tourism-morocco

Marrakech is not only a fantastic city, it is also a symbol of the Morocco that once was, and which still survives here. The streets of the old and pink city have been too narrow to allow the introduction of cars, and tourists searching for the "real" Morocco have turned the medieval structures of Marrakech into good business.
The hordes of tourists that come here all through the year have still not managed to change its character. Actually their high number contribute in a postive way to preserve one of the greatest monuments of the Morocco that once was. And the people of Marrakech love their city even more, and Moroccans all over the country would not let down an opportunity of visiting it.
The most worthwhile tourist traps are collected inside a rather small zone, starting in the north with the suuqs, continuing through the town square of Jemaa l-Fna with its crowd of storytellers, musicians and the Koutoubia mosque which is visible from practically anywhere in Marrakech.

Going beyond this, the Menara gardens- by young Marrakechians considered as the most romantic place in town- is high up on the list. But don't forget to visit one of the many examples of sights left by the many Europeans and Americans who fell so much in love with Marrakech that they erected their palaces and gardens here. 

Rural Tourism in Morocco

One of the best ways to experience Morocco is to visit its rural towns and villages. You not only reap the benefits of experiencing hidden treasures, but rural tourism also helps to increase employment and incomes for local inhabitants.

Driving through the Anti Atlas mountains, which are forested with argan trees, we arrive in the Moroccan village of Mesti, situated between Sidi Ifni and Guelmim in the Tiznit Province in southwest Morocco—about a half hour from the Atlantic coast. Our destination is Tafyoucht Coopérative Féminine d’Argane, a women’s argan cooperative. Tafyoucht, which means “argan” in the Berber dialect, produces by-products of the argan tree such as argan oil and natural cosmetic products.

Tafyoucht was created in 1998 with the assistance of l’Association Ait Baamrane in Sidi Ifni in partnership with the NGO Oxfam-Québec, which assists women in establishing cooperatives by providing technical expertise on management, production, and sales. The cooperative, run entirely by local women, provides a space for women to earn a livelihood while combining their resources and developing leadership and literacy skills. Tafyoucht also has a conservation and reforestation program to protect the argan forest.

The argan tree is a thorny evergreen native to southwestern Morocco. Perfectly adapted to the southwestern arid regions of Morocco, argan is hardy and resistant, surviving in poor soil under drought conditions, requiring no cultivation.

The forest supports more than three million Berbers, the original inhabitants of Morocco, by providing them with wood and nutshells for heating fuel, feed for livestock, as well as oil for cooking, cosmetic, and medicinal purposes.

The roots of the argan tree grow deep in search of water, which help prevent soil erosion and limit desertification. Thus, the argan tree plays a vital role in maintaining an ecological balance and the economic stability of the rural population. In 1999, UNESCO added the argan tree to the World Heritage List. Although the argan is Morocco’s second most common tree species, in less than a century over a third of the argan forest has disappeared and is now in danger of extinction.

The Production Process

Berber women harvest and make the oil mostly by traditional methods, a labor intensive process even with an electric press and filtering machine. One liter of extracted oil requires 32 kg of fruit and 12 hours of work. Tafyoucht produces about 500 liters of oil per month.

Women gather the fruit and dry it in the sun. A machine separates the nut from the flesh. Each nut then must be cracked open to remove the kernels, done by hand between two stones. The kernels then are manually sorted from the nutshells. The kernels destined for culinary argan oil are roasted by mild heating to bring out their flavor. Next they are put through a mechanical press for grinding and extraction, and then filtered. It’s a cold first pressed oil yielding a high nutritive quality.

Argan Products

For centuries, Berber women of the Atlas region have produced argan oil, used for its cosmetic and nutritional properties and in traditional Moroccan medicine. The oil has high nutritional value, similar to that of olive oil. It is claimed to have various medicinal properties such as lowering cholesterol levels, stimulating circulation, treating arthritis, and strengthening the body’s immune system.

Argan culinary oil, with a unique, exotic aroma and a delicious, earthy, nutty flavor, is a favorite ingredient of many gourmets. Argan cosmetic oil nourishes and hydrates the skin and is used as a massage oil and anti-scarring agent. It is also used in treatments for rheumatism, brittle fingernails, chicken pox, and sunburns. After cosmetic oil extraction the kernel residue is used to make hydrating soap, as well as an intensive hair mask conditioning treatment.

No part of the argan fruit is wasted. Once the nuts are extracted, the shells are used as fuel for heating and cooking and the remnants of the fruit flesh are sold as cattle feed. The purchase of these products contributes to literacy programs and to the protection of a forest, which the local inhabitants depend upon. Most of all, it contributes to the livelihoods of countless women and their families.

