French Geographers under International Gaze : regional excursions for the XIIIth International Geographical Congress, 1931 Les géographes fran ais vus de l’étranger : excursions organisées à l’occasion du XIIIe Congrès International de Géographie en 1931

Excursions accompanying international conferences provide important opportunities to transmit geographical knowledge. Fieldtrips associated with the International Geographical Congress in Paris are examined with respect to theme, leadership, and message. Leadership was entrusted to proven geographers holding doctorates, and to geologists working close to physical geography. Despite eight excursions being planned, opportunities were not offered to visit large sections of France. This pattern of activity reflected areas where regional monographs had been completed, and where annual inter-university excursions for French geographers had been run. Patronage by De Martonne (Sorbonne) or by Blanchard (Grenoble) was another important explanatory factor for who led excursions and where they took place. Les excursions offertes à l’occasion des congrès internationaux donnent des possibilités importantes pour la transmission des savoirs géographiques. Dans cet article on essaie d’analyser le contenu, la direction et les communications des excursions associées avec le Congrès International de Géographie à Paris. Malgré la préparation de huit excursions, de larges sections de l’Hexagone restaient fermées aux congressistes. Cette situation s’explique par la localisation et des études monographiques achevées, et des excursions interuniversitaires. Le patronage des grands ma tres (De Martonne à la Sorbonne, Blanchard à Grenoble) fournit un autre élément d’explication.