Map of France in 1632 by Sanson; Antique Map Custom Printed to Order

This is a museum-grade reproduction of a 1632 map of France. In French: "Carte geographique des postes qui trauersent la France". Copperplate map, with added outline color. First postal road map- also the first important map issued by Sanson. The map shows all of the routes used by the royal posts of the time, identifying the stops along the way; it was reprinted many times during the seventeenth century. Curiously, the cartouche for the dedication has been left blank. The French postal system dates back to 1477, when King Louis XI set up a Royal Postal Service that employed mounted couriers. The timing of this map is relevant, for private mail delivery had just been legalized several years earlier specifically in 1627, so both services were operating over the same major routes. In 1672, France made postal service a government-only function.