A celebrated illustrator with deep family ties to the Jura region has spent seventeen days creating an extraordinarily detailed graphic map of the French department. Alexis Carlier, who works under the pseudonym Alcatela, completed the intricate project from his workspace in Paris, drawing inspiration from his strong personal connections to the mountainous region of eastern France.
The 28-year-old artist, originally from Lyon but now based in Paris, has built an impressive portfolio working with prestigious clients including the 2024 Paris Olympics, the RATP (Paris public transport authority), and the European Union. Despite his professional success with maps of major destinations like Paris, Brittany, Tokyo, Corsica, and Bordeaux, Carlier had hesitated for years before tackling this deeply personal project.
"I wasn't sure if people would be interested, unlike other graphic maps I've created in the past," Carlier explained. "But I have very strong ties to the Jura through my maternal grandparents, Richard and Andrée Villerné, who are now deceased and lived in Saint-Claude." The artist has been visiting the Haut-Jura region regularly since childhood, considering Saint-Claude, known as the pipe-making capital, as his second home.
Carlier's connection to the region runs deep through family bonds that shaped his artistic vision. "I was very close to my grandmother until her death two years ago. I would regularly visit her on weekends and during vacations, and even today, now that her house has been bought by my mother and aunt, I still go to Saint-Claude regularly to rest, disconnect, and even introduce the region to my friends," the Paris-based illustrator detailed.
The artist has been passionate about creating maps, both real and imaginary, since childhood, often designing fantastical city plans and transportation networks. This lifelong fascination naturally led him to undertake the Jura project, despite initial doubts about its commercial appeal. "Creating this kind of ultra-detailed map is very time-consuming," Carlier noted. "I wanted to include as much information as possible that would speak to both outsiders and Jura residents, as well as very personal places like my grandmother's and aunt's house, or my cousin's ski shop."
The map gained immediate attention when Carlier shared it on social media on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, through a promotional video. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with the graphic designer receiving numerous orders from enthusiasts and collectors. The artwork captures the region's essence through a playful, child-like artistic style that makes geographic information accessible and engaging.
Produced as a limited edition of only 1,000 copies, each map is individually signed and numbered by the artist. Priced at 39 euros – "a coincidence I hadn't paid attention to," Carlier remarked – the maps are expected to delight collectors and lovers of beautiful posters. Looking ahead, the artist hinted at potential future projects, saying, "And sometime soon, why not, I might create a map of Saint-Claude." The limited-edition maps are available for purchase directly through the illustrator's website.
