Le pont d’herbes tressées de Q’eswachaka

Das Erbe der Inka

The Inca Grass Bridge of Q'eswachaka

El puente Inca de Q'eswachaka

Most Inków w Q'eswachaka

Perù: il ponte vegetale di Q'eswachaka

In Peru, every year, the people who live in remote mountain villages gather to build the Inca bridge of Q'eswachaka, a traditional structure of woven grass, and the last of its kind. This ancestral know-how inherited from the Incas, and the enduring spirit of community, enables the villagers to pull off a stunning feat of engineering, time and again.

In Peru, every year, villagers build the Inca bridge of Q'eswachaka from woven grass, and the last of its kind.

Infamous drug baron Pablo Escobar had four hippos flown over from Africa to populate his very own zoo on his private estate in Columbia. After his death in 1993, the hippos escaped and have been colonising local waterways ever since. Conservationists are now waging a war against this invasive species which is harmful to the local ecosystem and highly dangerous to humans.

Geo Reportage

Infamous drug baron Pablo Escobar had four hippos flown over from Africa to populate his very own zoo on his private estate in Columbia. But then they escaped.

Pablo Escobar's Hippos

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Lyubov, which means love in Russian, is 80 years old and lives alone on the shores of Lake Baikal. She bears witness to this wonder of nature and possesses and unbreakable bond with the world’s deepest lake in Siberia. Her life here is hard, especially in winter, but she would not live anywhere else.

On the shores of Lake Baikal, an old woman lives alone in a beautiful place that is dear to her heart.

The Old Woman and the Lake

"The Living Bridges" of Meghalaya are the product of human ingenuity in the face of nature. Hundreds of years ago, when monsoons swelled the streams in the mountain jungle and turned them into raging torrents, the surrounding villages built living bridges out of tree roots. It's a tradition still alive today. 

India: The Living Bridges

"The Living Bridges" are bridges made out of tree roots in the jungles of India. They are a lifeline for the surrounding villages

ARTE Reportage

Every year in early summer, hundreds of seal pups are born on the sandbanks and beaches of the German North Sea coast. Tourists like to get close to these cute new-borns but this can sometimes disturb their mothers that then abandon their young, condemning them to starve. Luckily, centres exist that look after orphaned seal pups before releasing them back into the wild.

Every year in early summer, hundreds of seal pups are born on the sandbanks and beaches of the German North Sea coast.

Saving Baby Seals

With the Kalahari, Namib or Etosha, Namibia is rich in protected areas and animal reserves and big cats benefit. There are an estimated 8,000 cheetahs left in the world, of which more than a third live in Namibia. Their population used to be much larger, but drought, poachers and competition with leopards are reducing the population.

With the Kalahari, Namib or Etosha, Namibia is rich in  animal reserves from which the big cats benefit. 

Cheetahs of Namibia

When Massimo Vacchetta discovered little Ninna, he immediately adopted her and saved her from certain death. The veterinarian, whose specialty was caring for cattle, had found his vocation: he opened a hedgehog refuge, now a local institution partly run by volunteers.

When Massimo Vacchetta discovered little Ninna, he immediately adopted her and saved her from certain death

360° Geo: A Hedgehog Shelter in Italy

Isabel Menzi's main job is a pilot for a Swiss airline. But she’s undergoing grueling training to achieve her dream of becoming a glacier pilot. These pilots are a vital lifeline to anyone who gets stranded in these traitorous mountains, but the flights themselves are death-defying.

GEO Reportage

Isabel dreams of becoming a glacier pilot, saving people in the Alps. But the training alone is death-defying

Switzerland: Glacier Pilots

Medieval combat techniques are alive and swishing in Spain. Every year, a big tournament takes place at the foot of the castle of Belmonte in Castile-La Mancha. Men and women dressed in armour face each other in duels, and fight 'battles' using swords and axes.

360° Geo

At the foot of the castle of Belmonte, men and women dress in armour face each other in duels.

Spain: The Medieval Art of Combat

In Europe, the last primary forests are found almost exclusively in the mountains in the east or south-east of the continent. These virgin forests have never been exploited or cut down, and have remained as they have always been. Few studies have been done on this forests, which are presumably havens of biodiversity. We go on a research trip to the Dinaric Alps in Albania.

