Les Visiteurs 2 : Les Couloirs du temps is a messy, chaotic, brilliant film. It asks the question: What happens when you open too many doors in time? The answer: You get Xerxes demanding tax returns from a medieval lord inside a 20th-century hypermarket.
For fans of French comedy, the name "Xerxes" is shorthand for glorious, unapologetic silliness. So the next time you watch Godefroy struggle with a fork or Jacquouille discover electricity, remember the scene in the Persian throne room. Remember the jewels, the beard, and the rage. And raise a glass (of "Pleine de Vie," naturally) to the one and only King Xerxes—the most unexpectedly hilarious tyrant in French film history.
Long live the corridors. Long live the chaos. And long live Xerxes.
In the movie Les Visiteurs 2: Les Couloirs du Temps is the name of the cat belonging to Frénégonde de Pouille's family.
In one of the film's memorable and chaotic scenes, Jacquouille la Fripouille encounters the cat and, in his typical medieval fashion, ends up causing a disaster involving the animal. Key Moments Involving Xerxès: The Encounter
: Jacquouille finds the cat at the Château de Beynac (the Pouille family residence in the present). The Incident
: Mistaking the cat for a "diabolical beast" or simply being overwhelmed by modern domesticity, Jacquouille's interaction leads to a scene where the cat is famously mistreated or ends up in a ridiculous situation, contributing to the "binz" (chaos) Jacquouille creates throughout the film.
: This happens while Godefroy is trying to recover the lost jewels of the Duke of Pouille to close the Corridors of Time exact transcript of Jacquouille's reaction to the cat, or perhaps more cult quotes from the sequel? AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
It seems you might be combining two different things! In Les Visiteurs 2: Les Couloirs du temps (1998), there isn't actually a character named "Xerxes."
You might be thinking of Xerxes from the movie 300 or perhaps a different historical epic. In the Les Visiteurs sequel, the plot focuses on Godefroy de Montmirail (Jean Reno) returning to the 20th century because his squire, Jacquouille la Fripouille (Christian Clavier), stole sacred jewels from the Duke of Pouille, causing the "corridors of time" to stay open.
If you're looking for a quick guide to the movie's key characters and facts: les visiteurs 2 les couloirs du temps xerxes
Plot: Godefroy must retrieve the stolen jewels—specifically the "dentelle de Sainte Rolande"—to close the temporal corridors and finally marry Frénégonde. Main Cast:
Christian Clavier plays multiple roles, including Jacquouille and his descendant Jacquart. Jean Reno returns as Count Godefroy de Montmirail.
Muriel Robin replaced Valérie Lemercier in the dual role of Frénégonde and Béatrice.
Filming Location: The medieval scenes were filmed at the Château de Beynac in France.
Reception: While a huge box office hit in France, many fans felt it was more "hysteric" and repetitive than the original 1993 film. The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time (1998) - IMDb
In the 1998 French comedy Les Visiteurs II: Les Couloirs du temps (The Corridors of Time: The Visitors II),
is the name of the eccentric, high-strung dog belonging to Béatrice de Montmirail and Jean-Pierre Goulard.
While a minor character compared to the time-traveling leads Godefroy and Jacquouille, Xerxes serves as a recurring source of comedic chaos within the modern-day Goulard household. Role and Character Highlights
The Household Menace: Xerxes is often seen barking or causing a stir when the medieval "visitors" disrupt the Goulards' bourgeois life.
Comic Foil: The dog’s presence emphasizes the clash between the refined, modern life of Jean-Pierre and the "barbaric" antics of Godefroy and Jacquouille, who have little understanding of domestic pets. Les Visiteurs 2 : Les Couloirs du temps
Temporal Chaos: Like many elements in the sequel, Xerxes is caught in the middle of the "temporal paradox" caused by Jacquouille stealing the Duke of Pouille's sacred jewels, which keeps the corridors of time open and leads to increasingly absurd situations.
The film follows Godefroy le Hardi (Jean Reno) as he returns to the 20th century to retrieve the stolen jewels and a sacred relic, without which his marriage to Frénégonde in 1123 cannot proceed.
Xerxes in Les Visiteurs 2: The Mystery of the Missing Great Dane
When fans of French cinema think of Jean-Marie Poiré’s cult classic sequel, Les Visiteurs II: Les Couloirs du temps (1998), their minds usually jump to the "re-quipping" of Godefroy de Montmirail, the chaotic Jacquouille la Fripouille, or the iconic "Okay!" catchphrase. However, for a specific subset of eagle-eyed fans, one name stands out among the aristocratic chaos: Xerxes.
