Alfred de Montesquiou, a war correspondent for the Associated Press news agency and a journalist for Paris Match – for which he has covered most of the Arab Spring revolutions – will be our knowledge broker along the Silk Road, the mythical network of trade routes that for centuries linked the Far East to the West. Follow in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors, from Alexander the Great to Marco Polo.
Journey through time, encountering specialists, historians, or just everyday people with a passion who will help you grasp the past and present identities of those countries. From Bursa in Turkey to Xi’an in China, Alfred guides and accompanies you in this fresh and original way to discover History.
Episodes Season Season 1 · 0/15 0/15 watched · 2017
S01E01 Italy: Venice 2017-01-10 26m
Our adventurer begins his journey in Venice, just like Marco Polo, the most famous voyager to have proceeded down this ancient route.
The many cultural influences are immediately obvious: The architecture and the mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica reveal the links that connect this city with the distant lands of Asia; the textile maker Alberto Bevilacqua recounts the history of the silk trade, while a restaurant owner passionate about gastronomy explains the varied origins of Venetian cuisine.
Alfred then shows us a little-known treasure: the Armenian monastery’s library. It is packed with manuscripts in all languages, brought there through the Silk Road. more
S01E02 Turkey: Bosphorus 2017-01-17 26m
At the edge of the European continent, our guide enters Turkish territory through the city of Edirne.
He discovers Ottoman architectural wonders and the traditional local variant of wrestling, in which men are doused in olive oil before bouts. After a stop in Istanbul, the ultimate symbol of the Silk Road, Alfred discovers the city that was once the Ottoman capital, Bursa, and gains an insight into Anatolian culture. more
S01E03 Turkey: Anatolia, The Caravans of Asia Minor 2017-01-24 26m
At the heart of the Anatolian plateau, our guide visits the first of the caravanserais that dot his journey, as they once dotted the ancient trade routes. more
S01E04 Iran: Tabriz, Capital of Merchants 2017-01-31 26m
Alfred discovers the north of Iran; enter the city that once was the core of the entire Silk Road in Persia: Tabriz. He heads into the bazaar, the finest in the country, and wanders through its 36km of alleyways and stalls. more
S01E05 Iran: Assassins, Emperors and Ma 2017-02-07 26m
Alfred learns that Iran has a Silk Road Secretariat. Its representative in the northern city of Qazvin – Hooman Babapoor – explains that the government wishes to develop links between other countries along the illustrious road. more
S01E06 Iran: Kashan and the Zoroastrian Fire Temple of Yazd 2017-02-14 26m
In the oasis of Kashan, in central Iran, Alfred marvels at the famous pleasure gardens of Fin that cemented the Persians’ renown. He then discovers Iranian Zoroastrianism in a “house of strength”, whose inhabitants hone both their spirit and their body. more
S01E07 Uzbekistan: Bukhara 2017-02-21 26m
Alfred arrives in Uzbekistan, at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. He discovers Bukhara the beautiful, dream city for numerous travelers. more
S01E08 Uzbekistan: Samarkand 2017-02-28 26m
Some used to say Samarkand – in central Uzbekistan – was at the center of the world. Alfred follows the ancient Royal Road to the city – associated with the great Turco-Mongol warrior Timur, who was also famed for his refinement and elegance. more
S01E09 Uzbekistan: Tachkent 2017-03-07 26m
Alfred is awestruck by the modernity of life in Tashkent, the capital of present-day Uzbekistan and a major central Asian city. There is an incredible mix of ethnic groups in this part of the world. more
S01E10 Kyrgystan 2017-03-14 26m
Osh is the first place Alfred visits in Kyrgyzstan. He saunters down the aisles of its bazaar, but soon realizes that the real Kyrgyzstan is to be found on the endless steppes and vast mountains, where you lose all notions of boundaries. more
S01E11 China: Kashgar 2017-03-21 26m
Alfred's point of entry to China is Kashgar, in the Xinjiang region – the biggest in the country. It is home to the Uyghurs, an ethnic minority descended from Turkic peoples. more
S01E12 China: Gobi 2017-03-28 26m
A Uyghur family invites our guide into their home. He learns about their way of life and growing techniques. Gaochang used to be an important waypoint through the Silk Road and a famous gathering place for scholars. more
S01E13 China: Dunhuang 2017-04-04 26m
Crossing the Taklamakan desert is a demanding step. And only once the Silk Road caravans made it could they say they truly arrived in China. The Bactrian camel has become emblematic of the region: without it, trade could not have developed along the Silk Road. more
S01E14 China: Lanzhou 2017-04-11 26m
Our guide travels to Liqian, at the narrowest point of the Hexi Corridor. Legend has it that this is where the descendants of Crassus' lost legions ended up. more
S01E15 China: Xian 2017-04-18 26m
Alfred arrives in Xi’an - in the province of Shaanxi. The Silk Road caravans used to end their long journey in this millenary city. more 
