Paris (AFP)

"Le Menhir d'or", a little-known adventure of Asterix restored from a "book-disc" from 1967, comes out Wednesday in two parts: paper album, and audio version.

If this episode is not unpublished, few readers know it.

Because quickly after the release of this vinyl with illustrated notebook, "this unique adventure has become almost untraceable", explain the Albert René editions.

Based on a scenario by René Goscinny, "Le Menhir d'or" tells the story of Assurancetourix - the villager who is silenced at all banquets so badly he sings - during a competition of Gallic bards.

For the 48-page album, the drawings by Albert Uderzo, who died last March, have been completely reworked, because the print rendering did not meet current quality standards.

"We found this treasure which had been a great success at the time, and which is unknown or poorly known to the younger generations. And it took restoration work, since we did not have the original drawings", explains to AFP the managing director of Albert René editions, Céleste Surugue.

"This work which was presented to Uderzo, they are drawings which he had not seen for a very long time, even if he remembered this adventure obviously".

The recording is free to download from all major audiobook platforms.

And we finally hear Assurancetourix.

"We hear him sing, well ... singing is a big word: we hear him try to push the song, and I would recommend listeners to lower the volume at that time", jokes Mr. Surugue. .

"Asterix is ​​in better shape than ever. The securities of the fund, those signed Uderzo and Goscinny, are showing very strong growth, in double digits this year (in percentage). It is surely a safe haven where parents and children meet" , he adds.

© 2020 AFP