After a memorable weekend in Cap Ferret, the question arose: would we build on this good impression or risk the experience all over again? Let’s risk it 🥳
When it came to choosing a destination, we travelled a lot… Italy, Croatia, Norway, Malta, Corsica, Greece – we’ve thought of it all. But nothing lined up in terms of timetables or ticket prices. All the way to Marrakech… Arrival on Friday 8.30am, return on Sunday 3.50pm. It’ll be short and intense, just the way we like it 😂
➜ How to organize a weekend with friends in Marrakech? Where to stay, when to go? The answers await you in the article: “Weekend in Marrakech: practical info & good addresses“.
➜ The full itinerary for discovering Marrakech in a day is available here: “Marrakech in a day: discovery itinerary“
Zaventem, 4:30 am. Here we are, all together for the start. It stings a little… Good news, 18 of us have the same head 🥱
4 hours later, here we are in Marrakech! A bit of a queue at customs. Some agents seem more suspicious than others, but we get by just fine. At the exit, car rental signs await us. Vehicle inspection, paperwork signature, general kitty to pay for parking (small change in dirhams was not planned at this stage, mistake 😂 ), new kitty to fill the fuel tanks. The clock is ticking and stomachs are starting to cry famine… The photo of the Jardin de la Ménara is sacrificed without remorse for breakfast in the medina.
With four cars, progress in a tight convoy is not easy… You end up getting lost and, without a local SIM card or an unlimited package, it’s impossible to call each other to find out where everyone is. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that everyone makes it to the rendezvous point. Verdict on arrival: three cars out of four in the parking lot, not bad 😂
As soon as we get out of the car, we get into the mood by negotiating the price of a day’s parking. Still no sign of the missing car. The temperature is starting to rise, so we might as well get a move on and see what happens…
Passing through the Bab Agnaou gate, first steps into the medina. But first, combine business with pleasure with breakfast on the terrace of Café Zeitoun Kasbah. The staff is attentive, the dishes as copious as they are delicious and the view of the Kasbah mosque just perfect 🤩
➜ In the practical department: always give clear directions to other travelers in the group. There are 3 Zeitoun cafés in Marrakech, including 2 in the medina. The four latecomers obviously headed for the wrong café 😂
After an excellent breakfast, head for the Saadian tombs just next door. Access to the site isn’t very inviting (in other words, you can’t see anything), the queue doesn’t get any longer and the entrance fee is the same as for other visits planned afterwards. Okay, let’s move on…
A few minutes to get your bearings and find your way to the El Badi Palace… Rue Tougma towards Place Mellah, we’re good. The stalls are bustling with activity. Spices, clothes, carpets, they sell us everything. There are even proposals for complete makeovers. Yes… but no 😅
At first glance, Place des Ferblantiers seems a quiet place. And yet, the craftsmen are already busy in the workshops. There are lights everywhere. Beautiful palm-leaf lampshades too. It won’t fit in the suitcases 😭
No trace of the El Badi Palace, which shouldn’t be far away! On enquiry, the entrance to the palace is in confidential mode, hidden behind a black screen at the end of a long aisle. As soon as we’re spotted, a guard greets us urgently to discourage any surreptitious photo-taking. Okay, okay: ticket first, photo later 😂
The palace may have lost some of its lustre after being looted, but it’s still a truly impressive sight. To imagine the splendor of the era, on the other hand, you need a hell of a lot of imagination 😅
It’s time to head for Jemaa el-Fna Square. By day, the square is synonymous with snake charmers and monkey trainers. Between the fresh juice stalls, a few henna tattooists try to grab hands to leave their mark (for a fee, of course). The experience is borderline oppressive. We negotiate a few real fake soccer jerseys and continue towards the souks. There are those who go their own way and those who stop at every stall without knowing when they’ll come out. Amazing 😂
Lunch break at L’Mida restaurant. At first glance, the place doesn’t look like much. But once you’ve reached the first level, the right decorations create an atmosphere that’s both chill and trendy. One more level to reach the outdoor terrace. And here, a view first. Then there’s the terrace, with its colorful accents, large umbrellas and oversized shades.
