De Saint-Louis à Tripoli par le Lac Tchad : Voyage au travers du Soudan et du Sahara

In the early 1890s a French marine officer embarked on a bold crossing from the Atlantic coast to the remote shores of Lake Chad, threading his way through the Sudanese heartland and the vast Sahara. Over three years he followed the freshly negotiated Franco‑British line, confronting harsh deserts, swollen rivers and bustling market towns. His journal mixes the immediacy of a soldier’s report with a keen eye for geography and culture, and the narrative is complemented by finely rendered engravings that bring the caravan routes to life.

The account guides listeners through shifting dunes, fertile floodplains beside the lake, and the lively towns of the Sokoto and Bornu regions. He records customs, trade rhythms and the stark contrast between Arab‑influenced coastal ports and the interior African societies he meets. Though he omits the later political maneuverings, the vivid descriptions and honest reflections offer a rare snapshot of a world on the verge of profound change.