It is not known whether the French broadcaster held a national final or if the song was selected internally. It is thought that France organised a national selection whose name was "Sept villes, une chanson". This TV program, whose relationship with the Eurovision Song Contest is uncertain, have been considered one of the most crazy national final formats in the history of Eurovision. This TV program was a contest full of dubious rules and decisions that can hardly be explained. Six shows were held from December 1956. The contest is initially thought to not be known as a national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. In the first two shows, the Eurovision Song Contest wasn't mentioned in the program. Seven towns each had a jury and each jury member gave one point to his or her favourite song. This voting system was very similar to the voting system in the Eurovision Song Contest from 1957 until 1961. In the next stages of this show, there were only six juries for unknown reasons. The results were announced at the end of each show, so six winners were chosen by the juries. However, a final was never held, because the sixth show was held only three days before Eurovision. The song La belle amour, winner of the fifth show, was eventually sent to the Eurovision Song Contest. At Eurovision, it was not sung by the original performer Josette Privat, but by Paule Desjardins.
At Eurovision
At the Eurovision Song Contest in Frankfurt, the French entry was performed eighth among the ten contestants following Germany with "Telefon, Telefon" and preceding Denmark with "Skibet skal sejle i nat". Paule Desjardins delivered a simple and static performance as usual in these days. In the background, the stage showed a picture of a street café typically for Paris to illustrate the country the song represents. Being a hot favourite, France finished second among the ten contestants. At the close of voting, it has received 17 points, almost only half of the points the Dutch winner received. Six countries gave points to the French entry, which means two thirds exactly of the other countries. The French jury itself gave only two countries any points: the Netherlands and most notably six points to Germany, by far the highest mark for the host country. Remarkably, France has also got its highest vote from Germany - again six points.
