The project

A new human adventure by Nathalie and Alain Antognelli   This time we offer you the chance to follow us in our quest for discovery, taking you to the taiga in the depths of Mongolia with its tepees, isolated in the middle of winter where we hope to share the everyday lives of the Tsaatan people, the nomads who breed reindeer. During this fully immersive experience, we will live with them and capture their everyday life, their hospitality but above all the harshness of winter in these breeders’ lives. The story doesn’t end there, as it will continue over other lands and finish in the frozen north-eastern reaches of Siberia. ‘But the destination must never make you forget the journey!’

We will set off on this adventure from Monaco with two sea kayaks, and cover a 3,000 km route along the shores of the Mediterranean, mostly along the coasts of Italy and Greece. Once we arrive in Athens, we will exchange the kayaks and navigation equipment for two recumbent bikes, to begin the land-based section of the journey. From here on, we shall begin our winter route across the high plateaux of Turkey and Iran (there will be snow and temperatures below freezing) before crossing Central Asia and heading for Mongolia and Siberia. In total we are preparing to begin a journey across sea and land of over 18,000 km. In order to make time to meet people, we will give ourselves a year before taking on the Mongolian steppe. In total the project should take three years. Three years of life, of the unexpected, of difficulties, but also of great joys and incredible people. Details of our winterings, as well as a photo and video report will follow on our website.

The project: It will be accompanied by interactive programmes and actions with other organisations and associations in order to experience The Route more closely. This website will showcase a selection of photos, but also regular online updates with short videos.

Non-exhaustive list of themes for the reports:   – ‘Méditerranée, plastique à la mer’ (Mediterranean, plastic in the sea): our maritime wanderings by kayak across a sea and beaches where plastics are everywhere. – La route de l’intérieur (The Interior Route): a theme that mainly focuses on the authenticity of the people we meet. – ‘Les routes du froid’ (The Cold Routes): our travels along these frozen and snowy routes, the people we meet and local life. – ‘Hivernage mongol : notre vie avec le peuple Tsaatan’ (Mongolian wintering: our life with the Tsaatan people).

– « Hivernage mongol : notre vie avec le peuple Tsaatan »

The schedule: Start of April 2016: departure by kayak from the port of Monaco September – October 2016: arrival in Athens From October to December 2016: Turkey In January 2017: Georgia / Armenia From February to April 2017: Iran From April to August 2017: Crossing central Asia From September 2017 to July 2017: wintering in Mongolia From July to September 2018: crossing Siberia September 2018: arrival in Vladivostok (Russia)

Countries crossed: Monaco France Italy Greece Turkey Georgia Armenia Iran Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan China Mongolia Russia.

An interactive programme: But the project does not stop there. “The Route” is also an interactive programme involving other participants, a tool for educational and associative projects focused on various topics: nature, the environment, knowledge of ancestral traditions. Humankind in its natural environment. We are also going to place a strong focus on the human values of the populations with whom we will be living. The project is not set in stone, it will stay open throughout the journey and is likely to change. Feel free to contact us.

Join our journey – with our Greenland adventure, we felt that some of you were keen to get involved and actively take part in the project. Although our independence is an advantage, for us being supported and encouraged, sharing our times of doubt and our triumphs with others is much more gratifying. We are strongly attached to ways of life where humankind and sharing represent the cornerstone of society – “The Route” will be an example. From a practical point of view, the opportunities to take part, either momentarily or on a regular basis, in this adventure are many – social network activities – communications – partnerships and educational projects – online translation of our texts from French into English – IT: skills in Mac and its software. Generally speaking, all skills are welcome

Traduction : Gouvernement Princier / Principauté de Monaco