has passed into the French language as a term for a bicycle. The origins are in 1891, when Giffard wrote a history of bicycle development, La Reine Bicyclette. The expression was made more emblematic by the picture on the cover, of a young woman wearing a modern bicycle as a crown. The title was intended to describe the spirit that the bicycle had brought to her life. Cycling enthusiasts adopted the name, calling their machine "la petite reine". Le Sieur de Va-PartoutLe Sieur de Va-Partout was the first French book in a new style, the literature of reporting, and therefore of a new type of author: the writer-reporter. La Fin du ChevalLa Fin du Cheval was Giffard's 1899 humorous thesis on the inevitable replacement of the horse by the bicycle, then by the car. It was illustrated by Albert Robida. La Guerre InfernaleLa Guerre Infernale was an adventure novel for children, published as a serial, an edition appearing every Saturday. The 520 illustrations were created by Albert Robida. It described a world war, years before it happened, describing an attack on London by the Germans and war between Japan and the United States. It was subsequently republished as a book. Politics Giffard stood in the national election of March 1900, a candidate in the 2nd constituency of Seine-Inférieure (Yvetot). A passionate left wing Dreyfussard, he failed due to the general Dreyfusine rift in French politics, and he was a victim of de Dion's sometimes violent anti-Dreyfussard stance. De Dion had distributed free copies of Giffard's humorous book La Fin du Cheval'', claiming it to be Giffard's political program. Death, honours and commemoration In 1892, Giffard was appointed 'Chevalier' (Knight) of the Légion d'Honneur and in September 1900, at the Paris Exposition, he was appointed an 'Officier' (Officer) of the Légion d'Honneur. He died on 21 January 1922 at his home in Maisons-Laffitte where he had lived since 1883. The rue de Pierre Giffard in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis is named in his honour. Notes References 1853 births 1922 deaths People from Seine-Maritime French journalists 19th-century French newspaper publishers (people) 20th-century French newspaper publishers (people) Cycling journalists Cycling writers Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Lycée Pierre-Corneille alumni French male non-fiction writers Le Figaro people