The road signs that teach travellers about France

7 hours ago

Brown motorway signs in France, introduced in 1972, promote cultural and historical sites, gastronomy, and regional identity, serving as an open-air gallery.
Designed by Jean Widmer and Nicole Sauvage, the original signs featured minimalist pictograms and Helvetica typography for readability at high speeds, with a later more detailed style by Philippe Collier from 1984.
Operators have updated signs since 2014 with new illustrations, focusing on overlooked histories and figures, while maintaining the educational purpose to tempt drivers off the road and teach about France.

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