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First Map of the Mount Blanc Department
This detailed map, created by J.B. Raymond, a military geographical engineer from Upper Faucigny and engraved by Boutrois in 1793, presents a comprehensive view of the Mont-Blanc department, created in 1792 during the French Revolutionary reorganization. Divided into 7 districts and 83 cantons, the map illustrates the ambitious administrative restructuring of the time. With its precise boundaries and detailed topographical features, the map offers insights into both the geography and political significance of the region.
The Mont-Blanc department, named for the iconic peak, was the 84th department of France, integrating territories previously under Savoy. Central to the map is Mont Blanc itself, symbolically marked with a small French flag at its summit to signify national pride. Other notable landmarks include the Aiguille d'Argentière, located in Switzerland, and Mont Maudit on the border, emphasizing the department's strategic and natural features.
The map also reflects the revolutionary zeal for redefining regional identity through nomenclature. New names such as "Mt Oreb" for Le Buet near the Glacier de Bellecombe and "M. Brévent" near Chamonix reveal an effort to link local geography with broader ideological changes. The map includes an annotated list of significant mountains and passes, highlighting their elevations. Converted into feet, these figures provide a modern perspective on the region’s dramatic topography:
- Aiguille d'Argentière: 12,156 ft
- Col de Balme: 7,549 ft
- Mont Blanc: 15,505 ft
- Croix du Bonhomme: 8,012 ft
- Brévent: 8,019 ft
- Mt Buet (Mt Oreb): 10,062 ft
- Chamonix: 3,392 ft
- Courmayeur: 4,022 ft
- Col Ferret: 10,768 ft
- Forclaz sur St Gervais: 4,140 ft
- Les Tours: 7,762 ft
- Montanvert: 6,030 ft
- Grand St Bernard: 8,114 ft
- Col de la Seigne: 8,274 ft
- Glacier du Trélatête: 8,232 ft
