“I read this book in one sitting, gripped by emotion. What a journey—a plunge, only to rise again toward joy!” —Erik Orsenna, de l’Académie française

“A radiant novel, a modern tale, both simple and moving like a life lesson.” —Midi Libre

“A novel of rare precision and tenderness about brotherhood and hope.” —Staff pick, Ma collection de livres

“Thanks to the fishing competition, Alexandre regains confidence, rediscovers love, and feels good. So do we!” —Le Soir

“Loris Chavanette has published a joyful and picturesque novel set along the banks of the Sète canal, centered on colorful and picturesque sea bream fishermen… a literary work that stands out in this rather gloomy literary season.” —La pêche et les poissons Magazine

“Loris Chavanette has delivered a gently melancholic tale that, in a story both humorous and tragic, explores the passage of time and the wounds of battered souls who, despite everything, eventually heal.” —Le Progrès de Fecamp

“Unique characters worthy of a dramatic comedy.” —Paris Normandie

“The Fishing Competition is a novel steeped in the spirit of the south of France. It is a humanist tale that shows us there is always hope even when we think everything is doomed.” —RMC

Alexandre didn’t wait for his fiancée to cheat on him to be unhappy. Ever since his father disappeared at sea when he was just a child, he’s been unable to live life to the fullest. But that summer, when he lands in his hometown of Sète, on the Mediterranean coast, he meets a group of fishermen at an impromptu fishing competition, where everyone has to stake their most precious possession. Among them is Jonas, an old homeless man mocked by all, who bets a mysterious gold lighter.

Alexandre and Jonas are two solitudes who meet and help each other, in a “Sétoise” rewriting of Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea. A modern tale blending together humor and tragedy, The Fishing Competition reveals what hope remains when you think you’ve lost everything.