Throughout his election campaign last spring, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing repeatedly said that he hoped to bring a more relaxed style to the French presidency. During an hour-long interview at the Elysée Palace last week with Time Inc. Editor in Chief Hedley Donovan, Chief European Correspondent William Rademaekers and Correspondent George Taber, Giscard seemed to be fulfilling his campaign promise. He leaned back comfortably on a silk-covered sofa in his elegant Louis XVI-style office and spoke freely on matters of both style and substance. Excerpts:
Q. What are your hopes for France?
A. My idea is to create, to organize a model, or potential...