Catching a flight to France. Customs and visas. Shopping in France. Road safety... France.fr is the best place to find out everything you need to know before you start packing. Too much to take in? Not at all! Because to accompany these must-read articles, we enlisted the talents and quirks of France’s freshest illustrators. None of them are over 30, and they’re all trained at the École supérieure Estienne des arts et des industries, the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs (ENSAD) or the Haute École des arts du Rhin (HEAR) art schools. Some of them are still students.
They can be eclectic or meticulous, masters of the art of ink or juggling with colours and fonts. They are preceded by two hundred-odd years of French tradition, from graphic novels to street art, not to mention advertising and newspaper caricatures. And they are all up for helping with practical info on France.fr.
Tom Armand, pen name Dess, blends inks and lettering, pointillism and virtuosity, to get you up to speed on camping and road safety. Follow him at de2s.fr or on Instagram @de2s
Magali Brueder creates silhouettes and fauvist landscapes using felt-tipped pens to teach us about how to park coaches or get to New-Caledonia. Follow her at http://www.magalibrueder.fr or on Instagram @magalibrueder
Joséphine Herbelin makes us want to take a holiday or get married in France, with sensitive lines and a real grasp of colour. Follow her at http://www.portfoliojosephineherbelin.tumblr.com or on Instagram @josephineherbelin
Whether transporting us away to French Guiana or Mayotte, Chiara Karczewski, also known as Chiara Kar or Kiki, works with sketches and collages. Follow her at www.kiki.paris or on Instagram @kiki.paris_
Etienne Librati has a versatile style and an eye for detail. A punctilious pointillist, he takes us shopping and sailing, with plenty of knowing winks and playfulness. Follow him at http://www.etiennelibrati.fr or on Instagram @etiennelibrati
Alexandre Martins, also known as Studiotin, helps us explore France in perfect safety, with crafty, minimalist lines. Follow him at http://www.studiotins.fr or on Instagram @studiotins
Lise Remon creates each illustration as a little story, a comic strip panel in which she reveals French gastronomy and the best French markets. Follow her at http://www.lise-remon.tumblr.com or on Instagram @remlise
By car or by plane, Maximilien Strassmann takes us not only to France, but also into his own little world: fun, cartoony, and delightfully retro. Follow him on Instagram @mstrass_artwork
By Émilie Guilhen
Copywriter and copy editor in Paris.