Once you’ve got over the disappointment of not finding any alcoholic beverages on the menu (a glass of chilled rosé wouldn’t have gone amiss at this stage…), you fall back on L’Mida’s signature mocktails. A pleasant discovery, tasty and surprising. The dishes are in the same vein: full of flavor, between culinary innovation and tradition. Despite the shady areas, the heat is overwhelming. Time to get back on the road and complete the circuit…
Place des Epices. Another trip through the souks. A few lingering glances, but the Secret Garden awaits. Once again, the exterior is not very exciting. We hesitate, as the heat and fatigue begin to make themselves felt. Well, okay, that’s the last visit… As soon as you take your first steps, the lushness of the gardens transports you to another world. Between bejmats (glazed tiles) and plantations, the place exudes a very Zen atmosphere, with just the right amount of exoticism. On the roof, a magnificent terrace invites you to enjoy the view of the Islamic garden, without having to hurry. But the discovery tour is coming to an end, and the urge to move is getting the better of the mint tea…
Last few kilometers in the red city to collect the cars. The journey never ends. The Koutoubia is just worth a photo stop 😅
50 minutes separate us from the Petit Hôtel du Flouka, which we have reserved for ourselves until the following day. The road is quiet, with music and the Atlas Mountains in the background, all the way to Lake Lalla Takerskoust.
Behind a beautiful wooden door, the Flouka awaits us.
Right from the entrance, a number of rooms overlook the pool and lake below. The pavilions housing the other rooms are nestled in lush vegetation, linked by stone paths. The place is intimate, with a charming vacation village feel.
We quickly divide up the rooms. Everyone takes possession of their quarters, aiming for a swimsuit aperitif by the pool 🍹
Below, the restaurant opens onto a huge terrace overlooking the lake. But at this time of day, it’s the bar area that gets all the attention.
While the team takes care of the first orders, the pool is taken by storm. Enjoy the last rays of the sun on a deckchair or with your feet in the water. The change of scenery is at its peak, and the miles we’ve traveled to discover the red city seem a long way off… The music blares out, with no fear of disturbing the neighbors. The advantage of having the hotel just for us 🥳
It’s almost time for dinner. Shower, final aperitif for the fastest. Two large tables are set out on the terrace to share a couscous. Between the moonlight and the diffused light under the porch, the discussions spread out quietly… One part of the group launches into a frenzied game of pétanque, while the other inaugurates the improvised dance floor with the help of a sound system rented by the hotel manager. 5-star service 🤩
Despite the capricious wi-fi, which left a few gaps in the playlist, the crowd kept on dancing and swaying into the wee hours… The bravest will even go back for a swim before a well-deserved rest. What an evening!
On Saturday mornings, breakfast is served on the terrace, in the shade of a parasol. The pace is gentle, and the gaze is lost on the lake and mountains in the distance. The transition to the pool is a natural one, as is the aperitif (already??). Between two tchin tchin, the suitcases are packed and the rooms vacated. Noon, new tables for meat and vegetable tagines. We left Flouka under stormy skies, but with stars in our eyes…
The edge of the lake soon gives way to the hills of the Agafay desert. We arrive at Selina Nomad Camp Agafay under more threatening skies than ever. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it won’t rain for the quad bike ride ahead.
As soon as we arrive at our camp, we are amazed. The main tent, which houses the bar and restaurant area, is beautifully decorated. It opens onto a superb swimming pool with a view of the tents below, the desert hills and the Atlas Mountains in the background. A feeling of immensity and well-being. We were quickly disturbed by our first interactions with the team responsible for welcoming us. Check-in drags on with complex and unnecessary formalities. The system doesn’t seem to be able to book quad bikes. The tents are not ready or not distributed as they should be. It’s a bit chaotic, and we’re taking it all in our stride. After all, the tents are well-equipped, the setting is pleasant and the view is just crazy. What’s more, what’s in store for us promises to be a good time: an hour on a quad bike in the desert, happy hour around the pool and a traditional meal in the tent – it’s all going to be great!
And where are the quads? No answer at reception. However, the activity was booked over a month in advance via Selina’s online reservation system. With a little insistence, we’re told that the quads should have been here by now, but that they’ll be on their way, so don’t panic… Ten minutes go by, then twenty. Still no quads. The sky gets a little darker, nerves are on edge. You might as well give up the quad and enjoy an aperitif by the pool. We inform reception, who come running back to tell us that the quads are there. Well, not really there, but close. Just a five-minute drive. Really close. Okay, okay, we’ll take the cars to the quads.
