Ossétie du Nord, Caucase, Russie

Hi, I’m Noémie (Naomi works too)


I’m one of those westerner fascinated by Russia and obsessed with the Caucasus !

This blog is to help you travel to the lesser-known corners of the Russian Federation and the Caucasus.


Some facts about me :

  • I am French. Wrong passport to travel to Russia, I almost need to sell a kidney to pay for a long visa everytime.
  • I’ve spent most of the last decade travelling around Russia, former Soviet countries and the Middle East.
  • I love to read. Like, a lot. Add some obsessive curiosity and you got the answer to why I end up in villages deep in the Caucasus mountains.
  • I speak Russian badly, but it’s quite useful. Apparently it’s understandable and my French accent seems to make it bearable to the ears of the local babushkas !
  • All my writings are based on personnal experiences. I hate sugar coating, if I don’t like a place/something I will just say so.
  • I only write about places I’ve been to. I’m a very slow traveller and like to spend weeks in the same area, so you won’t find every single region of the Russia Federation (yet, but I’m working on it) on this blog because I clearly haven’t been everywhere and refuse to write simple overviews of places or without having experiencing them myself.
  • My last trip to Russia : June to September 2022. Going back in September 2024 !

“A travel blog about Russia ? What a stupid idea !”

Many people would not think about travelling to Russia now and let’s be honest, neither before february 2022. But if you ended up here reading this, you clearly think otherwise and that’s enough for me to keep writing and share my travels to help others discovering the biggest country in the world.

Quick reminder : it’s a travel blog and neither my or your political opinions have anything to do here.

What is Satanaya knows ?

An alternative travel blog to help you prepare your adventures to off the beaten track corners of Russia and the Caucasus ! Because there is so much more to discover outside of Moscow, Saint Petersburg and the rails of the Transsiberian !

So Who’s Satanaya ?

Ever heard about the Caucasian mythology ? No ?

Long story short, the Narts are the mythical heroes, semi-gods and said ” ancestors” of several ethnic groups from the Caucasus (Ossetians, Circassians and other Nakhs). Satanaya is THE recurring matriarchal character in all of these legends.

Satanaya, Sataney, Shatan, Satan etc. according to the linguistic variants of her name is always represented as extremely beautiful, intelligent, wise, useful and gifted. It is to her that the Nart people will seek answers in times of war, famine etc. She always has the answer.

You can also follow me on Pinterest & Youtube. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment, recommendations and any other sweet messages, it’s always nice !

It would mean a lot to me if you could share it on your social medias ! 

All opinons are my own.