Ouarzazate

A la croisée des chemins entre les vallées du Drâa, du Dadès et du Ziz, Ouarzazate marque le début du périple en éblouissant le voyageur avec deux magnifiques casbahs. Celle de Taourirt, ancienne résidence du Glaoui, est ahurissante de beauté. Des tours émergent d’une masse de maisons serrées les unes aux autres, poussent leurs créneaux vers le bleu du ciel et se disputent la première place au soleil.
Celle d’Aït Benhaddou, située à 30 kilomètres de la ville, est l’une des plus belle. Imaginez un magnifique château de sable posé comme par magie dans un champ d’amandiers en fleurs. Si beau, jouant si bien avec la lumière qu’il fut le décor de nombreux films, dont “Lawrence d’Arabie” et “Un thé au Sahara”. Titre de noblesse, cette casbah est inscrite au patrimoine de l’UNESCO.

Point de départ de la route des oasis, Ouarzazate est aussi le point d’arrivée des cultures et de l’artisanat. Dans son souk, le dimanche, se trouvent à profusion henné, roses, cumin, armoise distillée, à côté de poteries berbères, d’objets en pierre taillée, de couvertures et des réputés tapis Ouzguita, bleus ou jaune d’or, aux dessins géométriques.
Etape idéale, Ouarzazate accorde une merveilleuse détente dans ses hôtels, tous splendides. Généreuse, hospitalière, dépaysante, elle prépare en douceur aux sensations extrèmes du désert

 

Marrakech

MARRAKESH : LA VILLE SPECTACLE

Marrakesh s’éveille. Comme chaque matin depuis 800 ans, avec les mêmes inflexions chantantes, l’appel du muezzin résonne du haut des 70 mètres de la Koutoubia, le phare spirituel de Marrakesh.

 

Essaouira

Eternellement protégée par les alizés, noyée au milieu des fleurs, Essaouira la Blanche embaume de toutes les essences que travaillent ses ébénistes. Charmante petite ville au caractère très particulier avec ses maisons aux volets bleus, l’ex-Mogador rappelle étrangement les îles grecques, tandis que ses remparts font penser à Saint-Malo. Bref, on se sent chez soi. En plus la température y est presque toujours de 25ºC, ce qui change des 40ºC de Marrakesh en été. Pas étonnant que de nombreux Marrakchis s’y précipitent, fuyant les fortes chaleurs.

Agadir

AGADIR : QUE LA FETE COMMENCE !

Entre le vert odorant des eucalyptus, des pins, des tamaris et le bleu enchanteur d’une mer limpide, calme, vivifiante, délicieuse, bleu pur à peine plus soutenu que celui du ciel où, tous les jours, brille un soleil éclatant, s’étale une sublime plage de sable fin et doré, longue de dix kilomètres, la plage

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Tetouan

DE TETOUAN A CHEFCHAOUEN

Au programme cet après-midi, promenade à Tétouan. La ville domine la verte vallée de l’Oued Martil. Pour entrer dans la médina, franchir ses remparts, vous avez le choix entre sept portes magnifiquement ouvragées. Et maintenant, suivez votre inspiration. Cette ruelle ombragée par une treille dégage une fraîcheur délicieuse. Observez les bâtisses ornées de céramique

Tanger

TANGER : L’INSPIRATRICE

“Tourterelle posée sur l’épaule de l’Afrique”, Tanger a longtemps été convoitée pour sa position stratégique. Depuis la fondation de Tingis au IVe siècle avant J.C., Carthaginois, Romains, Phéniciens, Vandales, Espagnols, Portugais et Anglais se la sont disputée jalousement. Aucune ville d’Afrique qui ne soit plus proche de l’Europe, aucun Orient qui ne soit plus cher au coeur des artisites européens ou américains : peintres, musiciens ou écrivains. Read the rest of this entry »

Meknes

Au coeur de la campagne marocaine, coup de coeur ! c’est Meknès, la ville impériale de Moulay Ismaïl. Avec une ardeur inlassable, une volonté inébranlable, il entreprit de faire de cette ville une capitale à son image.
Palais, mosquées, fontaines, terrasses, jardins, écuries, magasins, greniers s’édifièrent sans discontinuer pendant 50 ans pour combler le gigantesque périmètre dessiné par les murailles.

Rabat

Partout du bleu, bleu intense de la mer et du ciel, et blottie dans l’écrin ocre de ses remparts, une ville blanche avec un minaret qui joue avec les nuages : voici Rabat, la capitale du Maroc