French Literature Reviews - 2026
V. de la Blache, Atlas général Vidal-Lablache 1894
History, Politics and Society
Paul Vidal de la Blache, Atlas général Vidal-Lablache 1894, Armand Colin, 2016, 256 p.
EAN13 : 9782200614256
Overview
The Atlas général historique et géographique by Paul Vidal de la Blache, a magnificent compendium of late 19th-century knowledge, reflects the French passion for geography.
Featuring over 300 maps of remarkable precision and detail, it invites us to discover the world of that era through its landscapes and borders shaped by human hands.
More than a century later, this pioneering work published in 1894 invites readers to wander through a universe where some features have faded, while others remain vibrant and alive today.
Born in Pézenas in 1845 and passing away in 1918, Paul Vidal de La Blache is the founder of the French school of geography. He was the first in France to develop a modern, scientific approach to geography that analyzes humans and their environment, lifestyles, and regional organizations. To establish this new discipline, he relied on primary and secondary education through the famous school wall maps he created starting in 1885.
As the founder and director of the Annales de Géographie from 1891 onward, he served as a Professor of Geography at the Sorbonne after teaching in Nancy. He rose to fame in 1894 with the publication of this Atlas général, which was followed by numerous works, including his seminal Tableau de la géographie de la France.
Table of Contents
Historical Maps: Ancient Egypt - Hebrews - Ancient East - Ancient Greece - Ancient Mediterranean - Peloponnesian War - Macedonia - Hellenism - Ancient Italy - Roman Conquests - Roman Gaul - Ancient Germania - Economic State of the Ancient World - Expansion of Christianity - Roman Empire - Barbarian Kingdoms - Merovingian Gaul - Carolingian Europe - Capetian France - The Holy Roman Empire - The Crusades - Europe 10th-12th c. - Europe 14th-17th c. - The House of Austria - European Discoveries - Thirty Years' War - 17th-Century France - France in 1789 - 18th-Century Europe - 18th-Century Europe - Europe 1789-1815 - Napoleonic Wars - France from 1790 to 1795 - Congress of Vienna - Eastern Question - France in 1789 - History of Paris - Discoveries of the 17th and 18th c. - History of Cartography - Italian Unification - German Unification - United States in the 18th and 19th c. - Latin America - Conquest of Algeria -
Geographical Maps: Terrestrial Sphere - Transformation of the Earth's Surface - Geographical Comparisons - Polar Regions - Map of the Earth and Heavens - Currents and Climates - Pacific Ocean - Atlantic Ocean - France: Geology - France: Physical Maps - France: Agriculture - Agricultural Products - France: Administration - France: Industry - Europe: Industry - Northern France - France: Railways - France: Ports and Navigation - Southern France - France: Military Divisions - Large-Scale Maps - France: Southeastern Border - France: Northeastern Border - Algeria and Tunisia - French Colonies - Algeria - Tunisia - Cochinchina - Indo-China - Alsace-Lorraine - Europe: Physical Map - Mediterranean Basin - Europe: Political Divisions - Europe: Geology - Spain and Portugal: Physical Map - Spain and Portugal: Political Map - Switzerland: Physical Map - Switzerland: Political Map - Italy: Physical Map - Italy: Political Map - Alps - Industrial Regions of Europe - Rhineland - Central Europe: Geological Map - Germany and Austria-Hungary: Physical Map - Balkan Peninsula - Danubian States - Greece and Archipelago - Central Plain of Europe - Germany: Political Map - Belgium and the Netherlands: Physical Map - Belgium and the Netherlands: Political Map - Austria: Political Map - Scandinavia: Physical Map - Scandinavia: Political Map - British Isles: Physical and Political Map - British Colonies - Scotland - England and Wales - Ireland - New Zealand - Major Communication Routes - Australia - British Colonies - Russia: Political and Economic Map - Asia: Physical Map - Asia: Economic Map - Asia: Political Map - Chinese State - Japan - Africa: Physical Map - Africa: Political Map - America: Physical Map - North America: Political and Central America Map - United States and Mexico - South America: Political Map - United States - North America: Geological Map - Andean and Platine States.
Published by Armand Colin, this edition presents the work of Paul Vidal de la Blache, founder of the French school of geography. The volume comprises a compendium of late 19th-century knowledge, featuring over 300 maps. It invites readers to discover the world of that era through its landscapes and borders shaped by human hands, reflecting the French passion for geography during this period.
The scope of the volume encompasses both historical and geographical sections, documenting everything from ancient civilizations and European history to physical, geological, and economic maps of France, Europe, and the wider world. Paul Vidal de la Blache developed an approach to geography that analyzes humans and their environment, lifestyles, and regional organizations. Readers interested in the history of cartography and late 19th-century geographical knowledge may find this publication relevant to their pursuits.