Spring getaway in search of Moroccan sunshine

Hey fellow travelers!

This isn’t meant to be a full-on travel journal—just a little springtime dip into the Moroccan coast (and maybe a bit more if we click).

For our third trip to this country, we set off for 8 days in early June 2025, *sure* we’d be greeted by non-stop sunshine...



...and well, that didn’t happen! The gray stuck around for a day, then two, then three (while back home in the Landes, we had gorgeous sunshine 🤦‍♂️😂).

Now, unlike us, the Morocco experts here probably already know this, but apparently, it’s pretty common—especially in spring—when the warm air from inland meets the cool ocean breeze. Locals even have to warm up with hot water bottles, can you believe it? 😄!



And of course, it had to happen now, since our plan is to follow the coast from Essaouira to Mirleft!!

Oh well, we’ll see how it goes—but luckily, this first stunning sunset made up for the weather 🌅.



See you soon to anyone who’s up for it! 😊

I'm booking my ticket to join you......

Hi Christelle! The ambulance mule is still parked down the road, so I’m obviously in!

It must be even worse for our poor English friends hoping to see some blue skies

I’ll be following this travel journal too, since I’m planning a trip to Morocco very soon—especially the Atlantic coast, which I don’t know at all (except for Essaouira). See you soon, Anne

I’ll be following your travel journal with extra interest too, since we’re planning to head back to Morocco next spring.

I’ll be following your travel journal with special interest since we’re planning to head back to Morocco next spring.

Oh, if a special note is needed, I’m out! 😉 Watch out for autocorrect—it can play tricks sometimes...

You're really nitpicky, Bruno—I didn’t notice anything 😄. Anyway, welcome everyone! The rest is coming soon, but for the first time, I’m writing this well after returning, so it’s a bit of a slog! But for now, I’m off to bed, dreaming of beautiful Mogador (and Google is your friend for that cultural minute if you're interested 😉).



Cheers

So we’ll be leaving beautiful Mogador in a hurry, hoping to find it even brighter when we return.

And we’re hitting the road in our ride of the week, which I’m totally loving 😂



And apparently, nothing beats a "poor man’s car" for keeping the cops off your back! No exaggeration—we saw 4 to 6 checkpoints a day, and they always stopped the cars in front of or behind us, but never ours 🤷‍♀️😅.

We set off on a Sunday, which turns out to be perfect because it’s the day of the big Had Dra souk—a great tip I got here. We made a little detour since it’s in the opposite direction of our destination, and it was ALMOST worth it: old men in traditional clothes on their donkeys or mopeds,



a butcher, two vegetable vendors, a few harnessed horses... and that’s about it 😵.



Well, we just found out it’s Eid today, so the big souk is canceled 🤦‍♂️!

Quick stop in Sidi Kaouiki, where we see the local specialties that pop up on almost every beach: surfers and camels!



Then a little culinary pit stop at a super local joint



where there are absolutely only guys... and me, me, me 😂



We brush past the "color village" in the mist



and stop for the night in Imi Ouaddar... where Lulu feasts on the biggest sole of her life 🍽️

Hello Christelle

I’m also setting off between lingering mist and a canceled souk 😏.

Hi there, and thanks for this start to the travel journal, and for what’s to come!

...

Hi Christelle, Same here—I’ll follow along because if I join you, we’ll probably be cramped in your tiny car! 😄

So, a little detour since it was in the opposite direction of our destination, and it was ALMOST worth it: elderly folks in traditional attire on their donkey or moped,



Not sure why, but this speaks to me [;]

Hey Christelle

Without exaggerating, we had 4 to 6 checks a day and they always stopped the cars before or after us—but never us 🤷‍♀️😅.

You must have a trustworthy face ;) Love your little not-quite-a-travel-journal—I enjoy revisiting the landscapes and everyday scenes of this Morocco I love so much!

Oh cool, everyone’s here now (especially if we count the spies lurking without saying a word 😆). Muriel, Alain, Kate, Isabelle, and Bruno—you won’t all fit in the Fiat 500, but I’ve found some great rides for you to follow us in the caravan 🤠

On this third day, I jump out of bed full of energy to open the curtains... only to find it's still just as gray ☁️.

So, we take our time heading to Mirleft, our destination for the day.

The drive along Agadir’s outer ring road feels *very* long, with *so* many hotel construction sites!

Luckily, Mirleft is far from all that.



We discover a little village we love and dreamy accommodation: a few rooms around a pretty pool with a super-friendly Italo-Franco-Moroccan host. What more could you ask for...? Well, just a little sunshine, still 😅.

Because our visit to Legzira was basically "arch in the mist"!



But at least it gave a pretty Scottish vibe—quite the change of scenery, actually 😄.



Thankfully, they added lots of colors to brighten things up.



