Egypte : trésors, trafics et aventures au pays des pharaons

A few kilometers from the pyramids, A French archaeologist is on the verge of making an extraordinary discovery. - I'm coming to see you right away! - Come on, hurry up, don't dawdle! These workers have just removed brick walls that delimit a vertical well, currently completely filled with sand. - Under our feet, it can go down to 4, 5, 6... I don't know how many meters. So for now, I can only imagine. And when we discover what it is, we will say: "Here we go, there is something or there is not.” This Frenchman, originally from Bulgaria,

is named Vassil Dobrev. He has been digging in the desert for 15 years in search of tombs of ancient Egypt. But discoveries like this, The archaeologist can count them on one hand. Because this well is particularly spectacular. It descends to a depth of ten meters, in the heart of the desert. Suddenly, at the bottom, a cavity appears. This is what Vassil was hoping for. The entrance to a tomb that has been sealed since antiquity. -Currently, I don't see much. There's a chamber carved out of the mountain Thank you. That is--oh my God - Everything is

decorated! It is beautiful! Abdou, look at that! Everything is downstairs. That's beautiful! Vassil has just cleared the entrance to a funeral tomb, whose ceiling has partly collapsed. Based on their style, these patterns were painted over 2,000 years before Christ. Now, we can only dream! Is it a big moment for you? Yes, it is the first time that on this site, we find a decorated room downstairs. The colors are almost intact after more than 4 millennia under the sand. Now we are happy! Come on guys! But to discover the contents of the tomb, we will have

to wait. We're going to close with blocks so thieves can't get down, and go break the blocks inside. We are temporarily implementing security measures. It's frustrating, but Vassil has no choice but to seal the grave for the night. His name, as well as that of Abdou, the Egyptian inspector responsible for the search, are written on the wall that closes access to discovery. It's a kind of signature, of-- When the thieves are coming, they'll say: “I'm scared! It's Abdou, I can't touch him because he has already seen it.” If he sees my name it's over." Then

he leaves. Heading for a destination that is full of treasures, and where archaeologists around the world are constantly making discoveries. Just like two months ago, this British Egyptologist, who announces having discovered a secret passage, in Tutankhamun's tomb. It seems that one of these entries, leads to the tomb of Queen Nefertiti. Vassil, the French archaeologist, explores the mysteries of forgotten tombs. The bats are buzzing! Beneath the surface of the desert, he too hopes soon to discover a tomb that has been untouched since Antiquity. Nobody went inside. It can happen once in a lifetime. But since the

Revolution, Egypt's treasures have been in danger. Looting has become a daily occurrence. At the foot of the pyramids, thieves dig the ground in search of fortune. The police are overwhelmed. - Get up and come with me. - But why? - Because there is a clandestine search here! To protect its antiquities, Egypt is building an ultra-secure museum, where are currently being restored pieces that have never been shown to the public . For the first time, the entirety of Tutankhamun's treasure will be on display. Egypt is trying to keep its treasures safe, but will it manage to

bring back its tourists? Because on the Nile, cruise ships are now almost empty. The few passengers rejoice. We have the impression that we are almost pharaohs! For those who have the privilege of sailing in the luxury of a steamboat, completely authentic to the period, the experience is simply magical. That's the cherry on top! Exceptional trip, in search of the treasures of the Pharaohs. Treasures, trafficking, and adventures, in the land of the Pharaohs. The pyramids of Giza on the heights of Cairo. One of the most famous landscapes in the world. However, this morning, there were only

a few dozen tourists, including this small group of French people. Frankly, there's nobody around. We expect to see a crowd of people, in front of the entrances, endless queues. Finally, you get there, you don't see anyone, You're asking yourself: It's weird, is something going on? It's weird but it's good, you can take photos without anyone. I think there are more guides than tourists. In front of the Sphinx, there are 4 times fewer visitors than before the January 2011 revolution. A tragedy for Egypt, whose tourism is one of its main resources. But for travelers, it's a

great deal because prices are currently slashed. That's what persuaded these French individuals to take the leap, and to indulge in their dream vacation. As a child, I was perpetually captivated by the Pharaohs and everything related. Finally, the whole civilization of this country. After that, it was not very expensive. €800 per week, all-inclusive. If tourists are rare, it's because Egypt is scary today. It must be said that the atmosphere is a bit particular. At the pyramids, it's impossible not to see the sentries in combat gear. Or patrols on camelback. Today, 300 police officers secure the site

at all times. Even the camel drivers who guide tourists are systematically searched, and passed through the metal detector as well as their mounts, before being allowed to enter the perimeter. For their first trip to Egypt, Gaby and Rebecca, two students from Melbourne in Australia, did not expect such security measures. The bags inside the machine, please! One by one. And welcome to Egypt! And Gaby and Rebecca didn't notice it all. Specifically, this undercover police officer, armed with a submachine gun, who follows their group everywhere. He is advised to remain discreet so as not to frighten tourists.

How do you feel about having a man who follows you everywhere, With a submachine gun concealed under his jacket? Is there a man with a machine gun under his jacket? Nobody told us about it. Where is this crazy guy? -He's right there. -Hi, friend! Hi, weren't you taking photos? We thought you were a local guy. No, he's a cop. -Are you a police officer? -Yes, he was with us on the bus. I thought they were dressed in white. I really didn't notice anything! Now we really feel safe! A few kilometers from the pyramids, south of

Cairo. As with every day, the Egyptologist Vassil Dobrev makes his way to his excavation site. Vassil is one of the few archaeologists to have continued his work, even during the worst moments of the Egyptian revolution. To join his search, he went along the Nile Valley for 20 kilometers to the site of Saqqara, an ancient cemetery located in the desert. Saqqara is the very large cemetery in the Egyptian capital. If we can compare it with France, with Paris, it's like Père Lachaise. The capital of the Pharaohs, Memphis was located here, at the location of this vast

palm grove. Today, almost nothing is left. As for Saqqara, it is arguably the most sacred site in the history of the country. It was just across the street, overlooking a strip of desert, where the first pyramids of Egypt were built. Vassil has been working at this location for over 20 years. Today, he is one of the most knowledgeable experts on these secrets. It is a safeguarded, extraordinary location, elevated in position. and that's why the kings chose here to be buried. If you think of Pharaonic Egyptian, It is the closest place to the sun. The Sun

is their God, the creator God. If we want to join, if we want to get closer to the Sun, that's where you have to go up. Vassil chose to set up his dig at the top of a hill. The highest point in the entire Saqqara site. A construction site where is emerging from the desert today the remains of tombs built over 4000 years ago. Buildings that the ancient Egyptians called the houses of eternity. This morning, Vassil is going to clear the tomb he just discovered, about ten meters below the surface of the desert. Under his

