How did St. Genevieve manage to feed the Parisians during the 10-year-long blockade?

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Accepted answer

In the Life of St. Genevieve which was first published in the 16th century it says the following:

Les Romains, jusqu'à ce jour, avaient entretenu dans la ville une flotte, pour s'opposer aux incursions des barbares. Avec cette flotte,il était encore facile de faire par eau une expédition, cette voie n'ayant point été fermée par l'ennemi. Geneviève s'offrit à partir, et promit d'aller jusqu'à Arcis sur-Aube acheter les vivres nécessaires pour approvisionner la ville. Cette proposilion, de sa part, fut regardée comme un coup de Providence. On accueillit sa demande avec joie, et les Parisiens sentirent se ranimer leurs forces, et l'espérance renaître en lèùr cœur, en voyant Geneviève partir avec onze pet**s vaisseaux destinés à rapporter d'amples provisions. Les Francs, comme nous l'avons dit, n'avaient point de flotte, et nous ne voyons point qu'ils aient tente de s'opposer a cette entreprise. Il est a presumer que la Sainte fut accompagnee par des personnes distinguees de la ville, et l'on cite en particulier un pretre, nomme Bessus, qui faisait partie de l'expedition.

Which, in English is:

The Romans, to this day in the city had maintained a fleet, to oppose the incursions of the barbarians. With this fleet, With this fleet, it was still easy to make an expedition by water, this path not having been closed by the enemy. Genevieve offered to leave and promised to go up to Arcis sur-Aube buy food needed to supply the city. This proposal, on its part, was regarded as a stroke of Providence. We granted his request with joy, and the Parisians felt to revived in their spirits, and hope reborn in their heart, seeing Genevieve with eleven small vessels intended to bring ample supplies. The Franks, as we have said, had no fleet, and we [can still see today] the point they tried to oppose this company. It was presumed that the Saint was accompanied by distinguished persons of the city, and in particular there is mentioned a priest, called Bessus, who was part of the expedition.


Thus, you can see that in the original account the reason is clear: the Franks did not have a fleet. I would add to this account that in ancient times the Seine was probably considerably wider than it is today.

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