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Much research, especially within the framework of the Fluvial Archives Group, has focused on river response to climate change in mid-latitude non-glaciated areas, but research into the relationships between Quaternary glacial and fluvial dynamics remains sparse. Understanding glacial–fluvial interactions is important because glaciers are able to influence river behaviour significantly, especially during glacial and deglacial periods: (1) when they are located downstream of a pre-existing fluvial system and disrupt its activity, leading to hydrographical, hydrosedimentary and isostatic adjustments, and (2) when they are located upstream, which is a common scenario in mid-latitude mountains that were glaciated during Pleistocene cold periods. In these instances, glaciers are major water and sediment sources. Their role is particularly significant during deglaciation, when meltwater transfer towards the fluvial system is greatly increased while downstream sediment evacuation is influenced by changes to glacial–fluvial connectivity and basin-wide sediment storage. This means that discharge and sediment flux do not always respond simultaneously, which can lead to complex fluvial behaviour involving proglacial erosion and sedimentation and longer-term paraglacial reworking. These processes may vary spatially and temporally according to the position relative to the ice margin (ice-proximal versus ice-distal). With a focus on the catchments of Europe, this paper aims to review our understanding of glacial impacts on riversystem behaviour. We examine the methods used to unravel fluvial response to 'glacial forcing', and propose a synthesis of the behaviour of glacially-fed rivers, opening perspectives for further research.

Research in the Meurthe and Moselle valleys downstream from the Vosges Massif has resulted in the definition of the terrace system, and in the recognition of the climatic influence on its formation. Eight alluvial terraces were recognized at less than 100 m relative height. An absolute chronology was established for the youngest alluvial terraces, based on infrared optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dating. This provides evidence that each terrace corresponds to a single glacial–interglacial cycle. This result is confirmed by the study of numerous sections, which present a constant succession of lithofacies in each valley part. Four alluvial sequences were also defined along the Meurthe and Moselle valleys, reflecting Middle and Late Pleistocene climate change: their upper basin, developed in the Vosges Massif, was actually covered by glaciers during the Pleistocene cold periods. The differences between these four alluvial sequences are attributed to the unequal expansion of ice in the upper basins of the Meurthe and Moselle rivers, and their tributaries. In spite of these differences, the sequences show important similarities: main aggradation events correlate with cold periods (Pleniglacial and Lateglacial), whereas erosional phases occurred at the warm-to-cold transitions, and secondarily at the Pleniglacial–Lateglacial transitions. This evolution is comparable with those already described in other northwestern European valleys, especially since the Upper Saalian.