Joseph Roux (1725–1793), ‘Hidrographe du Roy’, was one of the leading chartmakers of his day. In 1764 he published this smaller format atlas of 121 harbour charts. The atlas proved so successful that editions were being published well into the nineteenth century; some were by Roux himself, but many pirated. Due to their practical nature few examples survive, and all editions are rare. The plates show town and harbour plans, with soundings, anchorages, rocks, shoals, fortifications, and lighthouses.

As a companion to this work Roux published his monumental 12-sheet chart of the Mediterranean.