Trudaine Atlas: 18th Century Cartography

Extract

[...] The Trudaine Atlas: From Conception to Use Introduction In 1745, Daniel-Charles Trudaine, administrator of Ponts et Chaussées, initiated the cartographic work that would result in the creation of the atlas that now bears his name. For the time, with the technical means available in the 18th century, such a project was a challenge, which took 35 years to complete and brought together numerous draftsmen and engineers, commissioned in most provinces of France to contribute to this achievement. The result of these efforts, however, was undoubtedly commensurate with the expectations, as France had never been mapped so precisely; but above all, and nobody knew it yet, it would be the last major cartographic work prior to two successive revolutions, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, which would reshape the French landscape. [...]

[...] Yet, it is not then the centralized country that it has become. We can therefore quite suppose that the project of modernizing the road infrastructure will lead to others, related to a more rigorous management of finances - the financial situation of the state is not yet that of 1789, but the kingdom's budgets are already in deficit. At the same time, this atlas reminds us of the different statuses of these generalities: some, such as that of Rennes, are not mapped because they are self-administered, the 'provinces of state'; the same applies to the provinces of taxation, recently conquered. [...]

[...] This shows that the Kingdom is aware of the risk of war, particularly on its north-eastern flank. Mapping the territory, and especially territories that are still little known because they were recently attached to the country, therefore seems quite relevant. Conclusion The Trudaine Atlas, established in the 18th century, would have undoubtedly contributed to a significant modernization of pre-revolutionary France, or at least some of its provinces, particularly concerning the country's road network, in very poor condition, and more broadly its financial and fiscal administration, and ultimately facilitate the territorial development policies of the coming decades. [...]

[...] In continuing the study of this atlas, we believe that looking at similar works, such as the maps of Cassini, or other non-cartographic testimonies, remains a relevant and necessary methodology for the historian's work. [...]

[...] Moreover, among the most important findings, we can mention the state of the roads. Most are already old - as much as realization has been made - and are in an advanced state of disrepair, making travel, trade, and consequently the entire organization of the Kingdom particularly complex. Many local authorities in the provinces write memoranda to inform the royal power of the situation. It is not surprising, after all, that the maps of Trudaine's atlas emphasize the road network, as it is then a matter of evaluating its state. [...]