orders, about fifty workers are active around the funeral shaft, but no one is allowed to enter the tomb before the archaeologist. You have to make as few vibrations as possible, because inside, there is a lintel on which there is a lot of sand. So it should not break. This is the structure of the tomb that Vassil unearthed. A vertical shaft ten meters deep, which leads to the cellar made of decorated limestone blocks. Inside, the archaeologist hopes to discover a sarcophagus, and possibly a mummy along with some burial artifacts. But before that, the tomb will have

to be emptied, which is completely filled with rubble. At the moment it is impossible to know what is still under it. Soon, the top of the walls appears. Despite the sand, the colors are intact, and the first registrations quickly provide valuable information. Here, we're starting to see the offering formula. The king is the one who makes the offering for the god Anubis who is the god of mummification. And it's at the end of this line, that maybe we'll get the name and titles of the character who's buried here. Other offerings appear. These are the pots,

and the jars used for storing oils. Without these oils, you don't come back to life. That is clear! In Egyptian civilization, what is represented on the walls, has magical power. These beef legs, for example, allow the deceased, to eat in the afterlife. When we eat meat, we are strong, so we would like to, in the other life to be strong. Even today, people say it in Arabic. When you see someone strong, you don't say, “He's very strong.” You say, “He eats meat.” Vassil believes that these paintings are around 4200 years old, they are however in

a remarkable state of conservation. You can even observe the mistakes made by the painter who created them. The archaeologist can now get to the bottom of the tomb. He will try to find the hieroglyphs that indicate the name, and the function of the person who was buried here. Now we can see the end of the inscription, Priest and reader, scribe, magician I think his name is Sabi. Yes, his name is Sabi. What does that mean? My protection or something like that. This character has just come back to life in the story, because we just said

his name. It's exactly what they were looking for. For them, that was the resurrection, that was the life after death. Imagine how important that is. Will our name be spoken in the year 6000 AD? today, 4000 years later, it is 6000. So no one will say my name or your name, nor that of the President of the Republic. We won't even know him. Even as we just mentioned the name of a humble priest who was laid to rest here. And so he, on the other hand, exists. Rubble has accumulated on what's left of the ceiling.

They must be removed to avoid collapse. In the ruins, a surprise awaits the archaeologist. Remove the sand above. Objects are emerging. A small painted stone cover and an even more extraordinary discovery. I think it's a statue. It's a whole wood. Objects like that are quite rare. Because for it to be preserved for thousands of years, You need a good, well-closed place. Otherwise, rotten wood. What is she doing there? It doesn't have to be there, but downstairs. It's on the ceiling or someone picked it up, and threw it behind it. It must be placed! The tomb

was therefore plundered in antiquity. But as luck would have it, the thieves left several items behind. It's a small limestone pot. A very simple piece whose value is nevertheless counted in thousands of euros. All of these items were supposed to help the deceased live again after death. They're simulacra vessels, they just have an artificial function, but they represent 0ne, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten jars. Now it's much smaller. But let's imagine with beer, with liquids, with oils, with things like that. As for the statue, it probably represents the owner of the

tomb. But the upper body did not resist. Unfortunately, it's rotten. You can't move it. If you move it, it goes to dust. You see, the head no longer exists. The lower body is perfect, but the head no longer exists. It doesn't matter if the statuette isn't complete, what can still be saved must be saved. Ali, the restorer of the mission, is called in to preserve this small piece of wood sculpted over 4000 years ago. It is a product based on cellulose, to consolidate wood. Or it rotted over time because it was in the sand, and

it's not well preserved. Or the thieves who passed by here, maybe they beheaded him, they removed his eyes because they did not want to be recognized. They were afraid that the owner of the tomb, the one who is going to be resurrected-- who has already been resurrected, that he sees--that he reports to Osiris, this thief, who also hopes to come back to life one day, who also hopes to be seen as a very good person. But Sabi is going to tell him: “No, he stole my grave, he can't come back to life.” The statue, even

very damaged, is an indication of the objects that were in the tomb at the time of burial. For the archaeologist, it is therefore a very valuable testimony. Last step, Vassil and his workers empty the rest of the tomb. They still have hope of finding the remains of the priest Sabi, maybe the remains of his mummy or his sarcophagus. But unfortunately, nothing escaped the looters. Now things are clear. It was completely violated. We find the skull under the stone, smashed. But what condition is she in? Does that make you sad? Yes, it's mostly for Sabi. That's

what's left of him. Despite the tomb being looted, today's findings are exceptional. This completely painted tomb will join Vassil's hunting picture, On the plateau of Saqqara. The other treasures he discovered are located a few meters from the dig, under the surface of the desert, In a location that is not open to visitors and is highly secure. Fifteen years ago, when he started digging, Vassil was lucky as a beginner. We are here with the first tomb that we discovered in 2001, and we were fortunate to instantly find an undamaged facade. A facade that dates from the

Old Empire, the golden age of ancient Egypt, and who will lead him to other tombs, right next door. All belong to priests. Characters who spent their lives in the service of the Pharaoh. Vassil, who reads hieroglyphs like a comic book, managed to get into the intimacy of these characters. Here we have an Egyptian priest. He was in the service of a Pharaoh. We are in front of the facade of his tomb. It's his door, we're going in and his grave is behind. His name is Pepi I, that means King Pepi is alive. It's a bit

like today, if I want to be a good French state official, I'm going to call myself, President Hollande is alive. That's exactly it. Therefore, you'd be well-regarded. And that's exactly who he is. Next door is his wife. He loves his spouse so she is called the Beloved. But we have a small problem because between the 2, There is another woman, and she is called: "The one that makes the heart come alive." That is the heart. That is the one that makes the heart come alive. It's a whole program! And so I imagine, of course, it's

a hypothesis, that maybe she's his mistress. So the one who makes his heart come alive, one younger than his spouse. It is everyone's dream. And this dream that he has in his earthly life, he wants to transpose it, he wants it to continue in the next world. These bas-reliefs that decorate the facade of the tomb are invaluable. They rank among the oldest and most exquisite works ever discovered. on the Saqqara website. At the bottom, we have the well. And the tomb is at the bottom. A well nine meters deep, and a limestone vault without any

decoration, which was empty at the time of its discovery. This tomb was plundered during Antiquity. All these tombs are protected by a metal ceiling, and via secure trapdoors to deter thieves. Looting is now Vassil's obsession. The objects that the archaeologist has just discovered will all be secured. Give me the first one. Vassil and Abdou must first inventory them accurately. It's a cover. The market value of all these objects is in the tens of thousands of euros. They will soon be securely housed in the warehouses of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. We record it, we photograph

it, so it is protected. The object has an identity. Exactly it has an identity but also, it is already known. Once the object has been assigned a number, it must not disappear. Because it exists. The Saqqara Desert is therefore full of treasures, but also looters who are ready to do anything to get them back. All around the dig, Abdou has spotted numerous traces of their passage. Look at this hole. If you look around you, you're going to find them everywhere. Looters come and dig holes everywhere. They explore and then relocate from one place to another.

