This work summarizes the progress made on the BM32 beamline at the ESRF over the past 4 years since the launch of the CVD project, which was aimed at studying the in situ growth of SiGe nanowires, using synchrotron X-ray scattering techniques. Results on the growth of Si and Ge NWs are first presented. The NWs length, size, spacing, facet morphology and their tapering angle are determined in real time with X-ray techniques. Special attention was paid to the very early stage of growth where changes in the shape of the AuSi liquid droplet were clearly observed. We also found clues indicating the presence of a metastable AuGe phase at the catalyst-substrate interface, the formation of which may be crucial to the sub-eutectic growth of Ge NWs.S...