1984 Pastis 51 Map of the Paris-Dakar Rally (Europe, Africa)

This is a 1984 map of the route of the Paris-Dakar Rally from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal. The map documents the 1984 edition of one of the world's most grueling long-distance motorsport rallies.

A Closer Look

Coverage details the route of the Rally in in Europe and Africa, but extends from the English Channel south to the Gulf of Guinea. A bold red line traces the rally's route from Paris to Dakar through France, Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Senegal. Waypoints provide dates and distances between stages. Icons inform on driving conditions: winding roads, steep grades, river fords, gorges, forests, and deserts. Aside from the rally course, cities, towns, and villages are labeled throughout, along with mountain ranges and physical features. An advertisement in the lower right names Pastis 51, a French anisette liquor, as the poster's maker.

The 1984 Paris-Dakar Rally

The 6th running of the Paris-Dakar Rally took place between January 1 and January 20, 1984, and had 19 stages. René Metge and Dominique Lemoyne won the car division in a Porshe 953. Gaston Rahier won the motorcycle division.

Paris-Dakar Rally

The Paris-Dakar Rally, today known simply as the Dakar Rally, is a raid motorsport event constituting a blisteringly brutal cross-country push. The Dakar Rally was created in 1978 by Theirry Sabine. The first race started in Paris on December 26, 1978, with 170 teams. It lasted until January 14, 1979, when the teams arrived in Dakar after crossing the Mediterranean by ship. As the rally gained popularity, it developed car, motorcycle, and truck divisions. The course changed annually and did not always start in Paris or end in Dakar. The last Paris-Dakar Rally was in 2007. The 2008 edition was canceled due to security concerns in Mauritania, and the organizer, Amaury Sport, decided that the race would take place in South America beginning in 2009. From 2020 until 2025, the race will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Publication History and Census

This map was published by Pastis 51 in 1984. This piece is not cataloged in institutional collections and rarely appears on the private market.