You see, they also did some digging over there. In some places, it seems that the looters even used bulldozers. Look at that. Huge craters appeared on the hillside. Here, in ancient times, burial chambers were dug in the mountains. The tomb robbers have arrived, They broke the rock until they discovered these cavities. Subsequently, they traversed the corridors leading to the tombs. They swept up everything that was inside. Do you see all the sand they took out? According to Abdou, the looters who dug these holes were no others than some inhabitants of the neighboring village located below

in the palm grove. As proof of this, Abdou points to the wild extension of the local cemetery, who suddenly invaded the desert right in the middle of an archaeological site, in the direction of the pyramids. What you see there, all these white brick walls, they're tombs which were built by some local residents after the revolution. When there was a mess and there were no more police. Aren't these real tombs? For the vast majority, these are not real tombs. They build a room, a ceiling, a door, and when they're inside, you can't know what they're doing.

They are in fact clandestine excavations, invisible from the outside. In the alleys of the cemetery, there are even very recent traces of the looters passing by. Just like here, where they used a machine to investigate the ground. Ordinary people have become obsessed with antiquities. They tell themselves that a small statuette, which they can put in their pocket, is going to make them millions. In any case, today in Egypt, that's what everyone thinks. In Saqqara, the plundering extends beyond the cemetery and into the desert. It can also take on an even more amazing form. This evening,

the Saqqara Antiquities Police Station, is ready to act. I have the machine gun. I secure the outside. Give me the bulletproof vest. These 20 heavily armed men must arrest looters. They were alerted by an informant, who spotted suspicious activity in a house, located just on the edge of the Saqqara Plateau. We block all the exits so that no one enters or leaves. The most important thing is safety outside. Is that understood? Ok, boss! After a few minutes of driving, the police enter the streets of the village of Abousir. Today we know that all these houses

were built, on the remains of a suburb of Memphis, the capital of the pharaohs of the Old Empire. All digging is prohibited there. The police target is a small neighborhood grocery store. Inside, an old man is saying his prayer. What do you want? Calm down, we have a warrant from the public prosecutor. I am not opposed to the search. -Is your name Mohamed? -Yes. Get up and come with me. Why? Because there is a clandestine crowd here. -But this is not my home! -Yes, it's your house! No, sir. My house goes up to the wall.

Behind, that is not my house. All right, it's fine. I need police here. He is being arrested. Come on, put on your sandals and come with us. The informant who notified the police was very well informed. It's in the other room. In the back bedroom, a well was dug directly into the ground of the house. Careful, back off. Under this board, there is a void. It's a very well-hidden illicit excavation. He put this metal cylinder to hold the water all around, because under pressure, it was in danger of collapsing. But the construction site had to

be stopped because of this faulty pump. According to our information, he ultimately arrived at the door of a temple. He could not continue because the groundwater seeped in, and his pump broke down. He couldn't afford a second pump, so he proposed to some people, to buy the house as it is for 20 million pounds. 20 million pounds, or more than 2 million euros. Gold fever has taken hold of residents living near Pharaonic sites. They didn't discover anything? No, they didn't release anything. Thank God we were able to stop them in time. And here's the proof

that the looters did find an ancient building. These cut limestone stones that were brought up from the well, and which have nothing to do in a region with a sandy subsoil. In the next room, the search continues. Here is the dirt they took out of the well. They carried him here to continue rummaging in the first room. Did they store it here to be discreet? Yes, exactly. Now, we will have to sort to see if there are no archaeological objects, or stones that could give us information about these remains. Go ahead, I'll catch up with

you. We're not handcuffing you, but don't make a fuss. It's a humbling way to get out of my house for a man like me. Leave me alone! We're just going to ask you a couple of questions. The owner is arrested as well as his nephew, the only other man in the house. Both could face up to three years in prison. I am not a criminal. The house is going to be confiscated and sealed. While awaiting the exploration of the well by the antiquities department these small looters who dream of fortune are often the only ones

who pay. Organized trafficking networks, on the other hand, remain largely unpunished. In Egypt, antiquities are never really safe. Even museums can be the target of looters. The famous Tahrir Square, in the center of Cairo. This is where the revolution started, and it nearly eradicated the country's most treasured asset, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. In this building, built in 1902 by a French architect, are on display the most beautiful jewels of ancient Egypt, starting with Tutankhamun's treasure. In January 2011, the Cairo Museum found itself at the heart of the revolt. Night is falling in Tahrir Square,

the situation is spiraling out of control. When live on television, a man is going to sound the alarm. I'm with the director Khaled Youssef, who saw a group that robbed a bank right next to the museum. He is afraid that this group will manage to break in, in the museum to plunder it. What exactly did you see? I am asking the army to come immediately to the Egyptian Museum, to protect it. Khaled Youssef is a movie director known throughout the country. Thousands of Egyptians are going to hear his call. I urge people not to adhere

to the curfew. and to hold the ground until the army arrives. No matter if they hit us, there are things nobler than our blood. If our museum is attacked, it will end up like the looting, that took place in Iraq during the war. Immediately, a human chain is organized around the museum. For fourteen days, thousands of volunteers will take turns, to stand guard. -Are you there to protect the museum? -Yes. And you've spent the entire day here? Yes, and last night too. Four years after the Revolution, Khaled Youssef did not forget that night, that made

him a hero. A reputation that regularly leads to him being stopped by admirers. It was here that I had the most important moment of my life. Most of the people who call me didn't know me before. They tell me, “We saw you on TV during the revolution.” You were the one who cried saying, “Save the Cairo Museum!” These are the wonders that Khaled Youssef helped to protect. 160,000 objects discovered throughout Egypt. Statues, funerary furniture finely sculpted and covered with fine gold. Mummies or royal jewelry of invaluable value. All these treasures are exhibited in dilapidated rooms,

where the security situation has not changed much since the opening, over a century ago. The windows are wooden, and the glass isn't even shielded. I was there at the time of the revolution. I saw you on TV. This is the museum's chief caretaker. When Khaled Youssef launched his appeal, he and his team were getting overwhelmed by looters, in the museum shop. As depicted in these CCTV footage. The security chief couldn't stop other thieves, to access the exhibition rooms, through the roofs. They went in that way. Where is it? Up there? Were they able to jump?

