Finally, some useful and relevant discussion on this thread during these last two pages.
The Perpignan Accident may well explain why the crew were unable to recover flight AF447.
However it doesn't explain the F/O's actions in response to the unreliable airpseed.
Was it...
A) He was applying (inappropriately) his memory items practised recently in the sim?
B) An attempt to "regain" altitude apparently lost during the event?
C) An attempt to climb above the weather they were experiencing i.e. turbulence, hail, st elmo's fire?