Royal Magazines (PdeV, Hello, Majesty etc)

[kalnel]

I had forgotten that Point de Vue and Jours de France had been separate back in the 70s. When I started reading PDV back around 1980, I think the masthead still said Point de Vue/Jours de France.

Point de Vue -- at least the edition that reached the United States -- had great pictures back then, but it was printed on really cheap paper and it was an odd size, sort of between a tabloid and a 9x12 magazine.

I first started reading it as a freshman in high school, when the nun who taught my French class would use Point de Vue and Paris Match as a way to get us interested in learning the language. It was a good way to get a bunch of teenaged girls interested -- even in those pre-Diana days, we really got into looking at the pictures of the Monaco royals and the events related to Queen Beatrix's accession. I remember a huge debate one day about Carl Gustav, too -- there was a photo spread of him skiing with the toddler Princess Victoria in a backpack-carrier, and several of the girls thought that seemed really dangerous.

(Later, the same nun, who taught us for 4 years, took us to French restaurants, French movies, and even shopping to encourage us to speak French. I ended up with a very weird vocabulary -- I know how to address the Queen, order wine, and buy shoes in half a dozen colors, but I have no idea how to ask what time it is!)

[iloveroyals]

Kalnel, I love your story ! I wonder these days, with modern means, if the nuns could have set up a meeting with one of the royals, "for the sake of your education" ! It was a great idea on their part to get you interested in French by reading about the equivalent of the young jet-set back then. I wish I had thought of that as a teacher. (This is off topic, but I try to get my students interested in French by buying teenage magazines whenever I find them because of the slang the young use, and all the English words they use, to show that learning French is not that hard, French youth love to use American expressions. Besides, I learn a lot too that way, I have to peruse these youth magazines beforehand as if I was reading a foreign language, and actually my students are sometimes quicker at figuring out the slang than I am !)

To go back to Point de Vue, I didn't know Point de Vue and Jours de France were related. I thought they were totally separate publications, especially since, as you say, Point de Vue was printed on the cheapest kind of paper, and Jours de France on the glossiest type of paper at that time. They also had totally different headquarters, one absolutely grandiose and glamorous, as I described, the other one dingy looking, located in some back street that was hard to find.

And yes, I agree, Point de Vue was the absolutely best in terms of
"reportage" on royalty: a great cover with a major story, usually with an interview of some major royal, (always very, very deferential, not much of a sense of humor then, but I dislike the attempt at humor in the modern one, it seems formulaic), lots of small pictures you almost needed a magnifying glass to see, then historical features with interesting anecdotes (usually about mistresses and palace intrigues), other minor "reportages", pictures equivalent to "the social scene" in Majesty or "Royalty", the "Pas si bête" cartoons (cute cartoons and stories about animals), and other features. It was definitely an old lady magazine, (I must have been born old!), and it is a pain to scan because the format, as you say, is impossible (but so much better than this "ni lard ni cochon" (a French expression meaning you don't know the nature of the beast) the new Point de Vue has become. I browse through it at Borders, but rarely buy it. If I want stories and photos of celebrities, goodness knows there is enough choice out there. Yes, I miss Point de Vue !

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by iloveroyals

In the early seventies, I would go to the Point de Vue and Jours de France headquarters in Paris to browse through their old issues and bought the ones I was interested in. Then Jours de France (the best quality magazine at the time in terms of glossy, beautiful, flattering pictures of royals) folded, (I ran into all these absolutely gorgeous models going there to show their portfolios, it was on the Champs Elysees, metro Champs-Elysees-Clemenceau if anyone cares, they seemed from another planet they were so gorgeous (Jours de France hired very beautiful models indeed), and I have no idea what happened to the headquarters of Point de Vue, not having lived in Paris in a long time, and having little time for that time of errand when I did visit.

Anyway, it was a sweet time, going through their collection in a private room, making your selection, paying for it, and leaving with your treasure in your hands.

Wow...how lucky you were! If PDV still has a headquarters I'd LOVE their address or phone number, there are quite a few back issues I'd love to have!

[zinzen]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

Wow...how lucky you were! If PDV still has a headquarters I'd LOVE their address or phone number, there are quite a few back issues I'd love to have!

Point de Vue has a website

Point de Vue *.:.*

Hope you will be able to find what you wish.

Happy New Year to all members

[Marengo]

Well, against better judgement I bought Point de Vue last week, as I was in a newspaperstand I could not look in the magazine first, I have to say that royaltywize it was the worst PdV I have ever seen. A bit on Martha-Louise, a nice article of the so-called Duchess of Cadaval, something on another royal (forgot who), a few very short articles and that was it. All Carla Bruni and other socialites again. In overall the less than 10% of the royalty magazine was about royalty.

A pity that a royalty magazine that has been around for such a long time can go down the drain in such a very short time (2 or 3 years?).

[helenw]

Sigh - I jsut looked at the website - the President and Carla on the cover again.

I think we should email them to voice our protest.

[Alison20]

Yes. Issue 1 for 2008, which I have just recently got, hardly has anything about the royals in it.

