an epigraph?

In ancient times, an epigraph captured a world in a few lasting words. The word comes from the ancient Greek epigraphein (« to write upon ») capturing the impulse to leave a trace: a thought, a feeling, a fragment of eternity.

Today, Des Épigraphes revives that art through photography, poetry, and the simple elegance of the handwritten word.

the old way is the new way

Inspired by explorers, artists, and timeless cities, we honor the art of travelling, where each postcard carries the spirit of a place, crafted not to be consumed, but to be kept.

At Des Épigraphes, we believe in the art of travelling and the pleasure of writing: in gathering moments, inscribing emotions and carrying them forward through images, words and the silent passing of time.

timeless travels, written with love

Every Des Épigraphes postcard is photographed and inscribed with care.

Printed in Rome on FSC®-certified papers, finished by hand and sealed in time-honored tradition, each memory is crafted to endure. Additionally, for every postcard sent into the world, a tree is planted via One Tree Planted: an echo of the futures we still believe in.

Through every image and every word, Des Épigraphes invites you to travel differently; to collect not destinations, but emotions.

Picture of founder Tolga Avan in Angkor Wat, Cambodia

About the Founder

Tolga Avan is a storyteller of places and emotions. Born in the French Alps to French and Turkish parents,he began his creative journey in Paris between beauty and literature. Life led him across Istanbul, Athens, Shanghai, and Bangkok before returning him to Europe between Paris and Rome, where Des Épigraphes found its voice. Photographer, writer, and strategist in the luxury world, Tolga founded Des Épigraphes to celebrate a simple truth: that to travel is to gather memories, and to write is to hold them still for a little while longer.