the wedding ceremony. Godefroy accepts and even accompanies her at the altar like her father would have done, then leaves to go back to his time.
- Stalker with a Crush: Due to Béatrice's uncanny resemblance to his beloved Frénégonde, it's no surprise that he wants to be very close to her at first.
- Undying Loyalty: To his family, to king Louis VI, and to the Crown of France in general. He even dares to pay homage to Louis XVI as he learns of his beheading in 1793 when all nobles kowtow in fear before the Public Accusers of the Republic, waiting for their death. Although his greatest dream is to have a descendence, he vows to stay loyal to his betrothed when she breaks off their engagement, and his attempt to right his wrongs for her triggers the plot of the franchise.
- Would Hit a Girl: While he presents as a knightly defender of women, attacking a fast food cook for throwing hands with Ginette, he has no qualms punching the same Ginette when she tries to prevent him from taking Jacquouille back in time.
Jacquouille
Jacquouille "La Fripouille"
Portrayed by: Christian Clavier
Appears in: Les Visiteurs | The Corridors of Time | Bastille Day
Godefroy's squire. A smelly, unrefined, buffoonish and sticky-fingered man from the low layers of medieval society, he is a loyal servant to Godefroy nonetheless. Godefroy forces him to taste the time travel potion first.
- Character Catchphrase: Some are used because he knows them from his medieval upbringing, the others are randomly thrown around because he's a medieval moron who's lost in time.
- "Hosanna!" whenever Godefroy is safe.
- "C'est diablerie!" ("This is devilry!").
- At one point he hears Jacquart shouting "OK!" and decides to make it his own catchphrase (more like "OH-KAY!") and uses it randomly (he doesn't have much clues of what it means), and to a higher extent in The Corridors of Time.
- At the beginning of Bastille Day, he keeps saying the religious word "Hosanna!", which is quite inappropriate for the very secularist Charlotte Robespierre, and in the 1793 French society in generalnote . She advises him to use "Hourra!" instead, because it's "more laïc" (the most widely used French word for "secularist"). Unfortunately, Jacquouille doesn't get it and keeps repeating "Hourra, it's more laïc!" instead.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: He might be a moron by all accounts, especially in the 20th century, but he seemingly knows how to survive in the wilderness, as he holds his own against a pack of wolves without a trace of fear and "smells the tracks very well" according to Godefroy. He also knocks one of the ransacking Burgundian knights down with a mallet during their raid on Godefroy's lands, and doesn't hesitate to chase an inquisitor with a hot red iron as the lives of his master and his descendant are on the line.
- Does Not Like Magic: He is scared shitless by what he heard about the witch of Malcombe, and urges Godefroy to not drink the time travel potion, thinking the wizard Eusaebius cannot be trusted.
- The Dung Ages: He carries this trope with him throughout the eras he travels to, which brings plenty of olfactory annoyance to said eras' characters. Most 20th century characters think he's a smelly hobo, and the 18th century characters think he is a peasant from a really poor and remote area. Charlotte Robespierre thinks galleys and a penal colony made him so dirty and smelly.
- He uses horse dung to feed a fire in Bastille Day. Cue the expected reaction to the smell from neat and tidy 18th century nobles.
- Fish out of Temporal Water: A medieval moron who causes much havoc in the centuries he's sent to.
- The trope is kind of subverted in that Jacquouille does enjoy the eras he's lost in while Godefroy absolutely doesn't, and not only because he can enjoy stuff and comfort instead of a harsh life in the 12th century, and the Revolution and 20th century societies are generally more favorable to low condition individuals than the early 12th century was. In reverse, being a high-born doesn't automatically give you a high social status or privileges anymore, which is part of the reason why Godefroy wants to return to 1123 at all cost (the main one still being that everyone must be returned to his rightful time no matter what).
- Flanderization: The two sequels put way more emphasis on his moronic side than the first film (in which he mas a more straight-up Fish out of Temporal Water with moments of genuine cleverness). He also shouts way more often in the sequels (for no reason sometimes).
- Innocent Bigot: He freaks out upon seeing a black postman. Twice.
- It Tastes Like Feet: According to Jacquouille, the time travel potion "tastes like pig dung". One wonders how he does know what pig dung tastes like...
- Jabba Table Manners: He's rather unrefined when eating.
- Lethal Klutz: His Fish out of Temporal Water antics cause much troubles to the 20th century folks, and it escalates to Disaster Dominoes levels in The Corridors of Time. 18th century folks are not safe from his antics either.
- The Magnificent: His overall personality earned him the surname "La Fripouille" ("the Scoundrel"), which also rhymes with his name.
- Medieval Morons: The very embodiment of this trope in the films. While it's common for pretty much every man to be this in medieval Montmirail, this character trait is naturally exaggerated when he's lost in the 20th century.
