Loto Chansons was a 1 hour long programme and Loto Parade was a 26 minutes segment within it in which Benny, Björn and Frida appeared. Agnetha stayed in Stockholm with her newborn son Christian and was not present.

Money Money Money was shown from ABBA-dabba-dooo!! and they were interviewed (all in French) by Guy Lux and a clip of Take A Chance On Me was shown.

Sheila B Devotion was also a guest on the programme. There is a picture of The Rubettes with ABBA but they are not listed in the French TV archives as being on the show.  However, they ARE included in the TV listing from Nouvelliste - 21 January 1978, p.5 (complete with spelling errors) - but ABBA are not.

Note that Guy Lux talks VERY quickly!

He announces a surprise visit from the world-famous group ABBA and that Bjorn, Benny, Frida have come back from Midem and that Agnetha had stayed in Sweden because she has had a baby. He asks after Christian and Björn says he's fine. Guy then asks after "The Daddy". Björn says he's also fine. "And Agnetha?" Björn says, "fine I hope". Guy questions why he says "I hope - hasn't he seen her for a long time?" and Björn says no. Then Guy Lux explains ABBA are releasing a film and ask for the title of the film in various languages but they all say ABBA - The Movie each time! Then he asks if it includes new or old songs. Frida answers new songs and old hits. Then he asks when is next ABBA tour. Bjorn answers no definitive plan but perhaps 1979. Then Guy Lux asks When do you come back on French TV. "Next invitation", says Bjorn and then he presents Take A Chance On Me and asks the group to give and translate the title in French.

Featured artists (in running order):

1. Salvatore Adamo - Mes Mains Sur Tes Hanches
2. Thelma Houston - I'm here again
3. Enrico Macias - La Folle Esperance
4. Bande à Basile-groupe - Des cow-boys et des Indiens
5. Umberto Tozzi - Ti amo
6. Sheila B Devotion - Singing in the Rain
7. Charles Dumont - Une chanson
8. Richard Anthony - Non stop
9. Salvatore Adamo - Frappe, frappe ala porte du bonheur

Guy Lux: eh bien oui sur votre ecran une grande surprise croire que cet apres-midi le plateau de lotoc hansons est un peu un transit entre Paris et Cannes. Vous les avez reconnus,un groupe mondialement connu, le groupe ABBA mais une surprise bien sur il manque une unite car vous venez de les voir 4,ils ne sont plus que 3. Alors une raison tres sympathique c'est que si agnetha est reste en suede c'est qu'il y a eu un heureux evenement nous allons tout de suite demander des nouvelles au papa. Björn des nouvelles de Christian?
Guy Lux: We have on our screen a big surprise! You could believe that our show is transformed into a transition between Paris and Cannes. You recognized them, a world famous band, the group ABBA but a surprise of course as a missing unit shows you've just seen them four and now they're only three. So a very sympathetic reason for this is that if Agnetha is still in Sweden, it's because a happy event has occurred. We're gonna ask immediately the "papa". Björn, what news about Christian?

Björn Ulvaeus: Il est tres bien
Björn Ulvaeus: He's very well

GL: Le papa a l'air de tres bien se porter le plus important c'est que comme vous etes que trois et qu'on a tres envie de vous retrouver tous les quatre comment va agnetha la maman
GL: The father seems very healthy  The most important is that, as we see, only the three of you - what bout the mother - Agnetha - news?

BU: J'espere tres bien aussi
BU: I hope she's very well too

GL: Pourquoi vous esperez vous l'avez pas vu depuis longtemps?
GL: Why you "hope" , haven't you seen her for a while?

BU: Er, non!
BU: Er, no!

GL: Eh bien ecoutez de toute facon ,nous la reverons tres bientot pour le moment l'essentiel c'est de vous avoir tous les trois. Merci de nous avoir reserve ces quelques mn avant de reprendre l'avion,en exclusivite a notre emission alors tout de suite pourquoi etes vous la ? tout simplement parceque dans 48h ,le groupe abba va presenter au public de cannes son premier long metrage marchant ainsi un peu sur les pas des beatles avec une 20taine de quest... euh chansons dans le film et tout de suite une premiere question,vous voyez moi je suis marie avec mes questions je pose toujours des questions Benny, quel est le titre du film?
GL: So listen anyway, we'll see her soon, for the moment the essential thing is to see you three. Thank you for sharing (reserving) those precious minutes before embarking (on the plane) , exclusively to our show. So why are you here? simply because in 48 hours, ABBA will present to the Cannes spectators their first feature film along the lines of The Beatles with 20 quest.... euh songs in the film Benny, what's the title of the film?

