1900 PLM Railway Guide - Paris to the Alps & Riviera - Watercolor Views - Rare Laid-in Schedule

A stunning survival from the height of the Belle Époque, this 1900 guide for the Chemins de fer de Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée (PLM) serves as both a visual travelogue and a practical timetable; capturing the Golden Age of rail travel, featuring lush color illustrations of the French Alps and the Riviera.

Key Features:
+++ Visuals: Profusely illustrated with rich, color watercolor-style views (likely chromolithographs) of iconic destinations including Nice, Lyon, Grenoble, Interlaken, and Chamonix. The back cover features a vibrant scene of the flower market in Nice.
+++ Maps: Features two significant folding maps. 1) A detailed 'Réseau P.L.M.' system map showing routes from Paris to the Mediterranean. 2) A beautiful multi-color relief map of the Alps, Jura, and Swiss border region.
+++ Special Inclusion: Includes the rare, laid-in "Horaires des Trains" (Train Schedule) pamphlet dated November 2, 1900. Finding the original loose schedule still paired with the brochure after 120+ years is exceptional and verifies the exact date of publication.
+++ Content: Text (in French) promotes the 'Attractions d'Hiver' (Winter Attractions), marketing the route as the gateway to the sun of Italy and the snow of Switzerland.

Physical Specs:
+++ Date: November 2, 1900
+++ Dimensions: 5 x 7 inches; 45 pages.
+++ Format: Stapled text block with illustrated cardstock wraps.

Condition Report: Very Good -- The binding is tight and square, which is uncommon for stapled brochures of this age. The text pages are clean with light, even age-toning typical of the paper stock. There is minimal handling wear, limited to a faint partial fold/crease on the upper corner of the rear cover. The maps are intact.

Historical Significance -- 
The PLM (Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée) was France's primary railway to the Riviera and the Alps, famous for operating the luxurious 'Train Bleu.' 

Published in 1900—the same year as the famous Paris Exposition Universelle—this guide represents the zenith of French rail tourism. It documents a time when the journey was as important as the destination, targeting the wealthy elite traveling to the Côte d'Azur for the winter season. 

Keywords: PLM Railway, Belle Époque, French Travel, Vintage Advertising, Côte d'Azur, Chamonix, French Alps, Chromolithography, 1900 Paris, Train History, Geneva, Lyon, Railway Ephemera.

Item #21457

Price: $75.00