No, they used telephone cables. They fell here, on the window. It broke. And as a result, one was injured. Do you see the blood trail here? Thieves break several windows, and take away 52 items of high value, like these gilded wooden statues that the police will eventually find, broken into several pieces. Some have been completely restored. A few meters later, the looters reached the entrance of the room, which is home to the most renowned treasure of Egypt, that of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. There is gold there. Here, there are neither reinforced doors nor motion detectors. When the

museum closes at the end of the day, you close both doors and lock with the chain. On the day of the looting, this simple chain was enough. to save Tutankhamun's famous funeral mask, 11 kilos of pure gold and semi-precious stones. Also in the room, two golden sarcophagi were safeguarding the mummy of the monarch. As well as numerous jewels found on the remains of Tutankhamun. The only Pharaoh in history, whose grave remained undisturbed, until its discovery in 1922. Imagine what the world would think. If Tutankhamun's mask, a room that was more than 3000 years old, disappeared.

How could we have justified ourselves in front of humanity, for not having been able to protect such an important antique? The police finally arrested more than a dozen looters, and recovered more than half of the pieces stolen from the museum that day. To protect its archaeological heritage, Egypt has launched a gigantic project. Every week, a convoy leaves the Cairo Museum under close surveillance. In this box of Pharaonic antiquities, who will discreetly cross the city. Escorted by a dozen police officers, in unmarked cars. Head to the New Grand Egyptian Museum, currently under construction in the suburbs

of Cairo. A project worth nearly one billion euros, For what is likely the largest antiquities museum in the world. 600 meters long at the foot of the pyramids of Giza. This fortress-like concrete construction, These are the museum's storage areas. These warehouses are ultra-secure. The presence of a camera is exceptional. The museum director himself oversaw the design and progress of the work. This museum has been tested against explosions and intrusions. It is a bunker designed to house the heritage of mankind, that Egypt has to protect. This is where are located the antique restoration laboratories the most

modern in the country. The quality of the ambient air is constantly monitored there, so as not to damage the objects that are there. This is one of Pharaoh Tutankhamun's beds. It is made of wood and covered in gold. Like every room that comes in here, this bed will require dozens of hours of restoration before it can be displayed. As you can see, we work with organic materials, wood or natural fibers. which are nearly 3500 years old. This means that sometimes they are in critical condition. And our staff is on a mission to extend their lives,

and to prepare them for future exhibition. This bed that the Pharaoh may have slept on, has never been shown to the public yet. And the grand museum promises to immerse visitors into the intimate world of Tutankhamun. With this collection of linen clothing and underwear that once belonged to him. Everything was found intact in his grave. For the first time, all the objects that were found in the tomb, will be exhibited. Until now, the public only knew about a third of what was discovered. Now, all of the 4,500 objects in the tomb will be on display

here. It is in this room, the most secure in the whole museum, that these thousands of objects that have never been shown to the public are stored. They shed new light on Tutankhamun's daily life, over 3000 years ago. Furniture, miniature funeral park, shopping box. And even different kinds of fruits and seeds, in an astonishing state of conservation. There are also these hunting boomerangs encrusted with the Pharaoh's name. Or Tutankhamun's sandals. The manufacturing technique of these sandals, As they are royal objects and very careful. Their degree of perfection surpasses that of any sandals made today, with

industrial machines. The most moving discoveries of Tutankhamun's treasure, are currently stored in these two cardboard boxes. And here is a sad episode in the story of Tutankhamun. These two fetuses of little girls who died prematurely, who were buried with him in his grave. Two small mummies who are undoubtedly the daughters of the Pharaoh. For the first time, they will be exhibited in our major Egyptian museum, as an integral part of Tutankhamun's complete treasure. But the construction of the world's largest archaeological museum has experienced delays. And the inauguration is not scheduled until 2018. Tourists are not

about to visit it, so in the meantime, they're falling back on a great classic. 600 km south of Cairo, between Luxor and Aswan. Here is the must-see circuit for those, who want to explore Pharaoh Egypt, the cruise on the Nile. Five days of sailing exploration of the main monuments of Upper Egypt. Breathtaking landscapes. But today, there are a lot fewer people to enjoy it. Before the 2011 revolution, 600,000 French people visited the country every year. Today, there are four times fewer. Among them are Catherine and Xavier. She is a high school teacher, he is a

supervisory officer at EDF, And they desired to expose the wonders of Egypt to their two children, Marianne and Antoine, We wanted to go there for a long time, even as a child, I think. Egypt makes you dream, we only want one thing, It's time to go there and we said it's an opportunity! First day of cruising and already a taste of local folklore. On each side of the boat, fabric salesmen hung on, and try to attract the attention of tourists. -It's a collision, isn't it? -It's a collision. - Have you seen his balance? -Amazing. I

think it's pretty funny, but I'm not very into river shopping. I prefer to try it on the spot quietly. However, a few moments later, Xavier lets himself be tempted by this traditional set. It's quite beautiful, isn't it? -It's €50! -No. €15 off. €15 discount but Xavier is still not convinced. The seller falls back on other targets. The blue one? -How much? -€30. Decrease a bit more! And that's how customers can see merchandise up close. Money, beware! -The money in, madam. -20? -We're going to put the money in the djellaba! -He told me two for €20.

A souvenir from Egypt for my daughter. It's a good deal. To help them a little bit. It gives them a little bit of hope. For tourism to come back. We're going to put the money in the bag. The money from the sale will go the other way. But for the sellers of the Nile, business has never been, as bad as it is today. Because the SEMIRAMIS II, which carries Catherine and Xavier's family, is now one of the only floating hotels that continues to sail on the Nile. And the boat is far from full. It can

usually accommodate up to 140 passengers. But this week, there are merely 80 tourists, with half of them being French. Catherine, Xavier, and their 2 children were therefore able to choose their cabin. They are located right in front of each other. Welcome to our cabin. This is the boy's cabin. My son and I. Did you do boy-girl? Yes, it allows you to meet up a little bit between boys. He's watching TV in the back room. And I have a TV, it's this one and I can't get enough of it. A window overlooking the Nile. That's Marianne's

bed. My own bed. And large cabins that have recently been redone. Comfort comparable to that of a three-star hotel. But what especially appealed to Xavier's family, It's the discounted price of the stay. We paid €640 per person, all-inclusive. The plane, the cabin, the boat, the catering, morning, noon, and evening, of course. The total cost of 2,500€ for a one-week cruise for four people, including flights, . With a small heart. Thanks! Unbeatable rates. But tour operators have no choice, because right now, Egypt is a worrying destination. The passengers of SEMIRAMIS often had to defeat, the reluctance

