The storm has finally passed. Your inbox can breathe again, and the “LAST CHANCE” notifications are slowing down. Phew.

If you’ve been following us for a while, you may have noticed that Cartovia (formerly La Compagnie des Cartes) stayed pretty quiet during this whole Black Friday frenzy. You won’t find any flashing banners here shouting about 60% or 70% off. We wanted to take a moment to explain why — with full transparency.

The “who can shout the biggest discount” contest? Not our thing.

Black Friday — or should we call it Black Novembercember at this point — has become a bit absurd. Everyone screams at the same time in a giant schoolyard contest to see who can wave the most irresistible discount. It’s childish, to the point where the product itself doesn’t matter anymore — only the markdown does.

But at Cartovia, we don’t see things that way.

We’re not going to push you to buy a road map of Northern Eastern Banthoustan at -80% if you’re not planning to go there!

Even though, to be fair, we do sell some beautiful, timeless décor pieces that make wonderful gifts.

Our mission is to give you the best product you need, when you need it.

Fair pricing and the guarantee of the latest edition

This whole discount-mania simply isn’t our business model. Our margins are closer to those of a specialized bookstore than of fast-fashion retailers.

We work hard to source the world’s best map publishers and offer you the most extensive online catalogue (19,500 titles) at the fairest price possible, all year long. And that price includes a major logistical promise: we guarantee you’ll receive the latest edition available from the publisher.

We focus on relevance. A map is a living field tool. Updated roads, new trails — we make sure you head out with the right information. That is the value of what we do.

The legal context around maps

And finally, there’s a legal point. You’ve probably heard of the 1981 French law on fixed book pricing, designed to protect culture and independent bookstores? Well, surprise: it also applies to maps!  And similar fixed-price regulations exist in several other European countries as well.

In the eyes of the law, a geographic map — whether folded, wall-mounted, or in relief — is treated exactly like a book. It has a publisher, an ISBN, and strict price regulations. This means that unlike TVs or sneakers, we are not allowed to discount these products however we want. The publisher sets the price, and it’s the same for everyone. This system is also what keeps editorial diversity alive.

So there you have it. No hysterical Black Friday here, but a year-round promise: the right maps, at the right price, with advice from true enthusiasts to help you chart your path.

Onward to new journeys!

Christian & Valérie