Qui veut gagner des millions ?
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television game show |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | France |
Area served | France |
Key people | Jean-Pierre Foucault (host 2000–2019), Camille Combal (host 2019–2020), Arthur (host from 2024) |
| Products | Quiz show |
| Parent | TF1 |
Qui veut gagner des millions ? (Who Wants to Win Millions?) represents the French version of the original British quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which premiered on ITV in the United Kingdom. Contestants aim to secure up to €1,000,000 by correctly answering a series of 15 multiple-choice questions, though this number was reduced to 12 between 2009 and 2016. Broadcast on the TF1 channel, the program was originally presented by Jean-Pierre Foucault from 2000 until 2019, followed by Camille Combal for the 2019–2020 period, with Arthur slated to take over hosting duties in 2024.
The show's format largely adheres to the UK original, with slight modifications in prize allocation and lifeline options, such as the introduction of a "Switch the Question" lifeline after a contestant answers the fifth question correctly. In line with adjustments made in the UK between 2007 and 2014, the number of questions was shortened from 15 to 12 in April 2009. For more information on versions from other countries, refer to International versions of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
Qui veut gagner des millions ? made an appearance in the French movie My Best Friend, underscoring its significant cultural presence.
Due to declining audience numbers, TF1 discontinued the daily broadcasts in December 2010 but continued airing special prime-time celebrity charity editions until January 1, 2016.
In December 2018, during a charity special, Jean-Pierre Foucault announced his exit as host, passing the role to Camille Combal for the program’s revival in January 2019. TF1 confirmed the return of the daily format in February 2019, with filming commencing in April and episodes beginning to air on May 13 at 6:15 pm.
On May 23, 2024, Arthur revealed via Instagram that he would be hosting the show’s comeback in celebration of its 25th anniversary.
Main game
Participants strive to answer a sequence of general knowledge questions without error to claim the grand prize, which has been set at €1,000,000 since September 2001. Over time, prize amounts have been increased to reflect audience demand and program success.
Money trees
| Question number | Question value (Yellow zones indicate guaranteed levels) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| early 2000 | late 2000–01 | 2001–09 | 2009–16 | 2019 2024– |
À la maison (2020) | |
| 1 | 1,000F (€152.44) | €200 | €800 | €100 | ||
| 2 | 2,000F (€304.89) | €300 | €1,500 | €200 | ||
| 3 | 3,000F (€457.34) | €500 | €3,000 | €300 | ||
| 4 | 5,000F (€762.24) | €800 | €6,000 | €500 | ||
| 5 | 10,000F (€1,524.49) | €1,500 | €12,000 | €1,000 | ||
| 6 | 20,000F (€3,048.98) | €3,000 | €24,000 | €2,000 | ||
| 7 | 40,000F (€6,097.96) | €6,000 | €48,000 | €4,000 | ||
| 8 | 80,000F (€12,195.92) | €12,000 | €72,000 | €8,000 | €6,000 | |
| 9 | 150,000F (€22,867.35) | €24,000 | €100,000 | €12,000 | €8,000 | |
| 10 | 300,000F (€45,734.70) | €48,000 | €150,000 | €24,000 | €12,000 | |
| 11 | 500,000F (€76,224.50) | €72,000 | €300,000 | €36,000 | €18,000 | |
| 12 | 700,000F (€106,714.31) | €100,000 | Template:Big | €72,000 | €30,000 | |
| 13 | 1,000,000F (€152,449.01) | €150,000 | N/A | €150,000 | €50,000 | |
Lifelines
- Fifty-Fifty ("Le cinquante-cinquante"): Randomly removes two incorrect options from the available answers.
- Phone-A-Friend ("L'appel à un ami"): Grants a 30-second opportunity to call a preselected contact for help.
- Ask the Audience ("L'avis du public") (2000–2016; 2019; 2024): The studio audience votes through a response system, with results shown immediately.
- Switch the Question ("Le switch") (2006–2009): Activated after correctly answering the €1,500 question; replaces the current query with another of equal worth without reactivating previous lifelines.
- Ask the Host ([Le feeling de Camille] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: "fr" (help)) (2019–2020): The host offers an informed guess on the question without prior knowledge of the correct answer.
- Phone at Home ([L'appel à la maison] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: "fr" (help)) (2020): Similar to Phone-A-Friend but involves calling a randomly chosen registered viewer.
- Ask One of the Audience ([Le Vox Populi] Error: {{Lang}}: unrecognized language tag: "fr" (help)) (2024–): Contestants select one knowledgeable audience member for assistance; this lifeline replaces Ask the Audience in the current format.
Broadcast
From 2000 to 2020, the program was broadcast in various prime-time and daily slots, mainly airing Monday through Friday evenings between 6:00 pm and 7:05 pm, with occasional weekend airings. Key broadcast intervals include July–August 2002, July–September 2004, June–September 2005, and May–July 2007. The latest runs occurred from May to June 2019 and April to June 2020.
The music
The franchise’s iconic soundtrack was created by Keith and Matthew Strachan to build suspense throughout the game. Drawing inspiration from Gustav Holst’s Mars movement in the Planets Suite, the musical themes correspond to prize tiers, ascending by a semitone with each successive question. Between 2010 and 2020, remixes and new compositions by Ramon Covalo and Nick Magnus were introduced, reflecting the style of the original British version.
Special shows
Between 2001 and 2005, themed special editions featured anonymous participants in formats such as Couples, Stepmother and Stepson, Twins, Bachelors, and Newlyweds. From 2001 until early 2016—and resuming in January 2019—celebrity prime-time specials were held to raise money for charity.
A distinctive special aired on July 1, 2003, centered on the Charles Ingram cheating controversy from the British version; this episode was notable for being hosted by Jean-Pierre Foucault without a live audience.
Anniversary specials included a 15th-anniversary edition in September 2015 showcasing prominent TF1 game show hosts and previous winners. On January 1, 2016, a charity special for Pièces Jaunes was broadcast.
The program’s return in January 2019 marked Jean-Pierre Foucault’s final hosting period before Camille Combal assumed hosting duties. Subsequent specials featured a Notre-Dame de Paris tribute in April 2019 with celebrity duos from various TF1 shows.
The daily revival in May 2019 introduced gameplay involving pairs of contestants or celebrities competing together for charitable causes. During the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, a remote "à la maison" edition was launched, allowing celebrity participants to compete via video link with all winnings donated to charity.
To commemorate milestones, two episodes were aired for the 25th anniversary in September 2024, followed by a special episode celebrating TF1’s 50th anniversary in February 2025.
Grand prize recipients
- On September 30, 2000, Frédéric Grégoire secured a prize of 4 million francs.
- Louis Bienheureux achieved a 4 million franc win on November 4, 2000.
- Marie Friedel obtained €1 million on August 27, 2004.