{"product_id":"old-topographic-map-of-france-by-bartholomew-1922-bordeaux-toulouse-pyrenees-bay-of-biscay-gironde-estuary","title":"Old Topographic Map of South West France by Bartholomew, 1922: Bordeaux, Toulouse, Pyrenees, Bay of Biscay, Gironde Estuary","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrance - South-Western Section; Bordeaux, issued in 1922 for The Times atlas by J.G. (John George) Bartholomew and the Edinburgh Geographical Institute, presents a masterfully balanced portrait of a region where river, coast, and upland converge. Centered on Bordeaux and sweeping across Gascony to the Pyrenees and the Bay of Biscay, the map fuses visual elegance with working intelligence. Hypsometric tints articulate relief in lucid gradations, while bathymetric coloring deepens seaward to disclose the continental shelf and nearshore banks. A rigorous symbology organizes roads, waterways, and settlements into a legible hierarchy, and designated shipping routes—complete with mileage—speak to the period’s practical navigational needs. It is a view of southwestern France at a moment of renewal and modernity, rendered with scientific clarity and quiet authority.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBartholomew’s cartography stands at the hinge between 19th‑century engraving traditions and the 20th century’s data-driven precision. Under his direction, The Times atlas adopted an innovative color system that made complex terrains instantly intelligible, pairing calibrated tints with fine linework to harmonize landforms, hydrography, and human networks. The 1922 sheets reflect contemporary geographic surveys and improved standardization, distilling a wealth of information without sacrificing aesthetic restraint. Bathymetric blues stage the maritime theater; layered earth tones climb toward mountain ramparts; neatly keyed symbols separate major from minor roads and indicate the primacy of rivers as arteries of movement. It is a language of cartography that prizes both beauty and usability—an ethos that made Bartholomew’s work indispensable to scholars, travelers, and navigators alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe physical canvas is richly storied. The Garonne courses northwest through Toulouse and Bordeaux, joined by the Dordogne to form the broad Gironde estuary—its brackish funnel opening to the Atlantic and the shipping lanes beyond. To the south, the Adour drains to Bayonne, while tributaries such as the Lot and Tarn stitch Montauban to the Garonne basin. Westward, bathymetric tints reveal the shallow shelves and deeper basins of the Bay of Biscay, shaping maritime strategy and coastal approach. Inland, hypsometric shading rises toward the Pyrenees, the tonal intensification conveying their abrupt ascent and orographic wall. Between mountain and sea, the Landes’ low, sandy plains and dune-backed forests are rendered with a restraint that underscores their extent and continuity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHuman geography is charted with equal care. Bordeaux anchors a lattice of roads extending to Pau in the Pyrenean forelands, to Bayonne on the Basque coast, and eastward across the Garonne valley to Toulouse and Montauban. Settlement symbols scale from regional capitals to minor towns, clarifying hierarchy at a glance. An inset plan of Bordeaux drills into urban structure: the inward curve of the Garonne, the disciplined grid of arterial streets, the sweep of quays and docks, and the bridges that knit the city’s banks together. This focused vignette captures the civic order and commercial pragmatism of a port whose fortunes turned on navigable water, warehousing, and efficient overland connections into the heart of France.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaritime intelligence knits the sheet to the world. Bartholomew plots designated shipping routes with measured distances, linking the Gironde approaches to Channel and Iberian ports, their dashed lines and numerals coordinating with bathymetric cues to guide safe passage. The interplay of sea lanes, depth tints, and estuarine geometry reveals not only how ships moved but why—where channels deepen, where banks demand respect, and where the Atlantic swell softens into riverine calm. As a document of early 20th‑century navigation and geography, the map embodies a new standard of accuracy and synthesis: a regional tableau whose precision served mariners and travelers, and whose quiet poise today testifies to the high craft of modern cartography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCities and towns on this map\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBordeaux (Modern-day population: ~250,000)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eToulouse (Modern-day population: ~480,000)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePau (Modern-day population: ~80,000)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBayonne (Modern-day population: ~50,000)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMontauban (Modern-day population: ~60,000)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotable Features \u0026amp; Landmarks\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelief Representation: Use of hypsometric tints indicating varying elevations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBathymetric Tints: Colors to show water depth near coastal areas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShipping Routes: Clearly marked designated routes for maritime navigation with distances.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoad Networks: Detailed illustrations of major and minor roadways.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRivers: Major waterways are depicted, significant for both navigation and topography.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInsets: Smaller map inset of Bordeaux showing urban planning and significant infrastructure.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical and design context\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreation Year: 1922\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker: J.G. John George Bartholomew, published by the Edinburgh Geographical Institute and John Bartholomew \u0026amp; Co. as part of \"The Times\" atlas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical Context of Mapmaker: Bartholomew was notable for employing innovative cartographic techniques, enhancing the visual and functional qualities of maps during the early 20th century. His work marked a transition in map production, moving away from earlier methods used in the 19th century.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign Style: Detailed physical representation with color coding representing elevation and depth. The cartographic style uses lines and symbols to categorize roads, transportation routes, and natural features visually.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical Significance: This map serves as a testament to early 20th-century navigation and geography, marking an evolution in the accuracy and detail of cartographic representation. It played a critical role in informing users about maritime activities in the region, with updated geographical data reflecting contemporary standards of accuracy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003ebest old maps\u003c\/a\u003e to see if something else catches your eye.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact me\u003c\/a\u003e to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex\/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57584761897344,"sku":"UM00264352A","price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57584761930112,"sku":"UM00264353A","price":143.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57584761962880,"sku":"UM00264354A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":57584761995648,"sku":"UM00264355A","price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57584762028416,"sku":"UM00264356A","price":143.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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