Since April, a century-old barge has left Toulouse and is traveling around France. On board: Jean-Marc Samuel, determined to show that river transport is not dead. He stopped at the port of the Canal de Dijon this week.
It’s a very unique way to celebrate his hundredth birthday. Arrived this Tuesday, August 22 at the port of the Canal de Dijon, Willy will stay a few days in the city of the Dukes. Four months ago, Jean-Marc Samuel’s barge left Toulouse to reach Rouen by waterway. Here we are now on the return trip, where Jean-Marc Samuel wanted to take advantage of the Burgundy Canal.
A journey to highlight river transport. “L’objective is to show that it is possible to cross France with the waterways. This is something that is not well enough known. The river network is sufficiently extensive to be able to irrigate a good part of the territory, and also in Europe”assures Jean-Marc Samuel, president of acting for the river.
I am transporting a 160 ton boat with an engine that has the power of a small city car.
Jean-Marc Samuel
President of Acting for the Fluvial
“It’s a commercial boat that sails in Europe and especially on the Canal de Midi. It’s a model of resilience, today we can work with boats that are 50, 60, 70, even 100 years old. will continue its demonstration work.”
For him, the Willy barge is proof that boats are reliable means of transport, and as credible as rail or road transport. “We need to think about decarbonization, to diversify modes of transport. The advantage here is that we save between 30 and 70% of CO2 depending on the size of the boats. We must develop river transport, and redeploy it on regenerated waterways.”
Jean-Marc Samuel has been fighting to bring river transport back to the fore for 20 years. • © Credits: Nicolas Da Silva – France Televisions
We don’t make noise, we don’t cause congestion on the road, we don’t cause accidents, we maintain the waterway instead of destroying it, we consume less energy.
Jean-Marc Samuel
President of Acting for the Fluvial
In his barge, Jean-Marc Samuel travels the country, without ever really stopping. A life that does not seem to bother this 65-year-old man, who has decided to promote river transport in each city he passes through. “Living in a barge is like living as a nomad. It’s always being on the move, on the move, being somewhere one day and somewhere else the next day. That’s what excites us, waking up every morning in a different place.”
The barge will resume its journey next week. It will stop at Saint-Jean-de-Losne for some repairs, before returning to Toulouse.
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