Photo Gallery

Two Kanuri women with child in the Maman Delaï camp near Chirfa in Djado - Niger - 1968

The Laguna de Huacachina is located in an oasis a few kilometers west of the city of Ica. Because of the increased water consumption due to tourism, the lake fell dry in 1988. As a result, pipelines were laid to supply additional water from Ica. - 1969

When, due to a - really rare - coincidence, a spring bursts open, wonderful vegetation sprouts: Spring of Terjit, Mauritania. - Mauritania - 1970

Dhar Tichitt is a Neolithic archaeological site in the south-western Saharan region of Mauritania. It is one of several settlement sites along the sandstone cliffs in the area. The cliffs were inhabited by farmers and pastoralists from about 4500 B.C. and lasted until about 2300 B.C. This area is one of the oldest known archaeological settlement sites in the western part of Africa. About 500 stone settlements were scattered throughout the region in the former Saharan savannah. In addition to cattle breeding (e.g. cattle, sheep, goats), the inhabitants hunted, fished, gathered wild cereals and cultivated rush millet. - In the background, the town of Tichitt. - Mauritania - 1970

Oualata is an oasis town in the administrative region of Hodh Ech Chargui in south-eastern Mauritania. It was one of the most important trading centres of the caravans (gold and salt trade), but also the meeting point of pilgrims to Mecca. - Mauritania - 1970

Ghardaïa, one of the most beautiful oases in the Sahara and capital of the Mzab. The other Mzab towns offer the same characteristic sight: the houses are arranged in steps on a roundish hill dominated by a pyramid-shaped minaret. - Algeria - 1966

El-Oued, the city of a thousand domes, capital of the Souf. Situated in the middle of the high dunes of the Great Eastern Erg, El-Oued is distinguished from the other oases by its houses with their differently shaped domed roofs. - Algeria - 1966

Every year, regular visitors meet at the Chouffane, a camel riding festival linked to an annual market that takes place at the Tarat oasis on the Lebanese border (Tassili n´Ajjer, Algeria). On this occasion, the Tuareg tribe leaders, who otherwise rarely meet, gather together in one of the tents. - Algeria - 1962

Tarat is a fortification in Illizi province, Algeria, near the border with Libya, on a wadi on the eastern edge of the Tassili n'Ajjer mountains. A Saharan Meharist company (from méhari, the Saharan riding camel) was stationed here. The Meharists were units of the French army that were supposed to control the areas of the Sahara during the colonial period. They employed regular soldiers, the tirailleurs, and Saharan "suppletifs" recruited among the large nomadic tribes, the Moors, Tuaregs, Toubous or Arabs. Since the first automobiles could not penetrate these regions, they used dromedaries. As true guardians of the desert, these companies were tasked with pacifying Tuareg territories, topographical work, monitoring caravans and trails, border surveillance, etc. - Algeria - 1962

Tarat is a fortification in Illizi province, Algeria, near the border with Libya, on a wadi on the eastern edge of the Tassili n'Ajjer mountains. A Saharan Meharist company (from méhari, the Saharan riding camel) was stationed here. The Meharists were units of the French army that were supposed to control the areas of the Sahara during the colonial period. They employed regular soldiers, the tirailleurs, and Saharan "suppletifs" recruited among the large nomadic tribes, the Moors, Tuaregs, Toubous or Arabs. Since the first automobiles could not penetrate these regions, they used dromedaries. As true guardians of the desert, these companies were tasked with pacifying Tuareg territories, topographical work, monitoring caravans and trails, border surveillance, etc. - Algeria - 1962

Tarat is a fortification in Illizi province, Algeria, near the border with Libya, on a wadi on the eastern edge of the Tassili n'Ajjer mountains. A Saharan Meharist company (from méhari, the Saharan riding camel) was stationed here. The Meharists were units of the French army that were supposed to control the areas of the Sahara during the colonial period. They employed regular soldiers, the tirailleurs, and Saharan "suppletifs" recruited among the large nomadic tribes, the Moors, Tuaregs, Toubous or Arabs. Since the first automobiles could not penetrate these regions, they used dromedaries. As true guardians of the desert, these companies were tasked with pacifying Tuareg territories, topographical work, monitoring caravans and trails, border surveillance, etc. - Algeria - 1962

Tarat is a fortification in Illizi province, Algeria, near the border with Libya, on a wadi on the eastern edge of the Tassili n'Ajjer mountains. A Saharan Meharist company (from méhari, the Saharan riding camel) was stationed here. The Meharists were units of the French army that were supposed to control the areas of the Sahara during the colonial period. They employed regular soldiers, the tirailleurs, and Saharan "suppletifs" recruited among the large nomadic tribes, the Moors, Tuaregs, Toubous or Arabs. Since the first automobiles could not penetrate these regions, they used dromedaries. As true guardians of the desert, these companies were tasked with pacifying Tuareg territories, topographical work, monitoring caravans and trails, border surveillance, etc. - Algeria - 1962

Tarat is a fortification in Illizi province, Algeria, near the border with Libya, on a wadi on the eastern edge of the Tassili n'Ajjer mountains. A Saharan Meharist company (from méhari, the Saharan riding camel) was stationed here. The Meharists were units of the French army that were supposed to control the areas of the Sahara during the colonial period. They employed regular soldiers, the tirailleurs, and Saharan "suppletifs" recruited among the large nomadic tribes, the Moors, Tuaregs, Toubous or Arabs. Since the first automobiles could not penetrate these regions, they used dromedaries. As true guardians of the desert, these companies were tasked with pacifying Tuareg territories, topographical work, monitoring caravans and trails, border surveillance, etc. - Algeria - 1962