- Mistaken Identity: Many people in the 20th century think he is Jacquart's brother, or a cousin.
- Charlotte Robespierre thinks he is Jacquouillet's uncle.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: By stealing the Duke's jewels and retrieving them in the 20th century, he let the Corridors of Time open, creating a temporal paradox of sorts.
- The Pig-Pen: Per The Dung Ages trope, he's smelly (his feet and mouth full of rotten teeth in particular) and takes one bath every two months at best in the 12th century. It bothers most 20th century and 18th century characters more than the medieval ones, who are just as smelly if not more.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: Whenever he sees a black man, he will call him a "saracen". Since he's a medieval man, it's not really surprising in context.
- Scary Teeth: His rotten teeth have comedic value for the viewer, but they play a part in scaring the shit out of Jean-Pierre's and Béatrice's children.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Towards the end of The Corridors of Time, he refuses to go back to the 12 century with Godefroy, as he reviles his previous life (always going on foot, fear of being trampled by horses or killed), even though he admires and respects his master.
- The Squire: He's Godefroy's squire and manservant. He travels by foot while the high-born travel on horses.
- Sticky Fingers: He steals the Duke's jewelry in the 12th century and various stuff in the 20th and 18th centuries.
- Time-Travel Romance: He has one with Ginette, although they're never seen even kissing each other.
- Unfortunate Names: When pronouncing "Jacquouille", some people are embarassed because they hear the word "couille" (a French slang word for "testicles", used as often as "balls" in English) in his name. In Bastille Day, Charlotte Robespierre calls him "Jacques Couille" with a straight face.
- You Need a Breath Mint: The stinkiness of his mouth is the stuff of nightmares for most 20th and 18th century people who come across it. He does get toothpaste to "not rot" in the climax of the first film, but doesn't follow through on its use in the sequel.
Frénégonde
Dame Frénégonde de Pouille
Portrayed by: Valérie Lemercier (Les Visiteurs), Muriel Robin (The Corridors of Time)
Appears in: Les Visiteurs | The Corridors of Time
The daughter of the Duke of Pouille, and Godefroy's fiancee.
- Big "NO!": When she sees Godefroy shooting at her father with a crossbow.
- Blue Blood: She is the daughter of the Duke of Pouille.
- Love Interest: She is the love of Godefroy's life.
- Perfectly Arranged Marriage: She genuinely loved Godefroy even before the king promised her hand to him.
- Proper Lady: The typical well-mannered medieval noblewoman. She's noticeably upset by her father's Jabba Table Manners and she covers her face to not look as Jacquouille and Jacquart as they turn into dung when they travel in time.
- Textile Work Is Feminine: She is seen sewing in The Corridors of Time.
Eusaebius
Eusaebius the Enchanter
Portrayed by: Pierre Vial
Appears in: Les Visiteurs | The Corridors of Time
An enchanter who once served Godefroy's father. He knows the formula of a potion that allows whoever drinks it to cross the "Corridors of Time", as he calls it. He is just the man Godefroy needs to fix his destiny but, unfortunately, he is old and loses his memory...
- Court Mage: He once served Godefroy's father.
- Family Theme Naming: At least two of his descendants are named "Eusèbe". Possibly a case of Dead Guy Junior.
- Forgetful Jones: He is a well of science and magic, but he loses his memory... which has devastating consequences.
- Idiot Ball: He forgets to add one of the main components in the Time Travel potion (quail eggs), sending Godefroy and Jacquouille to the late 20th century instead of a few days back in time. Cue Oh, Crap!.
- Mummies at the Dinner Table: He is dead at the beginning of Bastille Day in 1124, when the King's men are looking for Godefroy, who's still stranded in 1793. For some reason, Norah (his daughter) keeps his mummified corpse in his bed.
- Robe and Wizard Hat: Wears a robe and a pointy hat.
- Wizard Beard: He has a long white beard.
- Wizard Classic: He has pretty much all the characteristics of a classic wizard, minus a wand or staff. He insists that "his magic is not made of the witches' maliciousness".
King Louis VI
King Louis VI le Gros
Portrayed by: Didier Pain (Les Visiteurs), Patrick Descamps (Bastille Day)
Appears in: Les Visiteurs | Bastille Day
The king of the Franks. He rewards Godefroy with the hand of Frénégonde de Pouille for his loyal services and for saving his life.
- Anachronism Stew: The fleur-de-lys symbol is featured heavily on his royal regalia, but it didn't become this prominent until the reign of his son, Louis VII.
- Bring Him to Me: In Bastille Day, one year after Godefroy's departure in the corridors of time, Louis VI calls his vassals to go at war again, but Godefroy doesn't show up (as he is stranded in 1793), and news of him using sorcery are spreading. The king orders his men to bring Godefroy to him at all cost, otherwise he will strip him from his titles and lands.
