Rare Old Map of Paris in Medieval Times: 14th Century Notre Dame, Louvre Fortress, Bastille, Sorbonne, Hundred Years’ War
The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Made in Australia
Restored from the original 1975 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Read the story behind this map
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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Commissioned by the CNRS in 1975, Paris vers la fin du XIVe siècle is a scholarly reconstruction that unlocks the texture of...
Continue readingCommissioned by the CNRS in 1975, Paris vers la fin du XIVe siècle is a scholarly reconstruction that unlocks the texture of medieval Paris at a pivotal moment in its history. Its meticulous color-coding and precise symbology distinguish royal, communal, and ecclesiastical domains, while a carefully structured legend anchors every feature in the historical record. What emerges is a city shaped by water, walls, and worship—articulated through topography, street hierarchies, and architectural profiles. Drawing on primary sources to reconcile urban form with documentary evidence, the map captures how Paris evolved through crisis and renewal during the late phases of the Hundred Years’ War, offering collectors and historians alike a vivid, authoritative portrait of Europe’s preeminent medieval metropolis in transition.
At the city’s heart, the Île de la Cité concentrates power and devotion: Notre Dame rises across from the bishop’s precinct at Place de l’Évêché, while the Palais de la Cité—seat of royal justice—anchors the western end. The Grand Châtelet guards river crossings where trade and authority converge, and the Seine’s bifurcating flow organizes the Right and Left Banks into distinct economic and cultural spheres. The map crisply plots the civic quarter around the future Hôtel de Ville on the Place de Grève, signaling the emergence of municipal power. Routes snaking from bridges to marketplaces are rendered with documentary fidelity, revealing how processions, commerce, and governance moved through streets that were already centuries old.
Defensive architecture reads here as a chronicle of anxiety and ambition. The Louvre appears in its original purpose—as a squat, vigilant fortress—while La Bastille anchors the city’s eastern defenses, a late-14th-century instrument of Valois statecraft. The medieval walls and gates, notably Porte St. Jacques and Porte St. Denis, trace successive expansion lines, each ring a fossilized moment of growth under military pressure. Thoroughfares align with older Roman routes, transforming inherited lines of movement into strategic corridors for mustering troops and provisioning the capital. Les Tournelles, mapped as a royal residence complex, and the fortified Temple precinct signal how power diffused across neighborhoods. Beyond the walls, cultivated fields and open ground reveal intentional glacis—clear zones that safeguarded approaches while advertising Paris’s reach into the countryside.
The intellectual and spiritual life of the city is charted with exemplary nuance. The Sorbonne anchors a constellation of colleges on the Left Bank, while venerable abbeys—St. Victor, St-Germain-des-Prés, and St-Martin-des-Champs—command lands, livelihoods, and learning across the map. Parish churches such as Saint-Sulpice and Saint-Jacques punctuate neighborhoods, their dedications mapping social identity and local charity alongside Hôpital des Augustins and other hospices. Pilgrimage currents pulse along Rue Saint-Jacques toward the Porte St. Jacques, a medieval gateway to Compostela’s road, while Le Temple reminds viewers of institutions whose political afterlives extended beyond their orders. The cartographer’s symbols differentiate monastic estates, clerical jurisdictions, and civic holdings, revealing the negotiated geography where theology, scholarship, and urban life intertwined.
An inset of Les Faubourgs widens the lens to show suburban spillover—workshops, gardens, and vineyards edging into the fields that frame Paris’s hard limits. Major streets radiate from bridges and gates like arteries, stitching Roman inheritances to medieval markets and royal projects. This is a map that synthesizes charters, tax rolls, and building accounts into a coherent urban palimpsest, situating the city between Capetian legacy and Valois consolidation, between siege consciousness and economic resurgence. For the connoisseur, it offers more than orientation: it narrates governance reforms after the Étienne Marcel uprising, the policing of gates, and the siting of learning and labor. Scholarly yet evocative, it is a definitive guide to the structures—visible and invisible—that made late medieval Paris.
Places on this map
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- The Louvre
- Palais de la Cité
- La Bastille
- Sorbonne
- Abbey of St. Victor
- St. Germain-des-Prés
- Porte St. Jacques
- Porte St. Denis
- Les Tournelles
- Place de l'Évêché
- Grand Châtelet
- Hôtel de Ville
- Hôtel Barbette
- Abbaye et Prieuré de St Martin-des-Champs
- Eglise de Saint-Sulpice
- Eglise de Saint-Jacques
- Le Temple
- Hôpital des Augustins
Notable Features & Landmarks
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- The Louvre (as a fortress)
- Palais de la Cité
- The Seine River
- Various abbeys, including the Abbey of St. Victor
- Fortifications, such as medieval walls and gates like Porte St. Jacques and Porte St. Denis
- Major streets and thoroughfares with connections to Roman routes
- Areas identified for religious institutions like the Sorbonne and multiple churches
- Les Faubourgs inset showing suburban areas
- Cultivated fields and open spaces marking city limits
Historical and design context
- Creation Date: 1975
- Mapmaker/Publisher: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), a French governmental research organization known for advancing scientific and historical studies
- Detailed depiction of topography, architecture, and urban organization of medieval Paris
- Highlights the relationship of urban structures to historic political and cultural shifts
- Indicates significant royal, communal, and religious buildings, as well as defensive architecture
- Meticulous, detailed coloring and symbol usage for various structures
- Incorporates various legends and references to establish historical accuracy
- Reflects the architectural and urban evolution of Paris during a transformative period
- Serves as a historical resource based on comprehensive research and primary source material
Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.