I don't order the magazine because I am interested in French (or any other!) politicians, or celebrities. I can get endless clebrity magazines. I specially order it because it used to have such comprehensive coverage of the European Royals (well, not too much about the German princely families, but enough about most others).

I have to say that my heart sinks each time I see various Sarkozy's and Carla Bruni, et al.

[kalnel]

Originally Posted by iloveroyals

Kalnel, I love your story ! I wonder these days, with modern means, if the nuns could have set up a meeting with one of the royals, "for the sake of your education" !

That actually happened, although it wasn't a set up. One day I was looking at PDV outside of class, and I noticed a photo of a girl from our school in the party pictures at a deb ball. Turns out that her mother was a princess and her father was some kind of noble. (There were lots of politicans' and diplomats' daughters in the school, so it wasn't totally out of left field.)

My classmate was VERY embarrassed about the whole thing -- she wasn't American and didn't want to be treated differently -- and she begged me not to blab about it. (In an uncharacteristically noble moment, I didn't! )

Originally Posted by iloveroyals

To go back to Point de Vue, I didn't know Point de Vue and Jours de France were related. I thought they were totally separate publications, especially since, as you say, Point de Vue was printed on the cheapest kind of paper, and Jours de France on the glossiest type of paper at that time. They also had totally different headquarters, one absolutely grandiose and glamorous, as I described, the other one dingy looking, located in some back street that was hard to find.

After I read your comment, I was thinking about it and I realized I'm wrong. I'm thinking of "Images du Monde," not "Jours de France." When I first started reading PDV back around 1980, it still used "Point de Vue/Images du Monde." I've seen some special issues under the "Images du Monde" title, but I don't think it's still part of the main PDV magazine.

Jours de France still rings a bell, though. Was it a glossy with a red logo that was sort of like Life magazine? I think I remember seeing it at the newstand a few times years ago, but I'm not certain.

Originally Posted by iloveroyals

It was definitely an old lady magazine, (I must have been born old!)

The Washington Post once ran a story about royal gossip and referred to PDV as a magazine that old, provincial French ladies read at the hairdresser.

Originally Posted by iloveroyals

and it is a pain to scan because the format, as you say, is impossible (but so much better than this "ni lard ni cochon" (a French expression meaning you don't know the nature of the beast)

I always thought that was sort of the French version of the English expression, "Neither fish nor fowl."

Originally Posted by iloveroyals

the new Point de Vue has become. I browse through it at Borders, but rarely buy it. If I want stories and photos of celebrities, goodness knows there is enough choice out there. Yes, I miss Point de Vue

And, how!

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by zinzen

Point de Vue has a website

Point de Vue *.:.*

Hope you will be able to find what you wish.

Happy New Year to all members

You are wonderful, thank you very much!

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Well, against better judgement I bought Point de Vue last week, as I was in a newspaperstand I could not look in the magazine first, I have to say that royaltywize it was the worst PdV I have ever seen. A bit on Martha-Louise, a nice article of the so-called Duchess of Cadaval, something on another royal (forgot who), a few very short articles and that was it. All Carla Bruni and other socialites again. In overall the less than 10% of the royalty magazine was about royalty.

A pity that a royalty magazine that has been around for such a long time can go down the drain in such a very short time (2 or 3 years?).

That IS depressing...the sad thing is that they are changing for a reason. Apparently the focus on celebs vs royalty is paying off for them or they wouldn't keep doing it.

They are going for mass appeal, rather than catering to the elite but sadly shrinking group of readers like you and I who don't want to read about celebrities.

Was Diane de Cadaval discussing her upcoming wedding?

[Marengo]

Well, I looked in this weeks (week 2) issue of PdV and we are not the only ones who are noticing PdV´s change of course. One of the send-in letters was from somebody who remarked that he/she has been a member of PdV for 45 years but that recently the focus seems to shift and he/she referred to ´Roi Sarkozy´ and ´Reine Carla´.

I have to give PdV credit for their reply, it was rather gracefull but basically saying nothing. They pointed to the articles they had on royals in the previous issue and they emphasized that their focus was on royalty, people who make a difference in the world and thus also heads of state. They also point out that they had 2 scoops on Sarkozy and Bruni.

I have to say this issue is better than the last one, royalty wize though again a dosis of Pres. Sarkozy & Carla Bruni, the American presidential candidates & families etc. But more royalty and another long article on Diane de Cadaval and her fiancee, the Duke of Anjou. I suppose Rosalinda has stopped writing angry letters to PdV on calling her younger half sister Duchess de Cadaval (or PdV doesn´t print them anymore ).

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Well, I looked in this weeks (week 2) issue of PdV and we are not the only ones who are noticing PdV´s change of course. One of the send-in letters was from somebody who remarked that he/she has been a member of PdV for 45 years but that recently the focus seems to shift and he/she referred to ´Roi Sarkozy´ and ´Reine Carla´.

I have to give PdV credit for their reply, it was rather gracefull but basically saying nothing. They pointed to the articles they had on royals in the previous issue and they emphasized that their focus was on royalty, people who make a difference in the world and thus also heads of state. They also point out that they had 2 scoops on Sarkozy and Bruni.