The Green Lungs of Europe

We go on a research trip to the Dinaric Alps in Albania

Bonuses and Extracts

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On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth recalls how her father's execution of her mother Anne Boleyn left her a bastard. This unique opera series follows the life of the 'Virgin Queen' to the music of Gaetano Donizetti. Episode 1: The Coronation...

The Coronation

On the eve of her coronation, Elizabeth recalls how her mother's execution turned her into a bastard.

Gaetano Donizetti: Bastarda (1/6)

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu mounts a serious challenge to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s presidency as the election heads to a runoff. Next, we take a look at the problem of student housing across Europe, which is getting more expensive and harder to find. In our culture segment, the French play ‘Daddy’ delves into the seedy world of online grooming.

Turkey election / Student housing / Theatre

Turkey’s election heads for round two, while students across Europe are struggling to find affordable housing.

ARTE Europe Weekly

Since the wars that devastated the Balkans in the 1990s, the international community has continued to associate Southeastern Europe with a powder keg. "Tracks East" has therefore chosen to give a voice to young artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Kosovo who strive to portray a different image of this region of the world.

The Millennials of the Balkans

Artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Kosovo are striving to present a different image of Southeastern Europe.

Tracks East

Visiting her childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth is caught up in a love triangle that reminds her of a past situation, when Jane Seymour was the love rival of Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn. This unique opera series follows the life of the Virgin Queen to the music of Gaetano Donizetti. Episode 2: The Royal Progress...

The Royal Progress

Elizabeth is entangled in a love triangle that reminds her of a past situation...

Gaetano Donizetti: Bastarda (2/6)

Chat forums are full of tales of miraculous healing thanks to the medicinal properties of cannabis. But there's little hard scientific evidence to back those claims up. In Germany, since 2017, cannabis has been available with a doctor's prescription. Many medical professionals have criticised the widespread use of cannabis as a massive experiment on the most vulnerable. Meanwhile in France, legislation remains strict, while in Israel, medicinal cannabis has been used for decades.

A Controversial Plant

Chat forums are full of tales of miraculous healing thanks to the medicinal properties of cannabis

Medical Marijuana

Portrait of the German symbolist painter and sculptor Max Klinger (1857-1920). Often compared to Rodin, he was famous in his day for his erotic and tender sculptures.

Dream and Seduction

Portrait of the German symbolist painter and sculptor Max Klinger (1857-1920), often compared to Rodin.

Max Klinger

Increasing authoritarianism means that Russian citizens have to decide: Do they stay quiet and allow freedom to die? Or do they speak up and risk changing their lives for ever? Tracks East meets Russians that could not accept the Putin dictatorship and now live in exile.

Anti-Putin Russians

Tracks East meets Russians that could not accept the Putin dictatorship and now live in exile.

Japan has just made an historic shift: In December, Tokyo announced a doubling of its defence budget by 2027, the first time this has happened since World War II. The Japanese are wary of China and North Korea.

Japan: Preparing for War

Drugs have a bad press. But scientists have long been convinced that the use of psychedelics can sometimes be beneficial. The use of ecstasy, LSD and other hallucinogens could soon be authorised for therapeutic purposes. Should we change our relationship to certain drugs?

Are We Doing More Drugs?

Scientists have long been convinced that the use of psychedelics can sometimes be beneficial.

42: The Answer to Almost Everything

With the war in Ukraine meaning the end for cheap oil and gas imports from Russia, European demand for coal is on the rise. Multinationals are increasing activity in the largest coal mining region in South America with negative consequences for the environment and local communities.

Colombian Coal for Europe

With European demand increasing, coal mining in Columbia is harming the environment and local communities.

The many turquoise lakes and waterfalls in Plitvice National Park in Croatia are spectacular. This protected area is the refuge of 1,400 varieties of plants, some fifty species of mammals and 321 different butterflies. The park is located in the heart of one of the last primary forests in Europe, where the brown bear still roams. 