of those around them before leaving. This is the case of Stéphanie, a mother who came alone with her 2 children, Louise, 15, and Paul, 11. I was told that it was really crazy to go to Egypt. The little joke was, “You didn't pay too much because you won't get back.” These are the kinds of jokes you get when you say you're going to Egypt. I spent a lot of time on the Foreign Ministry website, and now, in fact, everything is done to prevent you from going there. It's very anxiety-provoking. A tense security context which, on

the Semiramis, results in the presence of an armed police officer in the cockpit, away from the eyes of tourists. But for Stéphanie, the distrust that Egypt inspires at the moment, was paradoxically an argument in his choice to come here. We're all alone. So you benefit from a very attractive price. Your kids are super happy, there are lots of other kids on the boat. It's a really vacation atmosphere, moreover, we have benefited from an incredibly rich history. On the ship, passengers didn't just come here to relax. The group's schedule is quite busy. At least one stop

per day to visit archaeological sites. Today's destination, the Temple of Philae, one of the jewels of the Nile. We're taking the boat here, right? It is located on an island, about ten kilometers south of Aswan. To get there, you have to take a small boat, on which souvenir sellers are ambushed. €2! Wait, I'm getting some change. Which one do you prefer? Which do you prefer? It's plastic--two seconds, I need to think. Overtaken by sellers, our tourists don't really have time to enjoy the view. The Philae temple is one of the best preserved in Egypt. Its

style is characteristic of the final dynasty that ruled the country, that of Queen Cleopatra. Maybe we'll go on visits because I'm done with negotiations. Stéphanie and her children are having a hard time saying goodbye to the salespeople. €4? No, it's plastic! -It's stone. -He said it was plastic. Wait, we're going to be late. Then, on the way back, ok? See you later! After the hustle and bustle of the crossing, it's a completely different atmosphere, that awaits visitors inside the site. It's amazing! Frankly, unbelievable! This is often what we reproach visits for being one on top

of the other. Stéphanie had already been here 20 years ago. The calm that reigns today has nothing to do with what she experienced back then. At the entrance, we had dozens of buses, dozens of boats. It was a bit like Versailles or places like that, very popular with tourists. The temple was built in honor of Isis, the main goddess of ancient Egypt. Inside, it is almost intact. For Catherine, Xavier and their children, impossible to resist the charm of the place. It feels like being alone in the world. We have the impression that we are almost

pharaohs. That's super cool. A journey through time, in privileged conditions, which will end with a short prayer to Isis, in the heart of its sanctuary. That's nice! It's beautiful! Come on, let's say a prayer to ward off the evil eye. Isis. The great magician. We came, adoring you, and we are committed, to stop ask questions to our guide! He got us all the way! End of the day and return to Semiramis. Where after the evening meal at the self-service, Tourists will be treated to a great classic cruise on the Nile. The djellaba evening. An evening

in which passengers are invited to participate by dressing up. It is also an opportunity for the boat shop to do good business. By offering these typical costumes. Paul and Louise, Stéphanie's children, came to make their choice. -Is it for girls or boys? -For boys. -Do you like it? She's pretty. -Yes, I like it. A djellaba covered with golden hieroglyphs, €15. -It's nice. And for €3 more, the traditional desert headdress. -That's great! It's huge! -Try it, please. -Look at me. You are huge! It's great! In the ship's ballroom, the party is in full swing. Traditional music,

and spinning dervish. An atmosphere in which Paul, in his new suit, won't last long. -He's a dance addict, he loves it. It's quite natural for him. The evening is not going to last long, because tomorrow our tourists will continue their journey along the Nile. And their schedule is quite busy. This mass tourism that brought all of Upper Egypt to life, became totally disastrous. Before 2011, 300 ships identical to the Semiramis, sailed on the Nile all the time. Today, there are only 30 of them left. A collapse with dramatic consequences. Along the river, dozens of boats

once taken over by tourists, have been at the docks for five years. These belong to an Egyptian company, who worked with French, German and British tour operators. Before the revolution, Hagag, the manager of the company in Luxor, welcomed up to 800 tourists per week on its seven boats. He is now condemned to watch them rust. We are on a boat called DaVinci. It has 65 cabins. This ship has been docked since the Revolution. On DaVinci, time stood still four years ago. On the wall, the photos of a Djellaba evening, British people photographed in early 2011.

It was then impossible to imagine that only a few weeks later, everything was going to stop. These are the pictures of the final group that journeyed on this boat. Before, there were groups that left, that arrived, a crew that worked, there was a life and today, It's as sinister as a cave. In the cabins, almost nothing moved. As if the next tourists were about to embark. The cabins are still functional, but first, you would have to clean up. It's been a long time since it's been done. There is dust everywhere. If the rooms are still

in good condition, five years of abandonment, have already caused considerable damage to DaVinci. To see this, you have to go up to the upper deck. There is dust and spider webs everywhere. Look at the condition of the tables and chairs. The pool is in a disastrous condition. It's a nightmare! To restore these boats to the condition in which they were before the revolution, it would take hundreds of thousands of euros to leave. There is no question of investing in a renovation when there are no more tourists. The company continues to lose money every day, because

you have to pay the salaries of about 15 seamen, who are there solely for security purposes. The boat is abandoned but sailors are staying here, to keep and maintain it. Let me show you where they live. Good morning. There's a sailor in his cabin. Here are their beds. We pay salaries and that costs us a lot. But if this was not done, the boats could be robbed. Today, 90% of Nile cruise ships are docked, Due to a lack of customers and tourists not appearing eager to return in large numbers. Return near Cairo, at the foot

of the pyramids of the Saqqara Desert. The French archaeologist Vassil Dobrev, is beginning a new phase in its excavation campaign. Come on, let's go! For 15 years, Vassil has focused on a small area, a 50-meter-long construction site that he methodically explores. And if he settled here, it was not by chance. Here, it's Père Lachaise. It is the main graveyard. As in Paris, Père-Lachaise over 3000 years. This cemetery is a real treasure for archaeologists. Vassil has just discovered an impressive tomb, the largest ever found here. This structure, which is 12 meters long, is the foundation of

a mastaba. A large brick tomb that housed a multitude of burial shafts. Each of them can potentially lead to an underground vault and to new treasures. But on the surface, the archaeologist also discovered, several skeletons that were buried on the mastaba. Over 1000 years after its construction. We have a skeleton here, but it could easily be superimposed on another skeleton. One day, I found 5 skeletons one on top of the other. Studying skeletons is the responsibility of Diane, the anthropologist on the site. Today, exceptionally, she came to work with her son Victor, At just two

