In September 2025, I officially launched a project that had been close to my heart for a long time: My Tour de France of River Stops.
An adventure born from a fundamental need: to meet the people who bring inland navigation to life, out in the field, where everything truly begins.
I began my journey on the Garonne and the Dordogne, two magnificent regions marked by history, hospitality and passion.
Each river stop I visited confirmed what I had already sensed:
inland navigation is a rich, demanding, deeply human world… and still too often overlooked or insufficiently supported.
At every encounter, I had the privilege of listening to:
- daily realities,
- successes,
- challenges,
- concrete needs,
- expectations for the future.
And one insight emerged consistently throughout these discussions:
a profound need for recognition, structure and visibility.
A complimentary assessment for the most welcoming river stop
To highlight the commitment, hospitality and quality of the river stops I meet,
I decided to offer — at each stage — a full assessment to the river stop that stands out through:
- the quality of its welcome,
- the availability of its team,
- its services,
- its involvement in the inland navigation dynamic.
During this first stage on the Garonne and the Dordogne, it was the river stop of Cadillac that earned this recognition.
A warm congratulations to them 👏
The assessment is underway and will help support the river stop in its development, visibility and recognition.
This initiative is particularly meaningful to me:
it shines a light on those who often work behind the scenes,
yet are essential to the fluvial experience.
A necessary pause… before a major restart
I had initially planned to continue with the Loire at the end of 2025.
In the end, I chose to respect the natural rhythm of fieldwork:
a project like this requires time, attention and presence.
The Tour de France of River Stops will therefore resume in February–March 2026,
beginning with the Loire, then the Saône, the Rhône, the Seine, the Rhine,
with the aim of covering all French rivers by the 2026 season.
The objective is clear:
➤ to personally meet every river stop in France,
➤ to build a national vision based on real experience — not on reports
Why is this Tour de France essential?
Because no platform, no label, no strategic approach can be legitimate without first knowing the river stops, their teams and their realities.
Because every region has its own identity.
Because every river stop has its own story.
Because behind every quay, there are dedicated men and women.
This Tour directly nourishes the projects I am developing —
Fluvial Connect and Destination Fluviale —
giving them solid, human foundations deeply rooted in reality.
2026: continuing the journey together
This Tour de France is far more than a personal project.
It is a collective approach, focused on the future of inland navigation:
- for river stops,
- for companies,
- for regions,
- for a more visible, more harmonised sector.
I cannot wait to get back on the road, continue these encounters,
and help this extraordinary network grow —
with you, along all the rivers of France.
The adventure is only just beginning.
See you soon on the quays.
À très vite sur les quais.
AF Fluvial Conseil 
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