Ile de France The Loire Valley

Postwar travel brochure for the French National Railroads.

“The famous Versailles and Fontainebleau palaces, set in the most beautiful gardens of Ile-de-France are only a few minutes outside of Paris. Situated in the glorious landscape the “Chateaux de la Loire”, fine royal castles of yesterday, offer to the eye a feast of harmonious architecture built in true French taste.” [Text on verso].

This folding pamphlet was published in the 1950s by the French National Railway to promote its routes in the Loire Valley to an American audience. The colorful map highlights motor coach tours to various chateaus and villages along the Loire between Angers and Blois, with Tours situated firmly in the center.

Symbols for spas, natural curiosities, interesting churches, abbeys, old houses, castles, and ruins are noted in the legend, reflecting on the wide variety of locations of interest accessible in the region. An inset in the upper left shows similar information for the southern part of the Ile-de-France, highlighting coach services to Versailles and Fontainebleau.