Here is a link to a French site. A few pictures say it all.
eaufrance.fr/le-transport-f … t-maritime
Those are barges, not narrow boats. There is a well used waterway from Le Havre container port into Gennevilliers, Paris.
And here at Lyon Terminal, container and Kangaroo interchange for Road/Rail/Barge. Just click on the photo gallery.
lyon-terminal.fr/#home
Whole different ballgame.