and a half years old, already showing a calling for archaeology. It is handsome. My skeleton is beautiful. Do you think it's not bad? He has eyes. Does he have eyes? Yes. The skeleton has eyes. Did you explain to him what you were doing and what you were finding? I provided him with the words. He understands that they are bones, That is called a skeleton. Right now, he doesn't know that's what's under his skin, and that is what we find after. He's still a bit young to conceptualize, the fact that once you're dead... this is what

remains afterwards. And here is the man who is in charge of carrying out the mission surveys. His name is Olivier and he is Victor's father. He is in the fresh air, he is outside. Most kids at that age, are in daycare all day long. He is with his parents outside, in the desert, on an archaeological site. Not all children can participate in these types of adventures. -Where is the trowel? -Over there! A little further on, the workers called Vassil, because their tools have just hit a large block of limestone, which doesn't belong here. It's the

lid of a stone sarcophagus. It is still sealed. It's still closed because we've got the coating. There's the lid here. There, it's the coating and at the bottom, it's going to be the tank. A sarcophagus that is still sealed. On the construction site, the excitement is ratcheting up a notch. because there may still be a mummy inside. The opening of a sarcophagus, So it's always a highlight for an archaeologist. Come on, now we're going to open it. No, it's not a real mummy, It's just wrapped up. It's not a mummy but it's very interesting. -Between

15 and 18. -How do you know that? When the third molars have not yet come out, the epiphyses, which are not fused over the long bones. All this shows us that he is still a young teenager. Unlike a mummy, the body was not embalmed to preserve it, but simply wrapped in strips. This is already the sign of a particularly careful funeral. To study the skeleton and try to understand the causes of death, Diane is going to remove them. It was linen, probably. In several thicknesses. There is a really large quantity of strips, that are wrapped

around the body. There are no objects in this grave. But for Vassil, each discovery teaches him a little more, regarding how the Egyptians perceived death. An important thing in ancient Egypt, they didn't say, “He's dead,” they're going to say, “His breath is gone,” It came out of the body. They preserve the body so that breath can return to the body. So to preserve it, it had to be mummified. This obsession with the afterlife was that of all Egyptian society, beginning with the Pharaoh, who possessed an extraordinary tomb. The nearby pyramid, which belongs to King Djoser,

is almost 5000 years old. It is the oldest stone monument in human history. Its restoration was abruptly interrupted during the Revolution five years ago. Today, exceptionally, Vassil and Diane, were allowed to climb to the top. Thanks to this scaffolding left in place when the work stopped. From here, you can admire the whole history of the Old Empire. It's beautiful! To the north, the Giza Plateau is situated, known for the legendary Pyramids of Cheops, Khafre, and Menkaure. to the south, the 2 pyramids of Pharaoh Snéfrou, the father of Khufu. And all around, a multitude of other

buildings that are more or less well preserved. - It's really beautiful. It's the first time I've climbed to the top of a pyramid. It is still quite rare. And not just any ordinary one! It's a good start Here it started. We went up from 10 meters to 60 meters. There, we are 105 meters away, but still two big pyramids. And there, we went to 147. Is it a bit like a competition between them? The idea was to join the Sun. The higher you are, the closer to the Sun you are. It's much closer to the

Sun than it is below. Today, there are around 120 pyramids in Egypt. A magnificent playground for archaeologists. End of the working day. It is in Vassil's car that the whole family returns to Cairo. Diane and Olivier arrived in Egypt at the end of 2010, just before the Revolution. Despite the turmoil, they chose to stay to live life to the fullest, their passion for ancient Egypt. I'm going to put myself there. Come on, see you tomorrow. Good evening. Today, they are living in a residential neighborhood in the south of Cairo. A cozy apartment of 200 square

meters, far from the hustle and bustle of the city center. Today, Cairo has more than 16 million inhabitants. An impressive megalopolis, in which Victor nevertheless feels like a fish in water. You're waiting for me anyway! He was born in Cairo, in a small clinic. Yes, he is at home. But here in the neighborhood, for now, I never had a problem walking with him on the street. The people in general are very nice, especially as soon as there is a little one. It must be said that Victor is beginning to be known in the neighborhood. Victor,

what are we buying? Look! Do you want strawberries? You take the strawberries. Retailers have become attached to this little Frenchman whom they see regularly. They do everything to please him. Don't you want it? No, that's for me. If Diane is comfortable in her neighborhood, However, she has been hesitant to move away from her apartment since the revolution. There are places we won't go. That's for sure. There are places where we used to go and where we won't go anymore. In any case, for now. The Islamic Cairo neighborhood, maybe it's not bad at all, It is

possible but in fact, we prefer not to go there. The city center, Tahrir Square, and so on. You are never safe from running into a demonstration, even if today they are more regulated. There were quite a few problems around Tahrir Square. For Victor and me, in the neighborhood, it's fine. Despite the sometimes unstable situation in Egypt, Diane does not plan to return to France at the moment. The following day, at the base of what is arguably the most enigmatic of Egypt's pyramids, the tomb of Snefrou. Khufu's father. 105 meters high. Strictly closed to the public,

It's quite uncommon to gain entry there. even for an Egyptologist. Vassil has only been able to explore it 4 times since the start of his career. For him, all the other pyramids simply copied the principles, that were invented here 4700 years ago. That's the corridor that goes down to the entrails of the pyramid, to the first bedroom. There we have 70 meters. You have to bend over because it's barely 1 m by 1 m away. When you go back to the Pharaoh's tomb, you have to fold. We are going to utilize the notch. To access

the heart of the pyramid, there are a lot of obstacles that need to be overcome. Still thousands of bats. Vassil progresses through a series of increasingly narrow galleries. Those bats are noisy! Now it goes straight up. A complex architecture, whose logic no one has ever really understood. What is the point? I don't know It starts from the top and goes down I don't know where. There may still be another bedroom. After half an hour of exploration, Vassil finally arrives in what was once the Pharaoh's burial chamber. A mystery room. Because unlike the other pyramids in

