Lake Geneva Travel Poster: Lac Léman – Chemins de fer Jura-Simplon by F. Hugo d'Alesi, 1895

Lac Léman – Chemins de fer Jura-Simplon (1895) by Frédéric Hugo d’Alesi invites you into the Belle Époque dream of Switzerland’s great lake—Lac Léman, also known as Lake Geneva—where rail travel met alpine romance. D’Alesi, an Austrian-born French painter, poster artist, and illustrator, became one of the era’s most sought-after creators of tourism imagery. Working in Paris in the late 19th century, he produced luminous lithographs for major railway and shipping companies, helping to define how the world imagined travel, leisure, and the elegance of modern transportation.

This listing is for a museum-quality fine art print of d’Alesi’s original travel poster, produced on your choice of acid-free archival paper or artist’s cotton canvas. Each print is meticulously color-checked to honor the soft pastels and rich inks of the 1895 lithograph. Available in a range of sizes, your piece can arrive unframed or professionally framed for display, with multiple moulding options to suit your décor. The Unique Maps Co. also offers personalization—add a caption, a trip date, or a dedication—to create a one-of-a-kind memento of Lake Geneva.

Frédéric Hugo d’Alesi (1849–1906) stood at the forefront of poster art when the medium flourished as both advertising and fine art. Born in Transylvania and active in Paris, he was celebrated for his refined draughtsmanship and for distilling the essence of a destination into a single, irresistible image. His commissions for European railways made him a household name among travelers who collected posters as souvenirs of journeys and aspirations.

This composition captures the Jura–Simplon Railway’s promise at the height of the Belle Époque: effortless access to the lake’s sparkling waters, grand hotels, and promenades that sweep through Geneva, Lausanne, Vevey, and Montreux. More than an advertisement, it’s a historical document of the period’s newfound appetite for leisure, showcasing how railways opened up the Swiss Riviera to the world. The poster’s juxtaposition of a sleek locomotive with serene shoreline vistas reflects the optimism of the 1890s, when modern engineering and the natural world were celebrated together.

Rendered in a distinctly Art Nouveau idiom, the design is framed by stylized floral motifs and curvilinear forms that guide your eye across the scene. A harmony of greens and blues establishes a tranquil atmosphere—verdant slopes meeting a glassy expanse of water—while pink blossoms provide vivid accents, lending warmth and romance to the cool alpine palette. Smooth gradients in sky and lake subtly suggest depth and shifting light, and the carefully balanced contrast between the dark train and the soft landscape emphasizes movement without disturbing the poster’s serenity. It’s a timeless slice of travel-lure that brings historic charm to contemporary interiors.

A thoughtful gift for anyone who has lived in or visited Geneva, Lausanne, or the lakeside towns of Vevey and Montreux, this print is perfect for birthdays, housewarmings, anniversaries, and holidays—from Christmas to Mother’s or Father’s Day. It’s equally meaningful for railway aficionados and Switzerland lovers, or as a nostalgic keepsake for someone who has recently traveled around Lake Geneva.

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.