If you’re searching for "Les Visiteurs 2 Les Couloirs du Temps Xerxes," you’re likely looking for details on one of the most underrated (and physically largest) members of the Montmirail household. Here is everything you need to know about the legendary Great Dane and his role in the corridors of time. Who is Xerxes?
Xerxes is the massive, imposing Great Dane (Grand Danois) belonging to the modern-day descendants of the Montmirail family. In the sequel, he is primarily seen alongside Cora de Montmirail (played by Claire Nadeau).
While the humans are busy screaming about "the soup" and "the wizard," Xerxes provides a silent, stoic contrast to the frantic energy of Jean Reno and Christian Clavier. He represents the "nouveau riche" lifestyle of the 20th-century Montmirails—a dog that is as much a status symbol as he is a pet. The Role of Xerxes in the Plot
In Les Couloirs du Temps, the plot revolves around the missing jewels of the Duke of Luigny and the "disappeared" Duke of Malfête. Xerxes serves as a recurring visual gag and a symbol of the domestic upheaval caused by Godefroy and Jacquouille’s arrival.
The Intimidation Factor: Xerxes is often used to emphasize the culture shock. To a medieval knight like Godefroy, a dog the size of a small pony is a formidable beast, yet in the 1990s, he’s just a pampered house pet.
The Chaos of the Château: Much of the film takes place within the Montmirail estate. As Jacquouille wreaks havoc on modern plumbing and kitchens, Xerxes is often caught in the crossfire of the slapstick comedy, reacting with the classic "confused dog" expressions that Great Danes are famous for. Why Do Fans Search for Xerxes? For fans of French comedy, the name "Xerxes"
There are two main reasons this specific keyword pops up in film forums:
The Breed: Many viewers fall in love with the dog’s sleek, harlequin or black coat and want to identify the breed. Great Danes became temporarily more popular in France following the film’s massive box-office success.
The "Animal Actor" Trivia: Fans of French cinema often look for the names of the animal actors. While the human stars are household names, the trainers and the specific dog that played Xerxes remain part of the film's deeper trivia lore. Legacy of the Character
While Xerxes doesn't have dialogue (thankfully, the film didn't go the Air Bud route), he is part of the visual fabric that made Les Visiteurs 2 a maximalist masterpiece of French comedy. He adds to the "organized noise" of the film—a movie known for having everyone talking at once, doors slamming, and magical portals opening in laundry rooms.
If you’re rewatching the film today, keep an eye out for the big guy. In a movie filled with time-traveling knights and magical potions, Xerxes remains the most grounded (and biggest) character on screen.
Let us be clear: Les Visiteurs 2 has zero interest in historical accuracy regarding Xerxes. The real Xerxes was a sophisticated administrator and builder. The film’s Xerxes is a screaming caricature of Orientalist despotism—but it is a self-aware caricature. The film mocks all eras equally: the Middle Ages are brutish and superstitious; the modern era is sterile and bureaucratic; the Persian Empire is opulent and irrational.
The virtue of including Xerxes is that it elevates the stakes beyond a simple family squabble. Godefroy isn't just fighting to fix his bloodline; he is fighting to prevent a temporal paradox where Persian culture overwrites Merovingian France. The film toys with the idea of the "Grandfather Paradox" but replaces it with the "Xerxes Paradox": What if the king who burned Athens showed up at a Carrefour?
When film historians discuss Les Visiteurs 2, the name "Xerxes" triggers a distinct response: a mix of laughter and confusion. The character appears for only a handful of scenes, yet his presence looms over the entire second act. Who is this Xerxes?
Historically, Xerxes I was the fourth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, famous for his massive invasion of Greece (immortalized in the film 300). In Les Visiteurs 2, however, he is something far more delightful: a petty, vain, easily manipulated despot who becomes an unwitting pawn in the time-travel chaos.
The sequence unfolds like this: During the unstable time jump, the magic crystal fragments. One shard flies through a corridor and lands in the palace of Xerxes. Intrigued by this glowing, humming object, Xerxes (played with gloriously over-the-top theatricality by French actor Jean-Pierre Clami) believes it to be a sign from Ahura Mazda. Meanwhile, Godefroy and Jacquouille, mid-jump, get scrambled. For a few crucial minutes, Jacquouille finds himself swapped into the body of a Persian harem guard, and a piece of medieval French armor materializes in the throne room.
Xerxes, not understanding the science of temporal displacement, interprets this as an act of war by a "king of the barbarians from the North" (the Franks). Enraged, he declares a holy decree: he will build a second set of "Couloirs" (corridors) – not of time, but of conquest – to find this Godefroy.
