a french detective

gday all, toying with the name of a french detective and ive settled on two names, just want your feelings on them and which one you prefer etc
Felix Moreau
Felix Cocteau
Am writing a detective novel set in england before WW2 and without going into much detail, the murders are similiar to those committed in France during the decadence of 1920's paris....
The character thinks of himself as a bit of a ladies man, well educated and likes the high life....he also has the annoying habit of quoting Rimbauld and Baudelaire

 

I'd go for something like Deveraoux, it feels less "stock character" to me, and please, avoid the typical french stereotypes as well! Stereotyping is always bad IMO.

For what I know about the french cousins, they always had a great sense of the State (la grand nation) and their civil servants are bred in special schools where they're taught to serve the Government and France above all, so they take their job very seriously and they won't womanize or quoting decadent poets who were considered, especially between the two wars the reason of the weakening of the French spirit at the end of the Second Empire and during the Third Republic.

 

And yet, if set during the Victorian Era or the so called Age of Reason, such a character might be in keeping with historic reality.

 

Second Empire: 1852->1870
Third Repubblic: 1870->1940

So they cover what in England is called "Victorian Era".

 

of the two, i'd go for 'moreau' since 'cocteau' is too connected with the renowned 'jean'...

 

Moreau makes me think Dr Moreau...

Perhaps look for something different/less well-known?

 

is this 'flic' the sam spade type, or more an hercule poirot?

 

I thought Poirot was Belgian

 

French detective = Inspector Clouseau of "Pink Panther", and nothing you say in your book will ever get me to see a French detective differently.

 

cheers everyone for their thoughts and opinions, might change it to Hugo Romilly

 

yes, poirot was belgian... i didn't say he wasn't... and spade was american, so i thought it was clear i was only referring to tec types, not nationality...

hugo romilly doesn't sound french at all, if that matters...

 

lol

oh right, never heard of sam spade.

 

thanks for this guys and girls, much appreciated, so ive gone back to the drawing board, and this is what ive come up with
Hugo Vernon
Arnaud Benoit
Simon Fornier
thoughts, opinions, ideas.....please

 

still need more info... do you want this guy to be macho, wimpy, super-brainy, or what?

 

To add to mammamaia's comment:

Is he from a privileged background? Or is he from a poor, working class family? etc etc
These are the kinds of question that'll help you with the name.

 

upper class definately but a black sheep of the family thus why he joined the police....

 

jaques jourdan
henri duplessis
maurice archambeau
antoine bevier
claude de lange
marcel gaillard

 

really liking the surname archambeau....what do you think about Blaise Archambeau?

 

'blaise' sounds effeminate to me, for a flic... but if that fits your character, it does go well with the surname...