New book collection launched

Voyages Gallimard has partnered with the design and branding studio Saint-Lazare to launch a new collection titled Portraits de villes, cartes postales de l’ailleurs in April 2026. The collection includes photographic books that offer unique perspectives on cities and regions, available in both small and large formats.

First large format book focuses on Camargue

The first large format book in the collection, published in June, focuses on the Camargue region. It features photographs by Matthieu Salvaing and texts by Sylvain Prudhomme, combining visual and literary elements to present the area in a new way.

Collection targets city and photography lovers

Clémentine Larroumet, director of Saint-Lazare, and Charlotte Gallimard, editor, aim to appeal to people who love cities, photography, and beautifully crafted books. Larroumet describes the city as a personal relationship shaped by travel, memories, and sensory experiences.

Alternative to traditional tourist guides

The collaboration was inspired by the decline in traditional tourist guide sales, which dropped by 9.7% in 2025 compared to 2024. The collection offers an artistic alternative to conventional guides, focusing on emotional and visual storytelling rather than practical travel advice.

Artistic approach with specialized themes

Hélène Firquet, editorial director at Gallimard Loisirs, describes the future of such publications as small, specialized collections that are deeply narrative. Each book is created by a photographer, established or emerging, who captures a city through their unique lens.

Large formats combine photography and literature

In June, Voyages Gallimard also launched large format books that pair photographers with writers connected to the city. The first volume, on the Camargue, will be followed by a book on Paris, with three large format publications planned each year.

Books aim to deepen city relationships

The collection targets readers who want to deepen their connection with a city through an object, rather than preparing an itinerary. Clémentine Larroumet describes the books as "a bouquet" of delicate, sensitive, and refined attention to detail.

Other publishers diversifying travel content

Voyages Gallimard is not the only publisher exploring new formats. For example, L'arbre qui marche released Premier voyage in 2025, a collection of books written like novels about favorite cities. Michelin also launched Le grand Tour, blending travel and literature in its latest collection.