Portraits

Magical encounters during my journeys

For months at a time during each of the past 21 years, Marc has abandoned urban civilization to ride his bicycle across a land bereft of borders and fences on journeys spanning 17,000 kilometres. In all four seasons, he has spent between 10 to 14 hours per day climbing hundreds of lofty passes, crossing the gigantic steppe and Altaï and Kanghai mountains and cutting through Siberian forests and the 33 deserts that form the Mongolian Gobi. Marc has encountered all of Mongolia’s ethnic groups, most of them of Türk and Mongol origin, learning the sense of humility that comes from living in simple, harsh yet strikingly beautiful surroundings. These portraits are memories of the beautiful encounters he made during his adventures.

Light of the dawn

Warm-hearted shepherdess and a mother of three of the Zakchen ethnic group met nearby Mandah while on her way to Tolbo.
Bayan Ulgii province, km 352, June 2008

Honorable

Nomad of the Taïga forests and assistant to the venerable Suvin†, the shaman of the Dukha ethnic group. Met in the heart of the Saïans mountains.
Far western region of Hovsgol province, October 2005

Humaneness

Nomad, kazakh shepherdess of the flocks and a mother of a large family. Met down the slopes of Ovootyn Hotol pass.
Close to Hujirt, a hamlet in Bayan Ulgii province, km 1595, spring 2004

Respect of the times gone by

Portrait of a venerable grandmother in her festive kazakh dress. Met in northern Dzungaria, nearby Bulgan.
Hovd province, km 2100, June 2006

Eau de rose

A pleasant student of the Kazakh ethnic group, living nearby the town of Bulgan.
Hovd province located at the far western tip of the Dzungarian Gobi, km 2102, June 2006

Eye of lynx

Horse dealer whose ancestors are from the Buriat ethnic group established in the northern provinces of Tartary. Met at Arvaïheer market.
Province of Övörhangay, km 444, May 2004

Horse mane

Stallholder of a kazakh bazaar at the Ulgii market.
Bayan Ulgii province, km 1910, May 2005

Fox and cunning

Meeting with an extraordinary nomad and retired from cattle breeding while he was saying a rosary and smoking his pipe ! During a difficult bicycle ride across the Mongol desert.
Beyond the village of Dorgon, Uvs province, km 850, Fall 2005

Beauty of the soul

Nomad having the pure soul of a shepherdess on her way to Uliastay market where she plans to trade felt against basic foodstuffs.
Zavkhan province, km 1095, September 2005

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