Mer Mediterranee…Cote de France de St. Tropez a Menton

Coastal chart of the French Riviera, published by the Depot General de la Marine.

This captivating coastal chart of France covers an area along the Mediterranean Sea between St. Tropez and Menton, a large portion of what’s known as the French Riviera. The region is known for its magnificent beaches and leisurely sailing opportunities, enjoyed especially in the years following the Second World War. Gambling and tourism are also large parts of the local economies, and nowhere can the former be found in greater abundance than Monaco.

The chart includes the resort cities of Nice, Cannes, and Menton and shows tremendous topographical detail in the interior. Many peaks are named and would have been useful landmarks for sailors in nearby coastal waters. Lighthouses and navigational beacons, more practical aids to 20th century navigation, 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 1839, while corrections noted in the lower left identify this example’s latest corrections dating to 1952.