Tarat is a fortification in Illizi province, Algeria, near the border with Libya, on a wadi on the eastern edge of the Tassili n'Ajjer mountains. A Saharan Meharist company (from méhari, the Saharan riding camel) was stationed here. The Meharists were units of the French army that were supposed to control the areas of the Sahara during the colonial period. They employed regular soldiers, the tirailleurs, and Saharan "suppletifs" recruited among the large nomadic tribes, the Moors, Tuaregs, Toubous or Arabs. Since the first automobiles could not penetrate these regions, they used dromedaries. As true guardians of the desert, these companies were tasked with pacifying Tuareg territories, topographical work, monitoring caravans and trails, border surveillance, etc. - Algeria - 1962

An oasis means above all water and palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera), a symphony of green and blue in counterpoint to the golden yellow of the dunes, but also the contrast of royal fertility, completely isolated in the midst of an extinguished drought. Like so many others, the palms of lherir, in the heart of the Tassili n' Ajjer, reflect the beauty of their finely chiselled fronds in the fertility of a still water which, in gratitude, they protect with their shade from evaporating too quickly. - Algeria - 1966

Djanet is an oasis and the most important city in the southeast of the Algerian Sahara. The original city consists of three quarters (ksour), built in the 16th century: El Mihan, Adjahil and Azzelouaz (pictured), which lie on either side of the Wadi Idjeriou. During French colonial rule, the town was called Fort Charlet. - Algeria - 1962

Djanet is an oasis and the most important city in the southeast of the Algerian Sahara. The original city consists of three quarters (ksour), built in the 16th century: El Mihan, Adjahil (pictured) and Azzelouaz, which lie on either side of the Wadi Idjeriou. During French colonial rule, the town was called Fort Charlet. - Algeria - 1962

Overview of Wadi Idjeriou and the oasis of Djanet from Tin Beur mountain. Djanet is the most important city in the southeast of the Algerian Sahara. The original city consists of three quarters (ksour), which were built in the 16th century: El Mihan, Adjahil and Azzelouaz, located on either side of the Wadi Idjeriou. During French colonial rule, the town was called Fort Charlet. - Algeria - 1962

The shadows are getting longer, evening is coming. The shepherdess returns to the oasis with her meagre herd of goats. In the background, the Arab village of Azzelouaz, which together with the Tuareg-inhabited Adjahil and the predominantly black El Mihan forms the most important oasis in southern Algeria, Djanet. - Algeria - 1962

Ghat, oasis in Libya, seen from Kukemen, the former Turkish fortress. The caravan routes that lead to the Fezzan, the Algerian Sahara and the southern Sahara converge in Ghat. The houses, made of dried mud or clay, have courtyards where family life takes place. - Libya - 1964

Ghat, oasis in Libya, seen from Kukemen, the former Turkish fortress. The caravan routes that lead to the Fezzan, the Algerian Sahara and the southern Sahara converge in Ghat. The houses, made of dried mud or clay, have courtyards where family life takes place. - Libya - 1964

The Edeyen or dune massif of Oubari with Lake Gabr' Aoun in the foreground, one of the seven lakes around which live the Daouda, people of dark complexion whose existence is one of the most miserable in the whole Sahara. Eight ridges of high, hard-to-walk dunes, some 50 kilometres, separate them from the fertile Adjal valley, which is dotted with rich oases. - Libya - 1964

The Edeyen or dune massif of Oubari with Lake Gabr' Aoun in the foreground, one of the seven lakes around which live the Daouda, people of dark complexion whose existence is one of the most miserable in the whole Sahara. Eight ridges of high, hard-to-walk dunes, some 50 kilometres, separate them from the fertile Adjal valley, which is dotted with rich oases. - Libya - 1964

The Edeyen or dune massif of Oubari with Lake Gabr' Aoun in the foreground, one of the seven lakes around which live the Daouda, people of dark complexion whose existence is one of the most miserable in the whole Sahara. Eight ridges of high, hard-to-walk dunes, some 50 kilometres, separate them from the fertile Adjal valley, which is dotted with rich oases. - Libya - 1964

In Fezzan, in the Edeyen of Oubari, a strange people lives near the lakes surrounded by high dunes. They are the Daouda. The word Daouda comes from "doud", which means worm in Arabic. In fact, the Daouda eat "worms", which they fish in the lakes fed by underground springs. Only the women are authorised to devote themselves to this task. Their net resembles the plankton net used by biologists. The worms - in reality crustaceans - are dried and then buried for several months before being eaten. - Libya - 1964

In Fezzan, in the Edeyen of Oubari, a strange people lives near the lakes surrounded by high dunes. They are the Daouda. The word Daouda comes from "doud", which means worm in Arabic. In fact, the Daouda eat "worms", which they fish in the lakes fed by underground springs. Occasionally, however, a goat is slaughtered and the meat hung out to dry. - Libya - 1964

Drinking water is fetched from the well by lever arm. - Gabr Aoun - Edeyen of Oubari - Libya - 1964

In the small oasis of Chirfa, there are respectable remains of a fort from the French colonial period. - Niger - 1968

Almost all around the rocky hill of Djado, which ends in steep cliffs to the west, there are pools fed by underground springs, ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Heading south from Djado, you reach the Kaouar valley. To the west, the gravel desert of the Ténéré leads to the Aïr Mountains. - Niger - 1968