The Moroccan desert and the southern valleys

When should you head to the Moroccan desert?

With its Mediterranean climate, Morocco can be explored under the sun almost all year round. Autumn is the best time to visit Marrakech and the Moroccan desert. Temperatures range between 20 and 30 degrees and the sun shines for 10 hours a day. Rain, meanwhile, only falls one or two days a month.

You can also take the ferry to Morocco in winter or spring. Temperatures are milder, but the color of the December or April sky is unparalleled purity.

Even if you like the heat, it's best to avoid summer to visit the Moroccan desert. With temperatures that can reach 50 degrees, July and August are not ideal for discovering southern Morocco and the Sahara Desert.

Marrakech, "the city of the seven saints"

It's impossible to discover Morocco without visiting Marrakech! After your Marseille-Tangier by ferry, set course for the ochre city. You'll be greeted by an ever-bustling medina, inscribed on Unesco's World Heritage List. The hustle and bustle culminates Place Jemaa El-Fna, where snake charmers rub shoulders with artisans and their stalls.

To find a little peace and quiet, head to the Jardins Majorelle, in the new town. Fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent made it his refuge. The old town also boasts a number of peaceful havens. A stone's throw from the souk lies le Jardin Secret. Behind this mysterious name actually lie an exotic garden, an Islamic garden, palaces and one of the city's tallest towers.

Lovers of arts and culture will find many things to do in Marrakech. They can learn about Berber culture at the Marrakech Museum and appreciate the Morocco of yesteryear at the Mouassine Museum or the House of Photography.

The southern gateway, like the rest of the kingdom, has been a source of inspiration for many foreign artists. The Orientalist Museum or the one dedicated to Yves Saint-Laurent remind us how Marrakech fed the imagination of European painters and artists.

Zagora, "the Silent City"

It's in Zagora that the trail to the Sahara begins, as illustrated by the famous painted signpost indicating Timbuktu, 52 days (by camel).

Before you head off to visit the Moroccan desert, take advantage of the shade provided by a stroll along Avenue Mohamed V or set out to climb the Jebel Zagora. Perched 200 meters above sea level, you'll enjoy views of the Silent City, the cliff and the surrounding dunes.

Finally, if you have a little time left over when you visit Zagora, plan a gateway to the village of Amezrou or an excursion to the dunes of Tinfou.

Draa Valley

South of the Atlas Mountains nestles one of Morocco's largest oases. The Drâa Valley is an ancient caravan trail, dotted with Berber villages, palm groves and fortifications.

The landscape and silhouettes of the ksour are best appreciated by car when each stop in a village reserves its share of surprises. In Agdz, for example, the descendants of caïd Ali open the doors of their ancestor's home. An opportunity to contemplate the riad and its orange trees, which were previously reserved for guests.

The road has made you hot and you'd like to swim in the middle of the desert? It's possible in the Ouzoud waterfalls located just a few minutes from the village of Tizgui, these waterfalls give rise to a natural pool, where you can swim when the weather is favorable.

Roses valley

This Atlas valley owes its name to the roses that bloom here in spring.

The rocky earth here also takes on a color with multiple tones, from ochre to pink.

Set off for a hike amid gorges and canyons.

You'll come across villages that are guardians of Berber culture, such as Bou-Tharar and its ksar, Kelaat M'Gouna and its weekly souk or Hadida and its rosewater distillery.

The trip becomes magical in April and May, when the scent of roses perfumes the bed of the M'Goun river.

Dades Valley

A few kilometers north of Ouarzazate lies the Dades Valley. Palm groves, Berber fortresses, mosques... Stop along the road of a thousand kasbahs at Skoura, Imassine or El-Kelâa M'Gouna as you please.

And for the more adventurous, it's possible to climb jebel Saghro (2,712 meters) by 4x4 or on foot.

Fancy discovering the Moroccan desert, Marrakech and the imperial cities of Morocco?
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