Slow food/Slow freight. Le transport urbain par voie d’eau, vitrine ou fenêtre de tir pour les circuits courts alimentaires ?

The recent development of containerized river transport in French urban logistics (i.e. the Franprix experience in Paris in 2012) shed light on a still marginal offer which combines short-hauls for food supply chains with river transport. Only very rare cases could be identified in France that are thoroughly analyzed. Their promoters clearly prioritize environmental and social benefits instead of financial profitability, so that the various models are still experimental and economically uncertain. They strongly rely on a social and solidarity economy. In a broader perspective, emerging services reveal the richness and versatility of urban waterways and their capacity to be used within new logistical schemes. They also can be regarded as an interesting attempt to question the urban and social coherence of the sustainable city.