This original late-1930s French advertising poster was created by Lavarde & Chem for Régie Air Afrique. Entitled Carte touristique des escales de la Régie Air Afrique, it promotes the airline’s rapidly expanding network with the ambitious slogan Toute l’Afrique en six jours!—“All of Africa in six days!”
The pictorial map traces an extensive route from Paris and Marseille through North Africa, across the Sahara and onwards into West, Central and East Africa before reaching Madagascar. Numerous stops are marked along the network, illustrating the remarkable geographical scale of interwar commercial aviation.
A decorative legend identifies air stops, hunting areas, fishing, local arts and tourist attractions using brightly coloured symbols. Place names and period descriptions are scattered across the continent, while the airline’s winged emblem and an elaborate title panel complete the composition.
Rendered in deep brown, cream, black and red, the design combines the precision of a route map with the theatrical appeal of travel advertising. It also reflects the colonial-era language and imagery through which European airlines presented Africa as an exotic destination for exploration and tourism.
An unusual and historically revealing example of early aviation graphics, this original poster would make an important addition to a collection devoted to Air Afrique, airline history, pictorial maps, African travel or French colonial-era advertising.
Original poster
Airline - Map
All of Africa in six days
Very good state
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