Mer Mediterranee…Cote de France de Marseille a L’ile d’Elbe

Coastal chart of the Ligurian Sea, published by the Depot General de la Marine.

This tremendously detailed navigational chart covers a wide area along the coastlines of France and Italy, between the city of Marseilles and the island of Elba. The chart also includes the majority of the island of Corsica – the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. The ‘Little Corporal’ was exiled to Elba in 1814, but managed to escape the following year – no surprise given the island’s proximity to the Italian coastline!

Interior details emphasize coastal topography and label numerous peaks, which would have been useful landmarks. Lighthouses and navigational beacons, more practical aids to 20th century sailors, are highlighted in purple. Depth soundings are noted in meters, often accompanied by a series of letters which indicate the composition of the seafloor.

The chart was gradually updated over more than a century by France’s Depot General de la Marine. The title block first references surveys originally performed in 1845, while corrections noted in the lower center identify this example’s latest updates dating to 1952.