Auvergne Travel Poster: Chemin de fer d’Orléans – Région du Lioran by F. Hugo d’Alesi

Chemin de fer d’Orléans. L’Auvergne. Région du Lioran by Frédéric Hugo d’Alesi invites you into the mountain heart of France’s Massif Central, where the Cantal peaks and forests roll away in grand, romantic layers. Created as an antique travel poster for the Orléans Railway, the work celebrates the Lioran region—an alpine gateway of switchbacks, volcanic rock, and deep valleys—promoted to urban travelers in the golden age of rail. In d’Alesi’s characteristic style, the landscape unfolds from a high vantage, with forested slopes stepping into the distance; the palette leans into mossy greens and warm brown umbers, punctuated by a touch of red that anchors the typography and signage.

This fine art reproduction is offered as a museum-quality print on acid-free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas. The Unique Maps Co. prints with richly pigmented inks for crisp lettering and nuanced tonal gradations, and we offer a wide range of sizes to suit intimate nooks or statement walls. Framing options include classic black, warm oak, or gilded profiles, and we can add custom captions, margins, or inscriptions to commemorate a special trip or date. If you’re curating a gallery wall, we’ll help harmonize sizing and matting so this piece sits beautifully among your other travel memories.

Frédéric Alexianu—better known as F. Hugo d’Alesi—was an Austrian-born, Paris-based painter and poster artist who helped define Belle Époque travel advertising. From the 1880s into the early 20th century, he created luminous color lithographs for France’s great railway companies, among them the Chemin de fer d’Orléans, the PLM, and the Ouest. His sophisticated eye for topography and wayfinding, and his ability to translate journey into longing, earned him inclusion among the era’s poster masters and made his work a touchstone for collectors of vintage travel art.

The subject here is the Auvergne, specifically the storied Lioran region in the Cantal. The Lioran pass and its tunnel opened the massif to comfortable, leisurely travel, transforming untamed uplands into a destination for walkers, holidaymakers, and later winter sports. D’Alesi’s poster distills that promise: the clarity of mountain air, the rhythm of pine-clad ridges, and the romance of arrival by rail. It is both an advertisement for a route and a love letter to the unique volcanic geography that makes Auvergne so distinctive.

Visually, the lithograph balances drama with serenity. Deep greens carry the eye through forested slopes, while earthy browns model crags and paths; a subtle haze lightens the distant hills to suggest altitude and atmosphere. Against this grounded palette, a precise red accent in the title work signals modernity and motion. The interplay of hand-drawn lettering and panoramic landscape is classic d’Alesi—elegant, legible, and irresistibly persuasive—making the poster a natural focal point in interiors ranging from rustic chalet to contemporary loft.

This print is an excellent choice for anyone with a connection to central France—those who have hiked the Cantal, crossed the Lioran pass, or dreamed of slow travel by rail. It also makes a thoughtful gift for birthdays, housewarmings, Christmas, or as a celebratory present for someone returning from an Auvergne adventure. With its rich greens, warm browns, and refined period typography, Chemin de fer d’Orléans. L’Auvergne. Région du Lioran brings the quiet majesty of the French mountains to your walls, and the timeless romance of the railway to your home.

If you're not sure what size to order, or you're looking for a custom order of some kind – a different size, a different colour, a special frame – then please contact me. I usually respond within a few minutes.

You can see an example of my fine art personalisation service in the fifth image. Zoom in and take a look. My personalised artwork is always very well received. Take a look at more examples of personalisation.

You can also choose to age your art print to make it look older. This is popular amongst my customers who want their artwork to look like an older, antique print. You can see an example of ageing in the sixth product image, or go ahead and check out lots of examples of other aged artwork.

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

I can print and frame this beautiful piece of art at sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). If you are looking for a size or framing option that isn't available online, please get in touch.

This artwork is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. My standard frames come in six colours (black, dark brown, dark grey, antique gold, oak and white), and custom framing is available for an additional charge. 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 artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work 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 an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

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

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

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

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

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.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me for a no-quibble refund. Please see our returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest - that's why I can offer a no-quibble refund.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.