Egypt, It was discovered to be completely empty. There was supposed to be a sarcophagus, but we don't have it. Snefrou's sarcophagus was never found. The pyramids worked like resurrection machines. The king was reborn in his tomb, then went up to the sky through this long corridor, always headed north. That's probably where, in ancient times, that the looters slipped in to seize the Pharaoh's valuables. This rule for the pyramids is also their weakness, because the thieves later knew perfectly well, that to enter a pyramid, you had to go to the middle of the north face, and

look for the corridor that goes down the pyramid. That's why the subsequent kings changed. They started putting up false corridors, to the east, to the south, to the west, to deceive thieves. Despite their ingenuity, Pharaohs rarely succeeded in keeping their treasures safe from thieves. Tutankhamun was the only one who succeeded. On the Nile, the night was very short for the passengers of the Semiramis. Stéphanie and her children woke up at dawn, to see a temple built by the famous Ramses II. -What time is it? -It's 2:45, I believe. What are you going to do? -

We're going to Abu Simbel, visit the temple 250 kilometers to the south. Why so early? You have to be there for sunrise. Are you okay? -It's okay, it's a bit hard. I have 5 minutes for coffee. Underarm pillow to sleep on the bus, forty courageous people paid €90 per person, to visit the famous Abu Simbel temple. Good morning everyone! Are you alright? It's a bit hard but you won't regret it. This morning, we are going to admire the most beautiful temple. It is regarded as the most stunning temple you will behold this week. To visit

Abu Simbel, tourists coming from several boats, must travel in a convoy of about twenty buses, who will leave Aswan and drive in the middle of the desert for 4 hours, to the border of Sudan, located at the country's extreme southern point. In the group, we find Catherine, Xavier and their children. A bit surprised by the deployment of forces in the morning. 40 police officers will be assigned to the security of the convoy, to prevent any risk of attack. Obviously, we have to go to the Sudanese border side, and this is where a certain number of

security forces are obviously needed. And the guide even told us that during the trip, It was forbidden for the bus to stop. It's part of safety. We're indeed a whole convoy. If that's the price you have to pay for it, let's go! Unbeknownst to tourists, each bus is protected by a plainclothes police officer, armed with a submachine gun. After 4 hours of driving in the desert, The sun had already risen a long time ago when the convoy, reached the first security checks at the Abu Simbel site. The visit will take place quickly. 1:30, not a

minute more. Too brief to fully appreciate the splendor of this temple on the shores of Lake Nasser. Famous for its stone colossi, with the effigy of Pharaoh Ramses II. There they are! Look over there. They are well hidden. It's sublime! Even 50 years ago, this lake did not exist and the temple was located 65 meters below. Doomed to be inundated due to the construction of a large hydroelectric dam on the Nile, the temple and its colossi were dismantled in the 1960s. The most spectacular archaeological rescue operation of all time. With the saw, the workers cut

more than a thousand pieces, which have been carefully numbered. The statues were then raised block by block onto an artificial hill. A colossal project overseen by UNESCO, and directed by French archaeologists. Imagine that the temple was in the water and they isolated it. There were blocks that weighed between 8 and 14 tons. Even if we wake up at dawn, so It's a total return on investment. The fatigue is completely gone. We'll sleep back on the bus. Ramses II had this temple built for his own glory. Where do we start? There? Everything is disproportionate there. These

monumental statues completely crush us. We are really at the feet of Ramsès. There is nothing to say. It's gigantic. An omnipresent sovereign who can be seen everywhere on the walls. That's Ramses. He is depicted vanquishing his enemies. Ramses II reigned for 66 years until his death, 1200 years before Jesus Christ. Never again will Egypt be as powerful as it was back then. For our tourists, this trip is a revelation, that makes them aware of the magnitude, and the refinement achieved by Egyptian civilization. He's also holding an enemy and now he's going to stab him, I

suppose. But on the cruise program, there are not only cultural stops. To vary the pleasures, tourists are invited, to a visit to a papyrus factory. Except the place is more like a gift shop. To divert attention at the entrance, an employee puts on a quick demonstration. That's the papyrus plant, an aquatic and tropical plant that the ancient Egyptians considered this plant to be a secret. You shape the outer parts like this. The slats are very solid and not fragile, not break After that, we put the strips in water for 6 days. That's after 6 days

submerged in water. 6 days under pressure. It is strong. After 2 minutes of explanation, the seller gets to the heart of the matter. Please! If you want to buy something, it's cards, to write model numbers. Because if there is one thing that has not changed in Egypt, It is the tradition to buy decorated papyrus. Here, there is something for all tastes and religions. And it works. Tourists are always interested. No, it's too big! We're going to take smaller ones. Thank you. Catherine, the teacher, wants to take the opportunity to teach his son some hieroglyphs. Something

you like, understand? No, that's unattractive! We wanted to buy with Antoine, a small papyrus with an illustration that he likes, and we would add his first name like that, It will allow him to see his first name in Egyptian symbol. As for Stéphanie, she wants to give a gift to her children. I plan to buy papyri, one for each. But between the abundance of supply and the prices displayed in Egyptian pounds, hard to make the right choice. No, it's not easy, but I prefer the dark ones. I think it's beautiful. I need to see and

calculate. Yes, we found it! That one! Plus, it's in the colors of your room, so it's nice. In a few minutes, Antoine's first name is drawn on the papyrus, and the ink has dried quickly. Everything is done to encourage consumption a little. Especially since we came here with the mindset of not buying anything. On Stéphanie's side, the temptation to give herself a papyrus, is getting stronger and stronger. -Who is that? -Nefertiti! That one is beautiful! But she is having a bit of trouble with the exchange rate. 1200, divided by 8. It's expensive! For the bill,

the seller prefers to take Stéphanie to the cash register. We're going to find out. 2030 + 40 = 2,070. -Have a nice trip! -Thanks. How much is that in euros? €258. Anyway! I am going to be ruined in France. 258€ for three papyri. Friends, let's go, please! A good day for the guide who undoubtedly took his commission along the way. In Egypt, some traditions cannot be lost. And that's good because some of them are not lacking in charm, like visiting the Luxor Temple at nightfall. Or even the camel ride along the Nile. Like in the

days of caravans in the desert. It's super beautiful! An unforgettable trip for these French families. Great! Great! Frankly, top experience! The rest of the walk may be a bit less authentic. Their guide takes them to a typical village, which is more like a tourist catch. Despite the temptations, Stéphanie is determined this time not to be fooled. But in front of the stalls overflowing with colorful spices, It's hard to keep a cool head. I Love it. -Stop it! -Alright. What are you still looking for? Saffron? Pepper? Curry? And now, we don't always know the price. 80?