Benny Andersson: Le titre est "ABBA - The Movie"
Benny Andersson: The title is "ABBA - The Movie"

GL: Bon ca c'est la version anglaise! Frida la version francaise?
GL: Well this is English, Frida what's the French title (in fact it is "vive abba")

Frida Lyngstad: "ABBA - The Movie"

GL: Bien - Björn, version suedoise?
GL: Good - Björn, the Swedish version?

BU: "ABBA - The Movie"

GL: Bon version allemande?
GL: Well, the German one?

BU: "ABBA - The Movie"

GL: Version americaine?
GL: American one?

BU: "ABBA - The Movie"

GL: Monesgasque?
GL: Monegasque (inhabitant of Monaco)?

BU: "ABBA - The Movie"

GL: Bon, si vous n'vez pas obtenu le titre c'est que vous n'y mettez pas de la bonne volonte. Dans ce film 20 chansons toute inedites ou il y'a des chansons anciennes et nouvelles, Frida?
GL: Well if you didn't get the title it's that you did want to do so! In this film 20 songs all new or are there some old and new ones Frida?

FL: Il y a des nouvelles chansons et aussi nos anciens succes
FL: There are some new songs and our old hits

GL: Raison de plus pour aller voir le film puisque cela nous permettra de reecouter ces chansons qui ont fait le tour du monde! Alors une derniere question concernant votre carriere a quand le retour sur les scenes mondiales parceque nous sommes un peu prive de vous depuis pas mal de temps alors le retour sur les scenes mondiales?
GL: That is a reason to go to see the movie for it will give us the pleasure to hear once again those world wide hits ("songs that went around the world"). So a last question concerning your career - when will you go back to tour around the world?

BU: Il n y a (pas) de plan definit a ce jour pour une tournee mais je crois peut etre en 79
BU: There's no plans clearly made to this day but I think it will be in '79

GL: 79! mais dites donc c'est pas possible. alors devant les cameras de la television francaise tout particulierement !
GL: 79! that's incredible. so just before the french television screen

BU: A la prochaine invitation
BU: At the next invitation!

GL: Et c'est tout de suite d'ailleurs vous allez voir pourquoi parceque nous avons la joie de pouvoir vous presenter toujours en exclusivite la chanson,la derniere chanson du groupe abba alors la aussi je vais m'amuser au meme jeu que tout a l'heure, alors le titre Benny?
GL: And that what we'll see immediately, you'll see why! Because we are full of joy to present as a sccop the song, the latest song by the group so I'm gonna play the same game as I did before, so what's the title Benny?

BA: Le titre est Take a Chance
BA: The title is Take a Chance

GL: Ca c'est la version anglaise. Frida la version francaise?
GL: That's in English. Frida the french one?

FL: tente ta chanze avec moi
FL: "try" your luck with me

GL: et la version definitive
GL: and the last one

BU: Tentons notre chance ensemble
BU: Risk our chance together

GL: Tentons notre chance, c'est une chance que nous tentons tous ensemble. Merci!
GL: Taking our chance, it's a chance that we'll risk all together. Thank you!

Archive data from French TV’s public site:

Loto chansons : émission du 21 janvier 1978
Emission : LOTO CHANSONS
Collection : A2 / France 2
N° de notice : CPB78050000
Date de 1re diffusion : samedi 21/01/1978
Durée : 01:00:00

Thanks a million to Jozsef. Extra thanks to Philip Muytjens for The Rubettes picture.
Information c/o ABBA - The Book by Jean-Marie Potiez.
Thanks to Mohammed for the translation and transcription. Extra thanks to Sam Shervz, Petr Mlejnek and Mandy Samuels.
YouTube link c/o Stephen Layton