De Dion-Bouton, An Early Automobile Race through the Pyrenees, 1905

Coupe des Pyrenees

A charming promotional map showing the route of the 1905 Coupe de Pyrenees, an early automobile rally from Toulouse to Biarritz and back. The map was published and distributed by De Dion-Bouton, one of France's first car makers and a leading sponsor of the race.

The rally began in Toulouse on the 20th August. Drivers first headed south to Perpignan before turning west to Foix the following day. Three more days of driving took the racers through Luchon, Cauterets, Nay, and Oloron before arriving in Biarritz on the 25th August. A final three days of driving through Bayonne, Pau, and Tarbes would return successful drivers to Toulouse on the 28th August, a round-trip of 1,337 kilometres. The route of the rally is marked on the map with a thick, red line. This being a civilized race, lunch stops and evening rest stops are also marked on the map with flag icons.

Below the map are eight small town plans showing the routes drivers would take through the major towns along the way, presumably so that spectators would know where to cheer the drivers' arrivals and departures. Besides these town plans is a panel of text describing the galas and festivities to be held at each stop. It is astonishing that any of the drivers managed to complete the rally given the list of concerts, grand balls, opera performances, firework displays, and other entertainments held each night.

A charming piece of early automobile ephemera and an attractive map of southern France and the Pyrenees.

Printed colour. [FR3568]

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De Dion-Bouton