A 536-page paperback volume, 15 x 21 cm format. 674 color illustrations. Color laminated cover. Three seasons and several months of confinement were required to survey 1,838 waypoints for 66 routes totaling 14,711 kilometers. The result is a measure of the effort expended.
A changing, developing country, Mauritania, little affected by colonization, largely nomadic just three decades ago, while remaining very attached to its traditions, is not always evolving for the better towards modernism. This country, with its rich historical past, composed of several races, ethnic groups, and tribes speaking several languages and dialects, is a fascinating country. Both harsh and austere, filled with human warmth, yet not readily appreciated. A land of contrasts, in nature as in society: you either love it or hate it, but it never leaves you indifferent.
This is not a country you visit superficially to retain a few exotic images. You have to be passionate about it, quarrel there, sometimes have fun, then let the sandstorm smooth, even out, and sand down your experiences and feelings, retaining only the essentials. Thus, one can understand this country, through an initiation test, in short. But it's worth it, says Jean Finore in the presentation of Mauritania on his website.
