A sporting challenge to reconnect with the canal
Léa Jamelot, former member of the French kayak sprint team, has chosen to cross inland Brittany, not for competition, but to show her attachment to a founding place: the Nantes-Brest canal. For two weeks, she will paddle the 364-kilometre stretch, with its 237 locks, at a rate of 30 to 40 kilometers a day.
This project has nothing to do with tourism: it's an introspection, a return to her roots, since it was on this canal that she discovered kayaking at the age of nine, during a summer camp.
Promoting an often overlooked river heritage
The Nantes to Brest canal, built in the XIX? century for economic and military reasons, crosses territories often away from major tourist flows. By highlighting lock-keepers, local residents, craftsmen, community organizations and the landscapes it crosses, the "Léa de Nantes à Brest" project aims to document a discreet but living heritage.
At each stopover, meetings are organized with local breweries, third places, schools, nautical associations... A rural and fluvial fabric that takes shape through stories, images and exchanges.
A logistical and audiovisual expedition
Behind the apparent simplicity of the âeuros paddle âeuros gesture lies a major technical organization. Léa is followed by a team of ten people, including a wooden support boat built by Samuel Année. This boat serves as a logistical base for filming the stages, editing, storing equipment and providing support in case of need.
Each day is documented for an 18-episode webseries broadcast two days apart. A documentary film is also in production.
An ecological and human commitment
One of Léa Jamelot's stated aims is to raise awareness of water and canal conservation. In the age of climate change, this type of waterway presents multiple challenges, from flow management to the biodiversity of its banks.
The challenge is also part of a dynamic of human links. Children, kayak clubs, hikers and families cross Léa's path. Some paddle with her for a while, while others welcome her in unusual places, such as cabins on the water or converted barges.
The canal as a social and cultural link
Léa's crossing also becomes a pretext for bringing people together: concerts, food trucks, video screenings, sports events, wellness workshops, markets... Each stage is designed as a space for sharing between local populations, institutions and visitors.
The project is supported by the Brittany region, several of the departments it crosses (Loire-Atlantique, Morbihan, Finistère) and numerous local authorities.
At a time when river tourism and inland heritage remain in the shadow of the coast, this type of initiative raises questions: how can we reinvest our waterways? What role can canal users play in transmitting this heritage? Léa Jamelot's challenge is an invitation to rediscover these territories between two shores, where slow navigation tells of another rhythm, another world.
