Birth of “Voiles et Voiliers”
“That night, Adam dreamed he had wings”
The poet is Jean-Olivier Héron, an artworker for the magazine “Neptune-Nautisme”. When he learns that the magazine is sold mainly to sailing enthusiasts, he is convinced that a magazine focused exclusively on sailing would be a success. He discusses this with his friend Marc Berthier, who also works at the same magazine, and they agree on a catchy title: “Voiles et Voiliers”.
This is the late 1960s, and “Le Yacht”, a magazine published twice a month since 1878, bids farewell in June 1968. Large format, 31×23.5cm, perfectly bound, with nine full pages of adverts for outboard motorboats. The only page of advertising dedicated to sailing is from Chantier Naval Voisin, featuring eight motorboats out of the 11 models presented.
Convinced of their wonderful idea, the two friends set to work. Jean-Olivier crafts a beautiful story about the birth of sailboats, creates a logo in the shape of a winged fish, and puts together a mock-up with texts and illustrations from Marc and a few close friends, full of poetry and humor. The, with issue zero in hand, he pitches it to his friend and editor-in-chief Henri de Constantin.
Despite being rejected, this magazine will come to exist. Finally, in February 1971, 15 friends, of all ages and from all professional backgrounds, are gathered around a table in a room at 15 rue Tiquetonne. Of course, they include our two friends, as well as Pierre Marchand, an editor with Fleurus, Christian Février, an advertiser and photographer, Jean-Louis Guillemard, Gérard Petit and Gérard Beauvais. After being rejected by various banks and press groups, the only solution is to fund the venture through a roundtable. Each person invested according to their means, raising 100,000 francs and enabling the first issue to be published!
“On the eighth day, God created boats”
Jean-Olivier is the CEO of the new company Ardéa; he is also the artworker, and the author and illustrator of the Pen Duick Dynasty series. Christian Février takes the cover photo for the first issue, a spinnaker sailing on choppy seas, with a winged bird, the Voiles et Voiliers emblem, in the center.
An evocative title, “On the eighth day, God created boats”, and inside, a magnificent poster, “The elf meets the mermaid, and from their love, the boat is born: it has its father’s wings and its mother’s body”… A large format, 34x26cm, perfectly bound, despite 52 pages of content, with two issues to be published every month, it combines an original approach with eclectic content. By February 1972, the coffers are empty and issue 16 is at risk of being the final one. However, the head of Sper, Roger Cellier, sees a good opportunity, with motivated people and a promising subject. Voiles et Voiliers becomes a monthly magazine and, within a few years, surpasses all its competitors…
