1841 Carte Routiere des Environs de Paris

This beautiful hand-colored road map of Paris was published in 1841. The map shows Paris and the surrounding area in a folding pocket map. Organized and detailed for travelers, this map shows rivers, towns, parks, and numbered roadways. Along the edges are depictions of the most famous tourist attractions around the city including Notre Dame, The Palace of Versailles, and the Hermitage of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Originally, this map would have neatly folded into the small and portable cover on the left titled, “The New Road Map.”

Published during the July Monarchy, this map shows the city as it was in between two revolutions: the July Revolution and the 1848 Revolution. The Wall of the Ferme Générale surrounds the gray center of Paris, as the map clearly shows, however, that wall was soon replaced by the planned Thiers Wall shown in red. The Ferme Générale wall was not defensive, but meant to enforce import tax on goods entering the city. In 1841, the same year this map was published, construction began for the Thiers Wall that served as the last defensive wall around Paris. When the wall was proposed to the French Parliament, many saw it as a way to protect the monarchy in the event of another revolution rather than a way to protect the French people. Only seven years after this pocket map included the plans for the wall, the 1848 Revolution overthrew the monarchy despite the fortification. After WWI, the Thiers wall was rendered useless in the face of modern warfare technology and was dismantled between 1919 and 1929.

This map is not only an interesting snapshot amidst the rapid changes of the 19th century, but it would also have been extremely useful to all travelers at the time. Numbered road systems and recommended attractions helped the average tourist navigate the city and make the most of their visit to one of the largest cities in Europe.

CONDITION:

Overall very good condition. The 1841 map has some very light soiling as expected with age, but the colors are still vibrant. Horizontal and vertical creases throughout from where the map would have folded into the booklet. The booklet shows some signs of use with minor stains and distressed edges. Presented with the booklet cover, this map is archivally framed and protected with non-acidic matting and UV protective glass.

Framed dimensions: 38 1/8" H x 47 1/8" W x 1 1/4" D.