Byrrh, Saintes

That will be a double Byrrh! This is the second ghost sign for this aperitif made of dry wines from Languedoc-Roussillon, mistelles, and cinchona I came across in Saintes (for the other one, and more information about Byrrh, click here. For a better-preserved example, spotted in Cognac, click here).
Why two adverts for the same product on the same wall? There were two advantages to this: firstly the repetition had a greater impact on the passing public, and secondly it prevented Byrrh's competitors from advertising their drinks next to it. Indeed there was always the risk that a competitor's sign would be more eye-catching, although in that case the white letters on red background were certainly unmissable.

Byrrh
Vin Tonique
Byrrh
Vin apéritif au quinquina
Note the last line was written across the lower part of the second "Byrrh."
It looks as if the upper Byrrh ghost sign could have been painted on two occasions.


As for the lower one, it was covered at some point by another advert.


Some letter can still be deciphered here and there but not enough to make any sense of it:Voila
...anau...
Location: Rue Saint-Eutrope, Saintes, Charente-Maritime / Pictures taken on: 29/01/2011