I have to say this issue is better than the last one, royalty wize though again a dosis of Pres. Sarkozy & Carla Bruni, the American presidential candidates & families etc. But more royalty and another long article on Diane de Cadaval and her fiancee, the Duke of Anjou. I suppose Rosalinda has stopped writing angry letters to PdV on calling her younger half sister Duchess de Cadaval (or PdV doesn´t print them anymore ).

I read that send-in letters too. This reader was so right. My country is definitely invaded by Roi Sarkozy and Reine Carla ; there's not one week when we don't here about another scoop ...

[ysbel]

I never read Point de Vue much but my French teacher in high school always had Paris Match magazines around and they tended to have good articles about royals. I don't know if they do now but Paris Match is how I found out about Princess Caroline's coming of age in Paris and the fabulous parties at Regine's. It was a bit of a celebrity magazine too (I remember they covered Bjorn Borg and his girlfriend and Mireille Darc and Alain Delon a lot)

But the articles seemed intelligent and interesting. For example it was the first magazine where I even heard of Bianca d'Aosta, daughter of the duc d'Aosta and I learned a lot about the history of the families of Italy and France in that article. They also treated Mireille Darc's cancer very sensitively and intelligently.

Is it still any good for royalty watching and intelligent celebrity watching or has it gone downhill like the rest of the mags?

[TheTruth]

Originally Posted by ysbel

I never read Point de Vue much but my French teacher in high school always had Paris Match magazines around and they tended to have good articles about royals. I don't know if they do now but Paris Match is how I found out about Princess Caroline's coming of age in Paris and the fabulous parties at Regine's. It was a bit of a celebrity magazine too (I remember they covered Bjorn Borg and his girlfriend and Mireille Darc and Alain Delon a lot)

But the articles seemed intelligent and interesting. For example it was the first magazine where I even heard of Bianca d'Aosta, daughter of the duc d'Aosta and I learned a lot about the history of the families of Italy and France in that article. They also treated Mireille Darc's cancer very sensitively and intelligently.

Is it still any good for royalty watching and intelligent celebrity watching or has it gone downhill like the rest of the mags?

Paris Match did put some royals on the cover, mostly when Diana was still alive. I think she made 60 times the front page or so (Accueil Paris Match is usually a very good weekly magazine on Royalty and there're still interesting informations (I just read a really interesting article on Queen Elizabeth's handbag ) but for the last 3 weeks we've been surrounded by the french president.

[kalnel]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Well, I looked in this weeks (week 2) issue of PdV and we are not the only ones who are noticing PdV´s change of course.

For those keeping track over the last six months:
Total: 26 issues
Sarkozy/Carla/Cecilia-related: 13 covers (50%)
Monaco royals: 4 covers
British royals: 2 covers (including one on Kate)
Spanish royals: 2 covers
Danish royals: 1 cover
Other non-royals: 4 issues

Here's the list, working backwards from January 8, 2008 to July 10, 2007:
Carla and Sarkozy
Carla and Sarkozy
Carla without Sarkozy
Carla and Sarkozy
Betancourt kids (was Sarkozy sick this week?)
Sarkozy and his mother
Cecilia Sarkozy
Elena
Sarkozy, Bush, and others
Albert and Charlene
Bernadette Chirac discussing Sarkozy's role
Sarkozy and Cecilia
Sarkozy and Cecilia
Joachim and Marie
Two non-royals I don't recognize (and small picture of Cecilia)
Cecilia Sarkozy's ex-husband
Luciano Pavarotti
Cecilia Sarkozy
Diana
Kate Middleton
Charlotte Casiraghi
Queen Sophia
Cecilia Sarkozy
Camilla al-Fayed
Caroline
Grace

(And, frankly, I don't care if she was a super-model -- Carla is just not that pretty or interesting that she merits a cover every week!)

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I could NOT agree more. Even during Carla's heydey in the 90's I didn't think she was all that interesting or beautiful, and frankly her character makes her appear downright unattractive.

Thanks for posting this info. I will NOT be subscribing to Point de Vue any time soon!

[kalnel]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

Thanks for posting this info. I will NOT be subscribing to Point de Vue any time soon!

Well, if they hear enough comments like that, they'll change their editorial direction or die!

[Marengo]

Well sadly for us I suspect that Sarkozy & co on the cover sells more copies in loose sales than a royal on the cover. So I suppose the new customers make up for the lost ones. I can imagine that subscribers are going to complain more & more they will balance it a bit more.

For now the only other option (in french) is the Belgian magazine ´Royals´ that appears in French, Dutch and German. Lots of pictures in this magazine but much less in-depth articles than PdV.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Royals Magazine from Belgium is awesome! It's a motherlode of info on the Royals, and NO CELEBRITIES AT ALL. There is a natural emphasis on the BeNeLux Royals-particularly Belgium- because the magazine is printed in Belgium, but that's fine because I adore the BRF.

Unfortunately it only comes out in French or Dutch so people who cannot read either language will not be able to enjoy it.

I subscribe to it in French, and I hardly miss Point de Vue anymore at all.

[kalnel]

[Groan....] Just had a look at the january 15 PDV cover -- Cecilia Sarkozy this week.