This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 16in (40cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.
If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.
Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.
This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.
This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. 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 map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map 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 a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Commissioned by the CNRS in 1975, Paris vers la fin du XIVe siècle is a scholarly reconstruction that unlocks the texture of medieval Paris at a pivotal moment in its history. Its meticulous color-coding and precise symbology distinguish royal, communal, and ecclesiastical domains, while a carefully structured legend anchors every feature in the historical record. What emerges is a city shaped by water, walls, and worship—articulated through topography, street hierarchies, and architectural profiles. Drawing on primary sources to reconcile urban form with documentary evidence, the map captures how Paris evolved through crisis and renewal during the late phases of the Hundred Years’ War, offering collectors and historians alike a vivid, authoritative portrait of Europe’s preeminent medieval metropolis in transition.
At the city’s heart, the Île de la Cité concentrates power and devotion: Notre Dame rises across from the bishop’s precinct at Place de l’Évêché, while the Palais de la Cité—seat of royal justice—anchors the western end. The Grand Châtelet guards river crossings where trade and authority converge, and the Seine’s bifurcating flow organizes the Right and Left Banks into distinct economic and cultural spheres. The map crisply plots the civic quarter around the future Hôtel de Ville on the Place de Grève, signaling the emergence of municipal power. Routes snaking from bridges to marketplaces are rendered with documentary fidelity, revealing how processions, commerce, and governance moved through streets that were already centuries old.
Defensive architecture reads here as a chronicle of anxiety and ambition. The Louvre appears in its original purpose—as a squat, vigilant fortress—while La Bastille anchors the city’s eastern defenses, a late-14th-century instrument of Valois statecraft. The medieval walls and gates, notably Porte St. Jacques and Porte St. Denis, trace successive expansion lines, each ring a fossilized moment of growth under military pressure. Thoroughfares align with older Roman routes, transforming inherited lines of movement into strategic corridors for mustering troops and provisioning the capital. Les Tournelles, mapped as a royal residence complex, and the fortified Temple precinct signal how power diffused across neighborhoods. Beyond the walls, cultivated fields and open ground reveal intentional glacis—clear zones that safeguarded approaches while advertising Paris’s reach into the countryside.
The intellectual and spiritual life of the city is charted with exemplary nuance. The Sorbonne anchors a constellation of colleges on the Left Bank, while venerable abbeys—St. Victor, St-Germain-des-Prés, and St-Martin-des-Champs—command lands, livelihoods, and learning across the map. Parish churches such as Saint-Sulpice and Saint-Jacques punctuate neighborhoods, their dedications mapping social identity and local charity alongside Hôpital des Augustins and other hospices. Pilgrimage currents pulse along Rue Saint-Jacques toward the Porte St. Jacques, a medieval gateway to Compostela’s road, while Le Temple reminds viewers of institutions whose political afterlives extended beyond their orders. The cartographer’s symbols differentiate monastic estates, clerical jurisdictions, and civic holdings, revealing the negotiated geography where theology, scholarship, and urban life intertwined.
An inset of Les Faubourgs widens the lens to show suburban spillover—workshops, gardens, and vineyards edging into the fields that frame Paris’s hard limits. Major streets radiate from bridges and gates like arteries, stitching Roman inheritances to medieval markets and royal projects. This is a map that synthesizes charters, tax rolls, and building accounts into a coherent urban palimpsest, situating the city between Capetian legacy and Valois consolidation, between siege consciousness and economic resurgence. For the connoisseur, it offers more than orientation: it narrates governance reforms after the Étienne Marcel uprising, the policing of gates, and the siting of learning and labor. Scholarly yet evocative, it is a definitive guide to the structures—visible and invisible—that made late medieval Paris.
Places on this map
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- The Louvre
- Palais de la Cité
- La Bastille
- Sorbonne
- Abbey of St. Victor
- St. Germain-des-Prés
- Porte St. Jacques
- Porte St. Denis
- Les Tournelles
- Place de l'Évêché
- Grand Châtelet
- Hôtel de Ville
- Hôtel Barbette
- Abbaye et Prieuré de St Martin-des-Champs
- Eglise de Saint-Sulpice
- Eglise de Saint-Jacques
- Le Temple
- Hôpital des Augustins
Notable Features & Landmarks
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- The Louvre (as a fortress)
- Palais de la Cité
- The Seine River
- Various abbeys, including the Abbey of St. Victor
- Fortifications, such as medieval walls and gates like Porte St. Jacques and Porte St. Denis
- Major streets and thoroughfares with connections to Roman routes
- Areas identified for religious institutions like the Sorbonne and multiple churches
- Les Faubourgs inset showing suburban areas
- Cultivated fields and open spaces marking city limits
Historical and design context
- Creation Date: 1975
- Mapmaker/Publisher: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), a French governmental research organization known for advancing scientific and historical studies
- Detailed depiction of topography, architecture, and urban organization of medieval Paris
- Highlights the relationship of urban structures to historic political and cultural shifts
- Indicates significant royal, communal, and religious buildings, as well as defensive architecture
- Meticulous, detailed coloring and symbol usage for various structures
- Incorporates various legends and references to establish historical accuracy
- Reflects the architectural and urban evolution of Paris during a transformative period
- Serves as a historical resource based on comprehensive research and primary source material
Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.
This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.
This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.
Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 16in (40cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.
The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.
If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.
Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.
This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.
This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. 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 map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map 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 a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.
For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.
I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.
I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.
Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.
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