We then headed to Sidi Ifni for lunch (and I don’t even have photos—it was *that* gray!).

And then, finally, the miracle: the sun peeks out! *Whoohoo!* Off to the little beach right next to our room.



Where, like everywhere so far, we got a great glimpse of local tolerance 😏.



And guess what? "It's time for apéro!" Now, in a small Moroccan village during Eid, you’ve got as much chance of finding alcohol as a needle in a haystack—except when it comes to toasting, because *impossible isn’t in our vocabulary*: we found it 😜.

Not far at all, actually, in a little hotel where rooms cost 30 € a night *and* it’s a great restaurant (mmm, the fruit tajine!)



With a larger-than-life French owner: 75 years old, bursting with energy, and full of wild life stories! A real treat. Even better, we got to enjoy some rosé on the terrace—served, I assure you, in a teacup to stay incognito (and I’m sure some of you can relate 😄).

No sunshine, but a bright story. That's already great. Thanks for the good vibes.

Because our visit to Legzira was mostly about the "arch in the mist"!



Every time I think about its neighbor, that magnificent arch that collapsed in 2016! Just a few meters from yours in my thumbnail photo...

Especially since we got to enjoy some rosé on the terrace, served—I assure you—in a teacup to stay incognito (and I’m sure some of you can relate 😄).

No, not at all 😇 We never drank rosé from a teacup! Sacrilege! But we *did* have whisky Coke in a Coke bottle. Does our friend Montagnard74 aka Bruno do it better? 😏

Because our visit to Legzira was basically "arch in the mist"!



But at least it gave it a pretty Scottish vibe, which was quite refreshing, I must say 😄.

I really love this photo in the mist with the couple strolling on the beach 😍 Honestly, with a blue sky, the photo would’ve had way less charm 😉

We’ve never drunk rosé from a tea glass! Sacrilege! But whisky and Coke in a Coke bottle, sure. Does our friend Montagnard74 aka Bruno do any better? 😏

Can someone explain why on this forum, every time alcohol comes up, I get called out? 😠 🤪 Rosé in a teacup, whisky in Coke (does it even exist without it? 😄), whatever the container...

I’m not doing any better—maybe beer in a White Spirit bottle in Brazil, but that was to cool off, not to hide...

beer in a White Spirit bottle

What were you thinking?! At least the bottle was well washed, right?

beer in a White Spirit bottle

What the heck! Was the bottle at least well washed?

Let’s not get it wrong—the beer bottle stays, it’s just the packaging that’s chilled 😜

Can someone explain why on this forum every time alcohol comes up, I get called out?

I’d say it’s because we picture you as a bon vivant, Bruno—but who knows, maybe you’re a vegan who has a blast with mint tea, and that’s totally fine too 😜. What matters is keeping the good vibes 😊. But White Spirit’s not bad for fooling people 😏 (though in Brazil, you don’t need to fool anyone—they drink *a lot*!)

I’d say it’s because we imagine you as a bon vivant, Bruno, but who knows—maybe you’re a vegan who has a blast with mint tea, and that’s great too! 😜 The important thing is keeping the good vibes going 😄

Of course, the good vibes are what matter, but I wouldn’t go on vacation with Sandrine—not deconstructed enough for that yet—and the only mint I’ll swallow will be in a mojito ;) Though I did give in to temptation in Marrakech, if only for the folklore! Anyway, wouldn’t it be great if we went back to Morocco? :p

If it’s just Brazil, you don’t need to fool anyone—people drink *hard* there!)

Maybe that’s why I love that country so much! 😄

We’ll go back, yeah Bruno, but tonight I can’t manage to download the photos, so I’ll come back tomorrow 😢

"Okay, we've spent 2 nights in MIRLEFT—we should probably avoid getting too settled in," my dear partner whispers to me, for whom the word "travel" doesn’t exactly rhyme with "lounging" 😄.

Let’s see what’s happening inland, just to take a break from the sea’s blue... though I’m not complaining 😏.



But honestly, just a few kilometers later, we’re already in another world.



For our 5th night, we set our sights on a city that’s not Instagram-worthy for 2 cents—just to soak up the truly local vibe. And well, in TIZNIT, we nailed it.

A city of 85,000 people, where for the first time, tons of folks we pass on the street greet us with smiling "bonjours," in a medina that wakes up as the day winds down.



A super cute little restaurant,



message walls,



the moped from my younger years 😊 parked in front of an old adobe mosque,



kids passing the time,



urban school transport,



and rural school transport—because yes, squeezing into a Fiat 500 can make you happy 😂.



Especially when it saves you a 5-kilometer walk to school!!



In short, Tiznit was a really pleasant stop for us, but it might not be for those looking for THE fantastic spot 😏.

Here we go, hitching a ride with you all. Thanks for this travel journal..