80 pounds, or €9 for a small bag of spices sold in bulk. Stéphanie has some doubts. Give me 100 and I'll give you 20 back! 60 pounds. Last price. No, but it's not a big deal. In fact, there are no prices. We don't understand, they give a price per gram, And then, apparently, it's not measured by the gram, but rather by the ten grams. So apparently I was being ripped off, I was paying 10 times the price. So I left the package, which is very poor. No, it's good! 50? In a week of cruising, our

French tourists have learned as much, on ancient Egypt than on Eastern trade. On the Saqqara plateau, Vassil went to great lengths to advance his excavations. This crane will make it possible to triple the speed. The archaeologist is in a hurry to empty this exceptionally large well. The most promising of the tomb he has just discovered. In Saqqara, where the excavation methods are entirely manual, The arrival of a crane is an event. And workers are more motivated than ever. At this rate, the bottom is quickly reached. Nearly 15 meters below the surface. No more ladder to

go down that low, Vassil has no choice, he has to get on board this small pod, and he is not very reassured. In the background, the workers stopped at the entrance of a funeral chamber. And the first brush strokes are promising, because it seems to be intact. Here, it's the start of digging for the bedroom, the roof of the mountain and it was completely sealed. You can clearly see the black coating, the black mud, that was used to close, the bedroom at the back. And now it shows us that no one went inside, from the

locking doors of this room. -Is that exceptional? -Yes, maybe it happens once in a lifetime. What Vassil is hoping for is that the tomb has been closed since the funeral. Over 4000 years ago. Inside, the sarcophagus could therefore be found, and precious objects that accompanied the deceased in the afterlife. But on the left side, the sealing of the tomb seems to have begun. There is something that I do not like. There, there is still a small hole, and the bricks are not in place. Didn't someone go down in ancient times like this, leaving that aside?

Vassil believes that a looter might have slipped through this tiny opening. but would he have taken everything away? To get to the bottom of it, you have to clear the opening. And in the rubble, first surprise. It's getting interesting. A miniature alabaster vase. If it's like that on the inside... my God! The quality of the work is truly outstanding. It's very pretty, very fine, very well made. It shows a certain quality and importance of the character that is in it. Male or female, we don't know yet, but it's a good sign. The market value of

this small vase exceeds ten thousand euros. From that moment on, with such small objects, and of such great value, one must move carefully. The sand removed from the well is sieved so as not to let anything pass through. The team finally reached the funeral chamber. The room starts here with registration. The room is fully decorated and filled with sand. It is much better than the other one. Another discovery. Yes, it is very similar. Yes, much better! It's a better job. I can't see his name. It is a bit far away. It's much prettier and it's

empty. On the threshold of the tomb, a new find, a very precious object. It's a small tablet. You see the little jars we saw, maybe it was on top of it. The tablet is engraved and it gives the name of the deceased. That's very interesting. At the top, there is a small line that can be read from right to left, that gives us the owner, marked with ink, powerful of life. Take it easy here. Now it's perfect. It's a very small vase. Maybe for the oils. Unfortunately, it is empty. If there were a few more

drops of oil to put on hand, to smell. Inside the tomb, Vassil and Abdou discovered ceramics. They were supposed to contain beer, oil, and grains. so that the deceased can eat after his resurrection. All of this has been in place since ancient times. We have the plaster cap. There you go, we can clearly see the jar, it is exactly the one we see here. There is a traffic jam here that you can't see in the drawing. It seems like that's the shape, It's a bit longer. It's the jars, maybe oil jars. Mixed with the sand,

Vassil also finds tiny objects, which most of us would not attach any importance to. However, it has magical power. It's called the knife for opening your mouth, the instrument that allows the deceased to open their mouths. The one who died so that the breath of life could return to the mummy, so that he can live again. A new surprise. It's a leaf of gold. It is a magnificent piece of work. A relic of the jewelry likely placed with the deceased at the time of burial. Like this necklace depicted on the walls of the tomb. But

that's proof that in the grave, there were gold objects of great value. Vassil's mission is financed by France but all these discoveries, belong to Egypt and will remain in the country. Some of them will no doubt be exhibited in museums in Cairo. A great success, even if the archaeologist, can't help but keep dreaming of discovering one day, An untouched tomb. For us, it's very important if one day, we find an unbroken tomb. That would really be the best of the best. It's the most we can hope for. It can happen but it doesn't have to

be. As a last precaution before leaving the search, Vassil had the well sealed with bespoke armored doors. Enough to prevent thieves from plundering these treasures. That's it, it closes well. Far from mass tourism, The Nile offers a timeless break. This is Sudan, the only steamboat that sails on the river. Built in 1921, it is now owned owned by a French tour operator who offers luxury cruises. 67 crew members for only 23 cabins. High-end service, supervised in every detail by Amir, the director of the boat. Despite the crisis affecting the tourist industry, Amir's company has never

stopped sailing Sudan, even at a loss. If we even have one customer, we go on the cruise. The reputation, the respect of our customers, That's the image of our agency, of our boat. It happens a lot of times when the boat is sailing, even from Luxor to Aswan with 1 or 2 customers. And we do the same service. This week, there are only 12 passengers on Sudan. Amir welcomes each of them personally. The latest arrivals, this French couple, Caroline and her husband Michael. Amir, the boat manager. Me and my whole team will always be available,

always at your service, 24 hours a day. In my heart, I wish you a pleasant stay and a very good cruise. Thank you and to your good health! It's magic! It is a boat that is-- that is burdened with a past, At any rate, it was very well organized. Besides, it's a bit mythical. Caroline and Michael came to immerse themselves in the atmosphere, the beginnings of tourism in Egypt. In the days of Agatha Christie, the queen of crime novels, she indeed travelled to Sudan in 1933. A cruise that inspired him for his novel Death on

the Nile. It's pretty incredible. This wood that has truly aged. Since then, the cabins have not changed much. It's quite amazing to have a bed like that in a boat cabin. There is an authentic, different side. Eccentric, yet comfortably so. A large bath. The main attraction of the ship is on the lower deck. An engine room open to the eyes. Fuel oil has replaced coal. But all the mechanics are original, with the limitations of the era. Like a century ago, a machinist must grease the pistons every half hour to protect the elements from breakage. I

think we're able to stay there for an hour just watching the movement. It's a bit addictive, As a feeling, it's funny. 5 pm, time for tea in Sudan. Originally it was an English boat, which of course offered an impeccable standard to its passengers. That's the icing on the cake. That's what we like in addition to the rest. The slightly English side, with small details that go well, the extremely friendly staff, That's the most of the cruise and the most of this boat in particular, I think other boats don't offer that. A dream cruise and a

price that has not fallen since the revolution. For two, you should be around €5,000 all-inclusive for one week. It is the price of a certain exception with qualified personnel, with attention to the little details that we experience on the boat, that seems to explain the price without a problem. The conditions are exceptional because the boat is almost empty. A situation that is likely to last, because of the threats that are still present today, about Egypt and its treasures.