All his novels, indeed his entire life, were dedicated to the search for the "naked human being." And even while traveling on France's rivers and canals, he tried to grasp the essence of humanity—for the simple reason that cities and villages always grew up on the water. At the end of March 1928, Georges Simenon boarded a five-and-a-half-meter-long boat: the Ginette would be his home for the next few months. With him were his wife Tigy, his housekeeper (and Simenon's secret lover) Boule, his Great Dane Olaf, and his Royal typewriter, on which he wrote not only the reportage collected in this volume, but also countless pulp novels. And so they traveled from north to south, from east to west, across the whole of France. And even at the first locks, Simenon had the feeling of discovering a new universe. Far from the hustle and bustle of the capital, the young captain found a different language, foreign customs and traditions - and his own wonder at this very different France on the banks of the Saône, the Rhône and many canals.