Hi everyone, Next stop Guelmim? So here’s my favorite region: Mirleft, Ifni, Tiznit... with spots I love, like the restaurant "À l'Ombre du Figuier." But why do you all think Tiznit isn’t Instagram-worthy? (Does that mean photogenic?) I really love your vibe!

But why exactly do you think Tiznit isn’t Instagram-worthy? (Does that mean photogenic?) I really like your tone!

Thanks Aoreora 😏😍. You got it, yeah. Tiznit’s less photogenic than Chefchaouen or Essaouira, and there aren’t any "famous spots" for selfies. And normally, they don’t like Instagram influencers 😏

the moped from my younger years 😊 parked in front of an old adobe mosque



Can’t tell: Team 103 or Team 51?



especially when it saves you 3 miles on foot to get to school!!

Corrupting minors now! Well done! 😕 Anyway, those quiet little spots sure look tempting...

Can’t tell: Team 103 or Team 51?

I’d have said 103 SP Bruno, but mine was orange so maybe that’s throwing me off 😄

Kidnapping minors now! Well done! 😕

Yeah, parents here would’ve pressed charges. Over there, they mostly say thank you 😆

TIFNIT, rest in peace!



And now, you’ll have to excuse me, but we’re getting to the not-so-fun part of this travel journal (especially if you’ve already been here!): a massacre, an outrage—I’m talking about the total destruction of the village of Tifnit!! No, not by a tsunami or an earthquake, but straight-up by "the authorities" (a nice word that lets them hide nicely) who decided to wreck the lives of hundreds of residents with bulldozers in December 2023 (yes, yes, they "leveled" an entire village 😱🏗️). And in 2025, this is what it looks like!



Government propaganda talks about illegal construction and restoring nature to its wild state. Sure, it’s a great success with all that concrete puking in the background 🤢.



Moroccans, on the other hand, mostly talk about the 2030 FIFA World Cup and pharaonic hotel projects by the sea. Only time will tell where the truth lies! In the meantime, we admire the resilience of all these people, especially the fishermen we chatted with for a while.



No compensation here, let alone relocation—your house (and sometimes your ancestors’ house) gets demolished, and after that, well, you’re on your own!! How did they relocate? Where did they go? It’s still unclear. The people we met were just allowed to keep fishing, the small port being the only survivor of this disaster.



But they haven’t lost their sense of humor either!



So let’s be a little crazy today—we’re going with pleasure to eat at Maxim’s after choosing our fresh fish from the cheerful guy in the group.



Okay, I’ll admit, it wasn’t the fanciest meal of our lives, but it was perfectly in tune with our scruffy tourist/beach-bum outfits 😅.



But it’s already time to leave. And I think these men who cling to life while keeping their humor against all odds really deserve all our admiration!!

Thanks for the accuracy of this account in the face of such devastation. It was so beautiful before!

I'm convinced, Jean. I didn’t know what it was like before, otherwise I don’t think I could’ve handled coming back. But I’d read articles about this destroyed village, and I wanted to see how life went on afterward! I still wonder if there were any "mobilizations," if neighboring villages showed solidarity... I was hoping some readers here had experienced it firsthand to tell us about it, but apparently not. Still, even though I can be pretty negative about my country’s "politics," in moments like that, I think we’re really lucky in France (because I imagine if you speak up over there, you’d end up in jail fast!!).

Here’s a really nice travel journal full of images and impressions, along with some unexpected Moroccan visits these days. I had the pleasure of living in MOROCCO for 2 years in the early 70s, and all these place names obviously mean a lot to me . So many beautiful photos!!! Thanks, because even the gloomy weather can bring this out. Safe travels.....

For years, there had been talk of demolition. And many other villages along the coast were demolished. In Tifnit, it happened at the end of December 2023. Aglou was spared, but it's different there—it's about caves. No one was caught off guard. The fishermen keep fishing, and the boats, with their pretty names, are still in use. Still, let's not forget that it was all just a cluster of bricks and wood painted white and blue. Sure, it was quite photogenic, especially from a distance. But there was no hygiene in that village, and everything ended up in the ocean. Nature will quickly reclaim its rights.

For years, there had been talk of demolishing it. And many other villages along the coast were demolished. In Tifnit, We shouldn’t forget that it was just a cluster of bricks and wood painted white and blue—admittedly, it was quite photogenic, especially from a distance. But there was no hygiene in that village, and everything ended up in the ocean. Nature will quickly reclaim its rights.

A bit like Paris in 1850, with its slums partly torn down by Haussmann to create what the capital is famous for today?

Me, Bruno, I’d say out with the riff-raff and in with the 5-star hotels for well-heeled tourists. Mind you, that way they might finally clear up the piles of rubble that are everywhere! 😅

Hi Christelle

We’re not really sure if it’s for better living conditions 😕 Were the residents rehoused? Are they living better now? I remember travelers complaining because a bumpy path leading to the school had been replaced by a paved road that buses could use.

