'Most of the researchers and visitors on h2g2 must have heard of the famous french inspector Maigret created by the belgian born writer Georges Simenon, who spent the last years of his life in Switzerland¹...'

Though some might not remember the 1960s TV series where Rupert Davies was playing the lead role, they will certainly remember the 1990s one whith Michael Gambon as the french detective.

A well made british TV drama, with truer than life parisian scenery, which was filmed on location in... err... hungary².

Belgian authors giving the french nationality to their characters is not unusual, a typical and famous example among many is with Hergé, the creator of another well known investigator: the comic book hero Tintin himself...

The life of Georges Simenon was as legendary as the character he created; unanswered questions are still puzzling his fans and anyone who loves a good real life mystery...

The Questions Most
Frequently Asked...

Was he a collaborator during World War 2?!


Did he really write a novel in 24 hours sitting in a glass cage?!


Why did his daughter kill herself?!


And, the one that definitely needs an answer: did he really sleep with 10,000 women as it has been alleged³?!

Radio 4 Investigates...

Or more exactly, through a play called 'The Case Of The Sex-crazed Belgian' broadcasted in the last week of November 2002⁴, the radio station gives us a chance to have a closer look into the famous writer's incredible⁵ and unusual life...

In this fast-moving comedy written in a detective story style, Derek Jacobi is the french inspector investigating one of the most intriguing literary careers in history.

Joss Ackland plays the prolific author...

¹He died there at the age of 86...²It is now a custom for the film industry to shoot outdoors scenes in other countries or places than the ones where the story is supposed to be set it seems...³This rumour was more or less started by Georges Simenon himself..⁴Date not publicly announced YET... and, this radio show not having been advertised YET either, it literally means that you've read about it on here FIRST....⁵Though Georges Simenon has written around 500 books with 30 of them being his memoirs, he was supposed to write another one before his death where he would have told the truth for the first time according to a pledge he made...