Saint-Christau Travel Poster: Chemins de fer d’Orléans et du Midi by H. Poublan

Chemins de fer d’Orléans et du Midi. St-Christau by H. Poublan is a classic French railway poster inviting travelers to the spa enclave of Saint-Christau in the western Pyrenees, near Oloron-Sainte‑Marie in Béarn. Created in the golden age of rail tourism, it captures the allure of mountain air, forested slopes, and restorative waters that drew visitors south from Paris and across southwestern France. The composition revels in a cool, blue-led palette balanced with sandy beige tones and warm orange highlights—an elegant, sun‑kissed harmony that evokes bright skies over pale stone and the glow of late afternoon light.

This listing is for a museum‑quality fine art print of the poster, produced exclusively by The Unique Maps Co. Choose from premium, acid‑free archival paper or luxurious artist’s cotton canvas. Multiple sizes are available to suit your space, and we offer expert framing in gallery‑grade wood and metal profiles. Personalization is available—add a travel date, a gift inscription, or a custom caption—and we can accommodate bespoke sizes, color matching, and curated pairings with other Pyrenean or French railway destinations.

About the artist: While little formal biography survives for H. Poublan, the name is associated with the vibrant poster scene of southwestern France in the early twentieth century, when regional artists collaborated with the Chemins de fer d’Orléans and the Chemins de fer du Midi to promote spa towns, mountain resorts, and seaside escapes. In keeping with the period’s lithographic traditions, Poublan’s work favors simplified forms, bold contrasts, and lettering that doubles as design—hallmarks of the elegant travel advertising that lined stations and boulevards between the Belle Époque and the interwar years.

About the destination: Saint-Christau earned repute for its therapeutic waters and pine‑scented air, tucked into a valley on the threshold of the Pyrenees. Posters for this route encouraged a restorative escape: trains whisked visitors from bustling cities to a sanctuary of terraces, tree‑lined walks, and dramatic mountain backdrops. The joint branding of the Orléans and Midi networks signaled seamless access across the southwest, making Saint‑Christau a coveted waypoint for spa‑goers, hikers, and lovers of alpine scenery.

Why this print stands out: The restrained use of blue and beige, lifted by orange accents, gives the design a luminous clarity that feels both serene and adventurous—a timeless invitation to pause, breathe, and travel. The flat-color lithographic style reads beautifully at large scale, with crisp silhouettes and confident typography that anchor the scene while suggesting depth and distance. Hung in a hallway, living space, or study, it becomes a conversation piece that celebrates French rail heritage, wellness travel, and the romance of the Pyrenees.

This fine art print makes a thoughtful gift for anyone who has visited the Pyrenees or dreams of going—perfect for birthdays, housewarmings, retirements, or to commemorate a special journey. It’s equally well‑suited for Christmas, Father’s Day, or Mother’s Day, especially for Francophiles, railway enthusiasts, spa lovers, or anyone with fond memories of southwestern France.

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 18x24in (45x60cm) 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.

Alcune delle mie mappe antiche sono ora disponibili come tele incorniciate. Per favore contattami se desideri ordinare una dimensione che non è disponibile nel mio negozio.

Le mappe antiche su tela sono un'alternativa interessante alle mappe tradizionalmente incorniciate. A seconda del tuo gusto personale e dell'arredamento della stanza, le mappe su tela possono "risaltare" un po' di più rispetto a una mappa incorniciata.

Scopri di più sulle mie mappe su tela incorniciate.

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.