La Turbie - Paris Lyon Méditerranée Circa 1900

This exquisite Belle Époque poster by artist Bourgeois, created around 1900, is a celebration of the French Riviera's scenic allure and the transformative power of rail travel. Published by the Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée (PLM) railway company, the work promotes La Turbie, a small but storied village perched above Monte Carlo, steeped in Roman history and natural splendor.

Rendered in delicate yet vivid tones, the composition looks out over a serene Mediterranean bay, framed by rugged cliffs and sun-warmed terra cotta rooftops. In the foreground, elegant visitors admire the view from a scenic vantage point—an invitation to the viewer to imagine themselves as part of this refined escapade.

Beyond mere aesthetics, this poster was part of a broader campaign to promote tourism as a mark of modern leisure, accessibility, and class mobility. The PLM network, with its promise of “billets à prix réduits” (discounted tickets), catered to both the fashionable elite and a growing middle class seeking escape from urban life.

Bourgeois’s illustration exemplifies turn-of-the-century lithographic artistry, balancing romanticism and realism to entice travelers. It is both a snapshot of a bygone France and a timeless evocation of travel's promise: discovery, elevation, and beauty.

Railway - Tourism - Alpes-Maritimes - France

From Monte-Carlo to La Turbie and back by rack railway

Printed by Ateliers E. Hugo D'Alési in Paris

Bon état