Voyage scientifique à travers l'Afrique occidentale : Soudan français, Sénégal, Casamance

A young team of French scholars set out at the turn of the twentieth century to chart the largely unknown natural wealth of Senegal, French Sudan and the Casamance region. Guided by the governor‑general’s ambition to showcase these resources at the 1900 World’s Fair, the expedition combines meticulous field work with a clear purpose: to identify plants, animals and minerals that could be turned into practical products for the colony.

The botanist leads an eight‑thousand‑kilometre trek, gathering thousands of specimens, from sturdy grasses and edible crops to promising medicinal and industrial herbs. Alongside him, a doctor records the customs of local peoples, a zoologist catalogues the fauna, and a geologist maps the terrain’s layers. Their observations are enriched by vivid sketches and detailed notes, offering a snapshot of West Africa’s ecosystems just as they began to enter European scientific circles. The result is a rich, illustrated account that invites listeners to travel back to an era of curiosity, discovery, and the early stages of scientific colonial enterprise.