France - South-Eastern Section; Corsica; Marseille presents the Mediterranean threshold of France with a clarity and poise that epitomize The Times Atlas at its interwar zenith. Issued in 1922 as part of the second issue of the groundbreaking 1920 edition—the first to showcase John Bartholomew’s mapping—it supersedes the venerable Andree plates of 1895 with luminous hypsometric tints on land and graded bathymetry at sea. Shipping routes are traced with measured distances, knitting together ports and islands across the inland sea. The collaboration between The Times, the Edinburgh Geographical Institute, and John George Bartholomew yields a disciplined, modern cartography: beautifully composed, scrupulously sourced, and purpose-built to communicate the complex interplay of topography, coastline, and maritime movement in southeastern France and Corsica.

On the mainland, the relief shading elegantly narrates the descent from the Maritime Alps to the Riviera, then westward into the broad, light-washed littoral of the Gulf of Lion. The Rhône delta and the Camargue emerge as a mosaic of water and lowlands, while the Durance and Var trace their courses from mountain to sea. Urban names anchor the narrative: Marseille, industrial and cosmopolitan; Toulon, sheltered in its famous roadstead; Nice, poised on the curve of the Baie des Anges; Avignon and Arles, guardians of the Rhône’s cultural corridor. A dedicated larger scale for Marseille (1:150,000) tightens the focus on the great port’s approaches and neighboring coast, sharpening the reader’s sense of the city’s maritime geometry.

Corsica rises from the page as a mountain set in the sea—its central spine marching from the massifs around Monte Cinto toward the wind-swept finger of Cap Corse. The hypsometric palette picks out ridges and valleys with uncommon subtlety, while the eastern plains and the scalloped western gulfs reveal contrasting physiographies. Ajaccio commands its amphitheatre of hills; Bastia looks north across busy waters toward the Ligurian approaches. Around the island, bathymetric tints step outward into deeper blues, emphasizing shelves, basins, and the constricted passages that funnel traffic, notably the narrows toward the Strait of Bonifacio. Marked routes with distances bind the island to mainland harbors, underscoring the strategic and commercial lifelines that defined the era.

Bartholomew’s technique is the quiet hero of the composition. Hypsometric tints are layered to convey gradient rather than mere altitude, allowing the eye to read slope and exposure at a glance. At sea, bathymetric shading turns the Gulf of Lion and the Ligurian fringes into a legible relief of banks and deeps, invaluable for understanding harbors and lanes. Shipping routes are inscribed with measured legs that translate geography into movement, while lucid typography and a restrained color hierarchy keep information legible under dense detail. Notes recording corrections adopted since the 1920 issue attest to editorial vigilance and a living atlas tradition—responsive to new surveys, updated nomenclature, and the practical needs of readers.

John George Bartholomew, long celebrated for elevating the art and science of mapping, brought to The Times Atlas a synthesis of rigorous compilation and painterly design. Working through the Edinburgh Geographical Institute, he standardized hypsometric color schemes and fused physical geography with navigational intelligence in a way that anticipated modern thematic cartography. His replacement of the nineteenth-century Andree base with fresh, meticulously edited plates set a new benchmark for accuracy and elegance, making The Times Atlas a byword for authority. This sheet distills that achievement: a map that educates as it enchants, preserving the early twentieth-century Mediterranean world—its ports, mountains, deltas, and sea-roads—with a precision that continues to reward close study.

Cities and towns on this map

• Marseille (Modern population: ~870,000)
• Nice (Modern population: ~350,000)
• Toulon (Modern population: ~170,000)
• Avignon (Modern population: ~90,000)
• Arles (Modern population: ~53,000)
• Ajaccio (Modern population: ~70,000)
• Bastia (Modern population: ~43,000)

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Relief depicted through hypsometric tints
• Bathymetric tints for surrounding waters
• Marked shipping routes and distances
• Scale for Marseille area (1:150,000)
• Correction notes from the 1920 edition

Historical and design context

• Title: France - South-Eastern Section; Corsica; Marseille
• Date of creation: 1922
• Produced for The Times Atlas in collaboration with the Edinburgh Geographical Institute and John Bartholomew & Co.
• Second issue of the 1920 edition; first to include Bartholomew’s maps, improving on Andree’s 1895 plates
• John George Bartholomew renowned for high-quality, detailed mapping that advanced cartography
• Clear, structured layout and artistic elements enhancing usability and aesthetic appeal
• Exemplifies The Times Atlas’s high standard and continuity in reliable cartographic resources
• Regions shown: southeastern France and the island of Corsica

Please 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.

This 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.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This 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.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.