- Cool Crown: He wears a golden crown over his helmet when he dons his armor.
- The Good King: At least it is how he is considered by Godefroy and Jacquouille.
- Historical Domain Character: The first historical character to appear in the films.
- Kissing Cousins: Princess Kathlyn is king of England Henry I's niece, and Louis VI and Henry I are cousins. So, Louis and the princess are related as well.
- The Magnificent: "Le Gros" ("The Fat"), his historical surname.
- Requisite Royal Regalia: He always wears a golden scarf with the fleur-de-lys (the symbol of French royalty), and blue clothes with fleur-de-lys when on his throne (blue was the royal color).
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: He accompanies his army and is not afraid to fight.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: He's this with the English princess Kathlyn.
- Warrior Prince: He accompanies his ost (his army).
Duke of Pouille
Duke Fulbert of Pouille
Portrayed by: Patrick Burgel
Appears in: Les Visiteurs | The Corridors of Time
A French duke and the father of Frénégonde. He initially refused to let his daughter marry Godefroy but since his king ordered him to give her hand to the Count of Montmirail, he obliges.
- Boom, Headshot!: Due to the witch's hallucination poison, Godefroy thinks he is a bear attacking Frénégonde and shoots a crossbow bolt directly into his forehead.
- Jabba Table Manners: He asks for wine so he can "piss a lot", and belches when eating.
- Parental Marriage Veto: He didn't want to let his daughter marry Godefroy initially, but finally accepts as he has to follow the king's orders.
- His death by the hands of Godefroy prevents the marriage from happening.
- He puts another veto on the marriage in The Corridors of Time as he can't find his jewels (which have been stolen by Jacquouille and retrieved in the 20th century). The marriage is cursed if it happens without the precious fertility Relic of Sainte Rolande, prompting Godefroy to return to the 20th century.
- Retcon: His death is erased from time when Godefroy returns to the very moment when he shot the crossbow bolt, forcing it to deviate and hit the witch instead.
- Serious Business: The relic of Sainte Rolande is believed to bring fertility to marriages in his family, and not having it at the ceremony is a very bad omen to him.
Friar Raoul
Friar Raoul
Portrayed by: Éric Averlant
Appears in: Les Visiteurs | The Corridors of Time
A monk of Godefroy's court.
- Agony of the Feet: Jacquouille clumsily lets a hot iron bar fall on his foot, which sends him screaming.
- Cunning Linguist: When Godefroy's party raids the witch's house, they find a threat written outside the house (which translates as "Shall the indiscreet person be turned into a slug!"). According to him, it is made of Latin and "Visigothic language".
- Warrior Monk: He wears armored pants under his robe and carries a knife, just in case.
The Witch
The Witch of Malcombe
Portrayed by: Tara Gano
Appears in: Les Visiteurs
A witch who lives in the forest of Malcombe and performs Black Magic. Godefroy raids her hideout and has her locked in a cage to be burnt for sorcery.
- Boom, Headshot!: Godefroy's crossbow bolt ends up in her forehead instead of the duke's once he manages to change his destiny.
- Burn the Witch!: What Godefroy intends to do with her.
- The Dark Arts: Godefroy has her arrested for performing them.
- The Dreaded: Friar Raoul and Jacquouille are noticeably afraid by what they heard of her.
- Elongating Arm Gag: She magically extends her arm to reach Godefroy's flask to put her hallucinating poison in it.
- Evil Laugh: She cackles as Godefroy is hallucinating after she poisoned his water.
- Fountain of Youth: One of her potions turns an old woman into her young (but ugly) self.
- Mushroom Samba: She poisons Godefroy's water, which makes him hallucinate and kill someone he shouldn't have killed...
- Revenge: She poisons Godefroy's water in retaliation for capturing her.
- Super Spit: Apparently, her saliva is acidic.
- Wicked Witch: Ugly woman? Check. Evil cackling? Check. Enchanted Forest? Check. Black Magic? Check.
King Henry I
King Henry I Beauclerc of England
Portrayed by: Paul Bandey
Appears in: Les Visiteurs
The King of England and Duke of Normandy. He's at war with Louis VI the Fat, and he's not happy to learn that Louis has an affair with his niece.
- Anachronism Stew: The royal coat of arms he wears wouldn't be seen until 1399.
- Clashing Cousins: With Louis VI, as they're at war, no less.
- Minor Major Character: He's the King of England and an enemy of Louis VI the Fat, but he has no role to play beyond the first film's opening.
- Weapon Specialization: He favors using crossbows.
- Would Hit a Girl: Has no issue punching his niece's face with a metal gauntlet on his hand after finding out about her affair with his enemy Louis VI the Fat, or killing his niece's maid with a crossbow shot.
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English Knight
The English Knight
Portrayed by: Dominique Hulin
Appears in: Les Visiteurs
An English knight who ambushes King Louis VI the Fat and Godefroy as they are trying to flee from Henry I Beauclerc. He ends up beheaded by Godefroy.
