Pierre-Marcel Favre
Visit of his personal journey.
Pierre-Marcel Favre was born in Lausanne.
He got married in 1987 and has two children, Bart-Jérôme, born in 1986, and Caroline-Alix, born in 1989.
He studies Architecture.
In the summer of his 17, Pierre-Marcel Favre sets off in search of adventure in several countries, particularly in Algeria, then within a few months of its independence. His journey in that country left a deep impression on him; on the spot he notices the gap between the Algerian reality and what is read and what is said in Europe about North Africa. He will always keep afterwards the need to inform himself, on the scene of the action, about the stakes of contemporary History.
At the age of 18, he obtains a certificate of private pilot, which he completes subsequently with a professional pilot exam at Swissair, in Zurich.
At the age of 21, he sets up a graphics and advertising agency.
He opens one of the first two quick offset printing houses, before conceiving and soon publishing his first books. More than 1000 titles will follow, of which he will sell over one million copies. Some of the books published by Editions Favre were translated into a dozen or so languages. He continues to publish about 50 books per year : one book a week. His authors, who come from almost everywhere in the world, have enriched about ten collections.
In 1987 he creates the first International book and press fair in Geneva. Pierre-Marcel Favre is still President-Director of this event, one of he most important in the world with over 120'000 visitors a year, in other words, already more than 2 million visitors since the first year, whereas, in all big capitals, the other Fairs get hardly more entries.
In 1988, he creates Iles Magazine and finances the launching of that magnificent monthly magazine, after he elaborated its formula.
In 1989, on the occasion of the 700 th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation, he organizes an important symposium about The future of written work and multilingualism .
In 1992, he sets up the first Salon de l'étudiant et de la formation and the Foire internationale d'art , Europ'art, which receives many galleries from about twenty countries.
He buys and renovates exemplarily three buildings situated in the area of Rôtillon, ruelle de Bourg no 3, 5, and 7, in Lausanne, in order to create the beginning of an attractive neighbourhood, with several new shops and flats. He is now constructing a fourth building close by.
Accessorily, Pierre-Marcel Favre created the Fondation pour l'Ecrit , of which he is member of the board. He is also member of other boards of directors.
He holds regularly headings and criticals of newspapers and magazines (in particular in Le Matin Dimanche).
After nomination by the President of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac, the Minister Jean-Pierre Chevènement decorates Him with the legion of Honor on June 9, 1998 and he becomes thereafter Knight of Arts and Letters.