Yes, unfortunately, this part of the coast has been ravaged. I didn’t recognize Imsouane. The fishermen have been replaced by surfers, the small local guesthouses by ugly hotel buildings, and the tiny 4-table fish shacks by noisy restaurants with 200 covers.

Me, Bruno, I’d rather kick out the riff-raff and make way for 5-star hotels for wealthy tourists. Mind you, that way they might finally clean up all the piles of rubble lying around everywhere!

I had the same thought when I saw everything being built on the outskirts of Marrakech, including by some really famous singers...

I had this thought when I saw all the construction going on in the outskirts of Marrakech, including by some very famous singers...

Names, names... it’d be great to see a VF version as VOICI 😄

Hi Christelle

We’re not really sure if it was for better living conditions 😕 Were the residents rehoused? Are they living better now?

I wasn’t there, Kate, when they tore everything down. I only read a few articles and talked to several guys on the ground, and they all said the same thing: no, they weren’t rehoused, their lives aren’t better, and they all talk about it as a huge tragedy in their lives. Some will say it’s just an easy story to get tourists’ sympathy. But I never saw anywhere that they’d been rehoused. Because this isn’t some Corsican beach shack that’s just a bar/restaurant. Some were born in Tifnit, grew up there, and it was their whole life.

Hi Christelle

So happy to see your cheerful face again in this new travel journal 🙂 I also really love your photos with the mist. Thanks for keeping this forum so well-fed with posts.

Regularly, but not quickly! We’ve still been here since the beginning of September in the Fiat 500! 😮 😄

So, you wanna chat about your Cape Verde travel journal? 😄

I had a feeling someone was missing—Pascale 😄. You’re just in time, arriving at the perfect moment to head off to paradise... 😍

Oh yes, because after leaving what must have been a hellish scene of destruction, we suddenly felt the urge to head straight for paradise. But nooo, not the kingdom of heaven, don’t worry. Just the "Paradise Valley" above Agadir—much less risky 😄.

We hesitated a lot before coming here, since the area is sometimes known for being overrun by tourists. But once we left Essaouira, there wasn’t a single tourist in sight, and we were welcomed by truly Olympian calm.



So after Tiznit and Tifnit, we settled in at Tifrit 🥴. Yeah, you could say this trip is really hitting all the high notes #cheapjokealert🤦‍♂️😆.

But don’t rush to Google Maps looking for a village—it’s just the name of the guesthouse that hosted us.

A stunning setting in the middle of the mountains,



perfect for chilling while sipping mint tea,



before admiring the starry sky.



Okay, to be honest, the photos don’t show the whole reality: the place was actually quite run-down, and the hallway leading to our basic room hadn’t seen a broom in ages! But we were the only guests, so the welcome was fit for a 4-star hotel, and honestly, it’s pretty rare to feel like a nabob in a hotel that costs 40 € a night, breakfast included 😄.

Of course, there are thousands of paths to explore here, and we only saw a tiny fraction, but we still soaked up so many incredible sights



and especially sounds—because the real luxury in paradise is the silence everywhere, only interrupted by the chirping of little birds 🐦.



Anyway, *Inshallah*: we hope this first "paradise-like" exploration was just a taste, and that we’ll be back to wander these parts again soon 😊.

This little paradise is gorgeous 😉 Tell me you’re not done with traveling yet—every journal you say you’ll bring your boots back one day

That's true, Pascale, I think about it a lot. But isn't it normal when we take tiny trips to huge countries? 😄

Well, rainy Sunday, "forum Sunday" LOL

It’s time to wrap up this travel journal (especially since Bruno’s had enough 😂).

To end this trip, we’re back in Essaouira with beautiful sunshine this time... but with a wind strong enough to blow the horns off a bull 🤪! So, between the gray skies and the wind, I finally get why the Moroccan coast isn’t exactly a top beach destination!

Anyway, as you know, Essaouira has no secrets left, and you can tell right away by the crowds of tourists.

But in my opinion, Essaouira is a rarity in the 2025 travel world: despite its popularity with vacationers, it’s really managed to keep a magical atmosphere with its legendary city,



its artistic alleyways,



its typical market,



its "scientific remedies" (guys, turbo Viagra is calling your name 😂),



its poetic moments,



its authentic port,



its unique tastings,



and of course, its fantastic gifts from the sky 😍.



This wasn’t our first time here, and honestly, we’re totally obsessed with this vibe.

Especially since you can also sip cocktails while watching the sunset over the beach... which, by the way, helps soften the blow of returning home, given the prices aren’t exactly cheaper than Biarritz’s 😂.



With this well-wrapped loop, I’ll say *Adishats* (see ya!) to you all, and see you soon somewhere else on the planet 😊🤙!