They didn’t lie about the distance. In five minutes, we’re at the meeting place. For quads on the other hand 🤨 More or less confusing explanations from the on-site manager. The quads are about to arrive. Well, we’re here, might as well wait a bit. Minutes go by, the guy gets excited on the phone, no doubt looking for quads that still haven’t arrived. Two quads on the horizon, a glimmer of hope even if six are still missing. The tone goes up a notch on the phone. Our patience is sorely tested. We think we’d have been happier by the pool… Other vehicles appear as if by magic. We’re hanging in there, so we can get started. Oh no, one of the quads has a leak. Makeshift repairs, big doubts about taking this vehicle out for an hour’s drive in the desert. It’s argued all over the place. Let’s go or we’ll really have wasted our time.
We set off in single file. No overtaking, no acceleration, no… Okay, we get it. But once we’re on the runway, on the other hand… Ah no, still not. At the slightest attempt, the person in charge reprimands you. Moderately cool, but we keep going. Until a breakdown. A quad that stops moving. We’re asked to wait for reinforcements, but we don’t stop the clock, which has already been ticking for 20 minutes. Whaaat?? There’s no question of spending the remaining 40 minutes at the side of the track waiting for a repair that probably won’t come. We ask for the activity to be interrupted. The organizer is aggressive and very unsympathetic. He eventually capitulated, but not without continuing to threaten us. We leave the quads in the parking lot and pick up the cars without asking for anything else. Back at camp, a few words of explanation at reception, who make no secret of their astonishment. “This has never happened to us before! Maybe, but in the meantime, the customer experience is taking a beating 😂
Fortunately, happy hour is still a thing of the past. A drink around the pool and we’ll feel better… We’re almost alone on the camp site (the Selina group has just taken over management) but the bar team is swamped 🙄 We cling to the view, magnificent under the storm that passes not far from us.
The chef emerges from his kitchen to take orders for the evening meal. A little disorganized too, but everyone makes up their minds in the end. We finish the aperitif in a few drops of rain. To the shower… The shared bathroom facilities are clean, but without any shower curtains worthy of the name. We manage as best we can, in our bathing suits and with water everywhere.
For this last evening, we’re bringing out the chic outfits. All gathered on the illuminated terrace, we find ourselves beautiful, the evening promises to be perfect 🤩
Two large tables were set up under the tent. We take our place on the ground, a cushion under our buttocks. In a dress, the experience isn’t the easiest, but we manage… Starters to share are served. In tapas mode, it tastes good, but above all it whets the appetite. We can’t wait for the sequel! But when it does arrive, we vacillate between disappointment and incomprehension. Most plates are served unaccompanied. For some, it’s all right. But some chicken thighs look quite dry on their own at the bottom of their plates… A little extra semolina goes a long way. Yes, but there’s no more semolina! In the middle of a rush, all the tables occupied, that’s fine, but here 😅 Never mind, we’ll concentrate on the rest: the good company, the magnificent setting and the joy of simply being there. At the end of the meal, the chef arrives with a big smile on his face… and portions of semolina for the whole table. Too bad the meal is over 😂 The evening ends under the stars, remaking the world or thereabouts. A good night’s sleep in a tent.
Sunday breakfast is served early in the morning, under the tent and on the terrace.
We headed for the Domaine de Tameslohte to make the most of the few hours we had left… With its huge swimming pool and abundant vegetation, it’s the perfect place for a day pass combining swimming and lunch on the terrace.
While some enjoy a massage, others take an aperitif in the pool. Lunch is served in the shade. The food is delicious and the service impeccable. An address to remember…
Last dip before packing up… Do we really have to go home? 😭
Assessment of this second weekend with friends: as good as the first, if not better. The visit to the medina was done (a little) at a run, under a sometimes overwhelming heat, but we took in the sights. After the hustle and bustle of the souks, the banks of Lake Lalla Takerskoust and the Agafay desert were all the more exotic. Despite our large numbers, and with one exception, we were always greeted with a smile and attention. What more is there to say? Three’s a crowd, right? 🤪
➜ How to organize a weekend with friends in Marrakech? Where to stay, when to go? The answers await you in the article: “Weekend in Marrakech: practical info & good addresses“.
➜ The full itinerary for discovering Marrakech in a day is available here: “Marrakech in a day: discovery itinerary“
