A la pagaïe : sur l'Escaut, le canal de Willebroeck, la Sambre et l'Oise

In this lively travelogue the author sets out on a modest boat, towing a stubborn donkey laden with camping gear, to explore the winding waterways of the Escaut, the Willebroek canal, the Sambre and the Oise. The journey is recorded day by day, capturing the rhythm of river traffic, the quiet of marshy banks and the occasional mishap with a stubborn current. Through simple encounters with boatmen, farmers and village children, the narrator finds a steady sense of independence and delight in the ordinary.

What makes the account special is its unpretentious prose, warm humor and vivid sketches of the landscape that feel both precise and expansive. The author writes with a breezy confidence, noting how the water reflects the sky and how a sudden rain can turn a placid tow into a lively scramble, all without grandiose language. These observations invite listeners to picture the slow pulse of 19th‑century canal life, where every lock and meadow holds a small story.