Because books are for many a powerful engine of escape and dreams, today we take you to our Mongolian lands with the presentation of Marc Alaux's works, writer, publisher and above all passionate lover of Mongolia.

Who is Marc Alaux?

Born in 1976, Marc Alaux fell under the spell of Mongolia twenty years ago. In 2001, he embarked on an incredible walking journey across the vastness of the Mongolian steppes from east to west. He didn't stop there and returned twice, in 2003 and 2016, to traverse the Mongolian lands, always on foot, and live in total immersion in yurts with Mongolian herders. In total, he clocked 7,000 kilometers on foot and studied the history, culture and language of the country.

Today, Marc Alaux is publisher and travel bookseller at Transboréal. He is notably the author of the works "Under the Yurts of Mongolia" and "Intoxicated by the Steppes" which we will present to you.

Transboréal, an independent publishing house

Transboréal is an independent publishing house. It aims to promote the work of authors, illustrators and photographers who have demonstrated dedication and courage during studies or long journeys marked by genuine connection with human communities or the natural world.

Alongside its publishing activities, Transboréal runs a travel bookstore on rue Berthollet, in the 5th district, in Paris. Don't hesitate to pay a visit.

Learn more about Transboréal

Intoxicated by the Steppes, A Winter in Mongolia

The mountains of western Mongolia are home to the yurts of Bayad nomadic herders. In the camp of a modest family, Marc Alaux secluded himself for the duration of a winter to apprentice as a shepherd and nourish himself on silence and space. Time stretches calmly across the pure line of the snowy steppe, but cold and wolves afflict the herds. And life in this free nature demands a return to manual tasks, which reveal one's true worth. Opposed to this face-to-face encounter with oneself is the fraternal intimacy of wintering together, along with visits, songs, rituals and festivities of the New Year. An echo of an existence opposite to half-measures, this account vibrates with accomplished experience and reminds us that only passion guides man through infinity.

More at https://www.transboreal.fr/librairie.php?code=TRASISTE

Under the Yurts of Mongolia, With the Sons of the Steppe

Marc Alaux covered 7,000 kilometers on foot in the land of the Blue Sky. From the Chinese frontier to the Siberian marches, he traversed the central and eastern prairies, as well as the endless Gobi Desert and the mountainous and wooded confines. Eager to share the lifestyle of the "Sons of the Steppe," he taught himself the Mongolian language, formed friendships, lived under the yurt of nomadic herders, participated in pastoral tasks, festivities and seasonal migrations. He also spent time in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, and in isolated villages, in order to grasp all the nuances of a society transformed in less than a century from feudalism to communism and then capitalism. He delivers on his quest for the Mongolian soul an adventure story that is also an essay in ethnology.

More at https://www.transboreal.fr/librairie.php?code=TRASIYOU

Proverbs & Sayings of Mongolia

Organic, trivial and sometimes amusing, yet wise

and detached, Mongolian proverbs transport us to the heart of the steppe: on horseback, in the smell and heat of the herd, among the hills, in the intimacy of the yurt… They immerse us in the daily life of nomadic herders, among the people of Genghis Khan. And as if by miracle, these maxims carved by the wind of the great Asian prairies echo our sedentary Western lives. "I am the plain and the mountain, the pasture and the storm. I am the rider. I am this country that I traverse and tread without cease. I shelter myself under the felt of beasts that graze the steppe and of which I nourish myself." these guides, lighter than air, seem to whisper.

More at http://www.georama.fr/f/index.php?sp=liv&livre_id=122

Win one of Marc Alaux's works

A great lover of Mongolia, it is with great generosity that Marc Alaux supports Horseback Mongolia and our entire team. On the occasion of our solidarity fundraiser, Marc Alaux and Transboreal are offering several works:

• 10 copies of the account "Under the Yurts of Mongolia, With the Sons of the Steppe"
• 6 copies of the account "The Virtue of the Steppes, Small Reverence to Nomadic Life"
• 3 copies of the anthology "Proverbs & Sayings of Mongolia" published with Charlotte Marchina by Géorama editions
• 3 copies of Nikolai Przhevalsky's account "Journey to Mongolia and the Land of the Tanguts"

A heartfelt thank you to Transboréal and Marc for their support and generosity. Don't hesitate to discover all the books published by Transboréal and perhaps gift a magnificent work on Mongolia for Christmas.

To participate in the solidarity fundraiser, visit Leetchi!