- Armored Villains, Unarmored Heroes: The suit of armor he wears (in addition to being anachronistic) is much heavier than the mail, breastplate and helmets/gauntlets worn by Louis VI and Godefroy.
- Decapitated Army: Quite literally. Once he's beheaded by Godefroy, all the men under his command flee and Louis VI can escape to safety.
- Evil Laugh: He laughs as his head emerges from his armor after Louis VI's attempt at beheading him... then Godefroy strikes, and the expression on the knight's face can only be described as Oh, Crap! before his head gets separated from his body.
- Fake Ultimate Mook: He looks imposing, mostly due to being tall and wearing a heavy suit of armor, and he puts a big dent in Godefroy's breastplate, but Godefroy has no trouble disposing of him eventually.
- Losing Your Head: The beheading is definitely fatal, but that doesn't prevent his headless body from wandering about for a few seconds before collapsing.
- No Name Given: He's never named onscreen.
- Off with His Head!: King Louis VI tries beheading him, only to find out he retracted his head under his armor and only the helmet got hit. Godefroy immediately strikes next when the head emerges, successfully this time.
Friar Ponce
Friar Ponce
Portrayed by: Philippe Morier-Genoud
Appears in: The Corridors of Time
A monk inquisitor who has been sent to Montmirail. Jacquart unfortunately bumps into him.
- Anachronism Stew: He's an inquisitor in 1123. The first Inquisition was created in 1199.
- Bald of Evil: His monk tonsure is not a villainous trait, but the character surely is.
- Burn the Witch!: Wants to burn Jacquart for carrying "satanic artifacts".
- Cold-Blooded Torture: Forces Jacquart to swallow huge quantities of water.
- Corrupt Church: He wants to get rid of Godefroy, presumably to confiscate his lands.
- The Dreaded: When Eusaebius learns of his arrival in Montmirail, he gets scared and prepares to leave the castle.
- Knight Templar: He is an inquisitor who burns or tortures people for being "heretics", "possessed by the Devil" and so forth.
- Medieval Morons: He's afraid by a moo box and believes it to be "satanic".
- Sinister Minister: You really wouldn't want to be suspected by this man of Church.
Prosper
Prosper le Purineur (Prosper the Manure Gatherer)
Portrayed by: Christian Clavier
Appears in: The Corridors of Time
Jacquouille's brother. A smelly and scabby peasant who gathers manure (hence his name). He is tasked to bring food and water to Jacquart, who's imprisoned in a dungeon.
- The Cameo: A one-scene character played by Christian Clavier talking to a major character played by... Christian Clavier.
- The Dung Ages: If Jacquart's situation in Middle Ages wasn't bad enough, he gets exposed to Prosper's smelly presence (and since he's a manure gatherer...). And Prosper transmits him his scabies.
- The Magnificent: "The Manure Gatherer".
- Medieval Morons: He looks about just as "medievally moronic" as every low condition individual in 1123 Montmirail.
- One-Scene Wonder: His scene is one of the most well-remembered of The Corridors of Time.
- Uncanny Family Resemblance: Jacquart thinks he is Jacquouille at first. And since Christian Clavier plays him...
Luigny
Gontran "Le Buté", duc de Luigny
Portrayed by: Philippe Beglia
Appears in: The Corridors of Time
A duke who serves the Burgundians' cause, he's an enemy of Godefroy and the king.
- Arch-Enemy: To Godefroy and the Montmirails. Godefroy serves King Louis VI the Fat while Gontran embraced the Burgundian cause.
- Blue Blood: As he's a medieval lord.
- The Magnificent: "Le Buté" ("the Mulish").
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: He attacks Godefroy's lands to ransom them and attempts to make them his own.
- We Will Meet Again: Godefroy makes him fall off his horse during their battle. One of his knights picks him up on his horse, he loudly vows to return and they flee, mocked by Godefroy.
Norah
Norah
Portrayed by: Julie-Marie Parmentier
Appears in: Bastille Day
The daughter of Eusaebius the Enchanter.
- Dark Is Not Evil: For all intents and purposes, she's a witch, and she dresses in black, but all she's concerned about is bringing Godefroy and Jacquouille back to 1123 and closing the Corridors of Time once and for all.
- Ms. Exposition: She explains what exactly happened to Godefroy to the soldiers who are looking for him on the king's orders, and where he is.
- The Omniscient: She knows that Jacquouille and Godefroy are stranded in 1793, and she briefly possesses the body of the Mother of God in that era to tell them where Eusaebius' late 18th century descendant is so they can find him and Time Travel back to the Middle Ages.
- Remember the New Guy?: She is introduced in Bastille Day. Nothing ever hinted at her existence in the first two films.
- Seers: She can see through time.
