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This map of the coast of Normandy and contiguous islands of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney appeared in Jacques-Nicolas Bellin's Petit Atlas Maritime in 1764. It provides a detailed representation of the coastline of Normandy along with the Channel Islands, emphasizing nautical features essential for navigation.
The map covers the coastal region of Normandy, from the Anse de Vauville to Surville, and includes the Channel Islands of Guernsey (Grenesey), Alderney (Aurigny), Sark (Sercq), and Jersey (Jersey). The coastline and islands are intricately detailed, highlighting both natural and man-made features. Major islands shown include:
- Alderney (Aurigny): Located at the northern part of the map, Alderney is depicted with its surrounding waters and topographical features, including the town of Saint Anne (A. Bouron).
- Guernsey (Grenesey): Centrally positioned, Guernsey is shown with significant detail, including its major settlements like Saint Peter Port (St. Pierre). Nearby smaller islands such as Herm (H. d'Herm) and Sark (I. Sercq) are also included.
- Jersey (Jersey): At the southern edge, Jersey is mapped with its prominent features and ports, including Saint Helier (V. de St. Helier).
The map details important information, including
- Soundings: The map is rich in soundings, providing depth measurements in fathoms, which are essential for safe navigation. These soundings are distributed across the coastal waters and around the islands, indicating shallow and deep areas.
- Anchorages: Various anchorages are marked, showing safe spots for ships to anchor. These are typically indicated by anchor symbols and are found in bays and near ports.
- Currents: The direction of the currents is depicted with arrows, assisting mariners in understanding the flow of water in the region, which is crucial for navigation.
- Navigational Lines: The map includes radiating navigational lines from key points, which help in charting courses and bearings.
The map is framed with decorative elements typical of the period, including a baroque cartouche for the title. The publication details are noted at the bottom, indicating it was engraved and published as part of Bellin's Petit Atlas Maritime, a comprehensive 5 volume atlas widely used in the 18th century.
Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772) was among the most important mapmakers of the eighteenth century. In 1721, at only the age of 18, he was appointed Hydrographer to the French Navy. In August 1741, he became the first Ingénieur de la Marine of the Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine (the French Hydrographic Office) and was named Official Hydrographer of the French King.
During his term as Official Hydrographer, the Dépôt was the one of the most active centers for the production of sea charts and maps in Europe. Their output included a folio-format sea atlas of France, the Neptune Francois. He also produced a number of sea atlases of the world, including the Atlas Maritime and the Hydrographie Francaise. These gained fame and distinction all over Europe and were republished throughout the eighteenth and even in the nineteenth century.
Bellin also produced smaller format maps such as the 1764 Petit Atlas Maritime, containing 580 finely-detailed charts. He also contributed a number of maps for the 15-volume Histoire Generale des Voyages of Antoine François Prévost.
Bellin set a very high standard of workmanship and accuracy, cementing France's leading role in European cartography and geography during this period. Many of his maps were copied by other mapmakers across the continent.
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