Hi, I’m Noémie!
I’m French, curious, and endlessly fascinated by certain corners of the world. I’ve spent most of the past decade exploring Russia, the Caucasus, and the remote edges of the former USSR – from Transnistria to the Pamir, with stops in Siberia and beyond.
This blog was born from a passion both persistent and unusual: sharing stories from lesser-known regions, far from standard itineraries… and far beyond Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Why you can trust what you find here
I don’t make things up – everything I write is based on first-hand experience.
• Independent traveler since 2012, exploring former Soviet republics, Russia off the beaten path, and the high mountain roads of the Caucasus
• Last trip to Russia: October 2025
• Tested itineraries: destinations, night trains, border crossings… I write about places I’ve actually visited
• Language & fieldwork: I speak basic Russian – enough to chat with a babushka in a Karelian village or with soldiers at a checkpoint
• All content is based on real experience – no copy-pasting from outdated guidebooks. I cross-check info, test things, and update regularly
This blog isn’t about geopolitics
It’s made for curious travelers who, despite the current context, want to understand, see, and feel – on the ground.
My mission
SatanayaKnows is an alternative travel blog built to:
• Help people who want to travel in Russia or the Caucasus (yes, even now)
• Go beyond the tourist hotspots
• Provide real, reliable, and up-to-date information
You’ll find practical guides, personal insights, tips on navigating the complexities of the region (visas, sanctions, transport…), and – most of all – a desire to share things as they are, with no filter.
And who’s Satanaya?
Satanaya is a legendary figure in the Nart sagas – the mythic semi-divine heroes of the Caucasus.
She’s the matriarch, the wise one, the person you go to when everything else fails.
Satanaya knows pretty much everything. And like her, I try to share useful tips, strange shortcuts, and ways to cross invisible (or real) borders.
Stay in touch?
I share behind-the-scenes of my travels (fails and finds included) on Telegram, and send a newsletter now and then with my latest posts and useful updates (border news, travel reports, etc.).
You can also contact me via the contact form.
See you on the road!
Noémie
Open to collaborations – Next trip to Russia, sometime in 2026
My next trip to Russia may (unsure still) include the Krasnodar Krai, Crimea, Udmurtia, Kalmykia and Astrakhan region.
If you’re a local project (guide, hotel, restaurant, cultural center, crafts initiative, etc.), I’m open to meaningful and targeted collaborations: place or experience testing, content creation, visibility, and more.
➤ More details here
Открыта к сотрудничеству с местными гидами, эко-отелями и независимыми проектами.