The Lakes of Plitvice in Croatia

The many turquoise lakes and waterfalls in Plitvice National Park in Croatia are spectacular

National Parks: A Macro View

An exclusive investigation into the Russian paramilitary organisation Wagner, headed by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. 2,500 documents were leaked from Prigozhin’s servers by anti-Putin hackers, shedding light on this secretive group of mercenaries, a key element in the war in Ukraine.

Data Sources

An exclusive investigation into the Russian paramilitary organisation Wagner, headed by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. 

The Prigozhin Papers

They film their daily lives and that of their children. They earn income and gain fame from it. "Mum influencers" are increasingly sought after by brands. However, the boundary between family life and a "real" job is being blurred. How can we reconcile an opportunity for parents, the consent of children, and the right to their image?

The Family Business

They film their daily lives and their children. "Mum influencers" are increasingly sought after by brands.

Re: Mummy Influencers

A new generation has come of age in Turkey that doesn’t want to live like their parents. On social media, on comedy stages and in rap music a counterculture is flourishing. Filmmaker Ufuk Cam goes to Turkey to uncover the local scene.

Turkey: The New Generation

A new counterculture is flourishing in Turkey. Filmmaker Ufuk Cam goes there to uncover the local scene.

Altın Gün is the incredible story of six Dutch enthusiasts of Turkish rock from the 60s and 70s. A journey through time and space that has been taking the world by storm since 2016. It's hard to resist their electrifying oriental vibes! The band is back to showcase their album released in March 2023: Aşk.
Behind the pseudonym Emile Londonien are three jazz-loving musicians from Strasbourg, all members of the Omezis collective. For their performance at Cabaret Sauvage, the trio invites Haitian-Canadian saxophonist Jowee Omicil and two singers to immerse us in the depths of Legacy, their debut album.
Kutu is also a boundary-crossing project, tracing its path between France and Ethiopia. Kutu revolves around violinist and violist Théo Ceccaldi and singer Hewan Gebrewold, along with three additional musicians. Their collaboration gives birth to cosmic music compiled in their first album, Guramayle.
Filmed concerts on May 29, 2023, at Cabaret Sauvage, Paris.

Journeys through Music

Turkish rock group Altın Gün, jazz trio Emile Londonien, and French-Ethiopian Kutu live at the Cabaret Sauvage.

Altın Gün, Emile Londonien and Kutu

Melody Gardot performs her album Sunset in the Blue, from the Radio France studios accompanied by a trio of musicians and 40 instrumentalists from the in-house orchestra.

Melody Gardot: From Paris with Love

For weeks Lebanon has been paralysed by a fuel crisis that is stretching society to the limit. A lack of gas and petrol means drivers queue for hours to fill up and electricity plants can only provide electricity for a few hours a day.

Lebanon: Fuel Wars

For weeks Lebanon has been paralysed by a fuel crisis that is stretching society to the limit. 

Founder of the English Baroque Soloists, the Monteverdi Choir and the Orchestre révolutionnaire et romantique, John Eliot Gardiner is not only one of the greatest conductors of his time, he is also a gentleman farmer. When he is not conducting, he looks after the cows and sheep on his organic farm in Dorset, some 200 kilometres from London. Portrait of a revered musician, a pioneer of historically informed performance, as he celebrates his eightieth birthday.

The Art of Conducting

Portrait of a revered conductor and pioneer of historically informed performance, as he celebrates his eightieth birthday.

John Eliot Gardiner

One year on from the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut, the families of the victims are struggling to find out the truth and seek justice. The Lebanese government had promised an urgent investigation, but the official version of events satisfies no one: According to the authorities, the ammonium nitrate that caused the blast entered the port by mistake after a ship was damaged off the Lebanese coast and an accident in a warehouse caused the explosion.

Lebanon: Whose Fault Was the Beirut Explosion?

One year on from the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut, the families of the victims are struggling to find out the truth and seek justice.

The Arrabida Natural Park, south of Lisbon, is stunning. The Sado estuary welcomes thousands of migratory birds as winter approaches. But the real treasure of Arrábida is underwater: 1,500 animal and plant species live in its waters, protected since 1998.

Arrabida, Portugal

The Arrabida Natural Park, south of Lisbon, is stunning

The Inca Grass Bridge of Q'eswachaka

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