TAI Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux is a jubilant mid-century celebration of global flight, created in 1957 by the French artist and naval officer Luc Marie Bayle. Conceived to decoratively promote Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux, it traces the airline’s far-flung routes in vivid red across a brilliantly colored world, enlivened by playful vignettes and lively insets of travel by air and sea. Produced in a limited run of 500, the composition distills the romance of post-war mobility into a single, irresistible image: continents bridged by sleek aircraft, oceans animated with historic vessels, and a cosmopolitan constellation of destinations beckoning from every horizon—a deft synthesis of information, aspiration, and Bayle’s unmistakable wit.

Bayle’s singular background—part naval officer, part painter devoted to maritime heritage—imbues the sheet with a mariner’s sense of orientation and spectacle. Compass roses and ship-laden cartouches pay homage to centuries of navigation, while cheeky scenes of explorers, animals, and historical figures flicker between past and present. He frames the modernity of scheduled air travel with an older repertoire of seafaring emblems, reminding the viewer that aviation inherits the great traditions of exploration. The result is neither technical chart nor mere poster, but a narrative tableau where maritime memory and the airborne future mingle with buoyant clarity.

Geography here is purposeful and theatrical. Routes radiate from Paris toward North and West Africa—prominently Tunis and Algiers—before plunging deeper along the airline’s historic focus on the continent, notably Madagascar. Eastward, red lines leap to the great hubs of Asia—Bangkok, Saigon, and Delhi—then dance across the Pacific to the Society Islands, alighting on Bora Bora and Tahiti with sunlit glamour. The Americas, too, are threaded into the network, with select North American and South American locales nodding to the brand’s intercontinental reach. Flags and regional symbols punctuate the journey, transforming waypoints into cultural invitations and giving each stop a heraldic flourish.

Stylistically, this is a thematic pictorial map in the grand mid-20th-century manner: saturated seas, warm continents, and a choreography of lines that privilege narrative over strict projection. Bayle’s palette pulses with coastal blues and equatorial golds, while the routes—drawn as clean, arterial strokes—organize the exuberance into legible pathways. Ornate cartouches, nautical instruments, and cameo insets of airships, ocean liners, and airplanes supply a brisk historiography of travel, linking dirigibles and steam to the sleek efficiency of modern flight. Typography and iconography cooperate like navigator and helmsman, steering the eye from spectacle to schedule with effortless grace.

Historically, the piece captures a radiant moment: the post-war expansion of civil aviation on the cusp of the jet age. Founded in 1946, TAI built its identity on Africa—particularly Madagascar—before projecting outward to Asia and Oceania, and Bayle’s composition mirrors that ambition with theatrical poise. It is also a testament to the era’s inspired fusion of art and commerce, when airline advertising promised not just passage but worldliness. Issued in a limited edition, the map resonates today as both an elegant artifact of mid-century design and a spirited chronicle of global connectivity—charting, in equal measure, routes across the planet and routes into the imagination.

Countries and regions on this map

• Africa: Primarily North and West Africa, with notable cities like Tunis and Algiers.
• Asia: Includes routes to cities such as Bangkok, Saigon, and Delhi.
• Oceania: Highlights the Society Islands, including Bora Bora and Tahiti.
• Europe: Routes originating from major cities like Paris and various European coastal regions.
• Americas: Includes parts of North America and various locations in South America.

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Airline route depiction: Routes highlighted in red connecting various global destinations.
• Insets: Illustrations depicting different modes of travel, such as airships, boats, and airplanes.
• Whimsical illustrations: Comical depictions of explorers, animals, and historical figures throughout the map.
• Decorative elements: Cartouches featuring compasses, ships, and other maritime symbols.
• Cultural motifs: Inclusion of flags and symbols representing various regions.

Historical and design context

• Created in 1957 by Luc Marie Bayle; limited edition of 500.
• Purpose: Decorative promotion for Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux (TAI).
• TAI founded in 1946 with a primary focus on Africa, especially Madagascar.
• Bayle, a French Naval Officer and artist active in maritime heritage; his military background informed a marine-focused perspective.
• Thematic pictorial style with vibrant colors and a whimsical mid-20th-century aesthetic.
• Themes of airline routes, exploration, and travel, juxtaposing modern and historical modes.
• Reflects post-war airline expansion in the 1950s and the evolving nature of global travel.
• Exemplifies the intersection of art and commercial advertising in the aviation industry.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 24x36in (60x90cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.

We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.

Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.

Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.

All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.

If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

Se non sei soddisfatto del tuo ordine per qualsiasi motivo, contattami per un rimborso senza problemi. Si prega di consultare la nostra politica di reso e rimborso per ulteriori informazioni.

Sono molto sicuro che ti piacerà la tua mappa restaurata o la stampa d'arte. Lo faccio dal 1984. Sono un venditore Etsy a 5 stelle. Ho venduto decine di migliaia di mappe e stampe d'arte e ho oltre 5.000 recensioni reali a 5 stelle.

Utilizzo un processo unico per restaurare mappe e opere d'arte che richiede molto tempo e lavoro. Trovare le mappe e le illustrazioni originali può richiedere mesi. Utilizzo tecnologia all'avanguardia e incredibilmente costosa per scannerizzare e restaurarle. Di conseguenza, garantisco che le mie mappe e stampe d'arte siano superiori alle altre - ecco perché posso offrire un rimborso senza problemi.

Quasi tutte le mie mappe e stampe d'arte sembrano fantastiche a grandi dimensioni (200 cm, 6,5 piedi+) e posso anche incorniciarle e consegnarle a te, tramite un corriere speciale per oggetti di grandi dimensioni. Contattami per discutere delle tue esigenze specifiche.