Morocco – Tafraoute

We’ve spent the last few days just outside a town called Tafraoute, nestled in a valley in the Anti Atlas mountains.  We both feel that this is the most beautiful part of Morocco we have visited so far; the town surrounded by glowing orange mountains and strange outcrops of granite bolders.  We’ve spent our days here exploring the surrounding Ameln Valley, a valley below the rocky orangey-purple Djebel el Kest mountain, containing about 26 small Berber villages in the foothills of the mountain, all about to celebrate the almond harvest; and viewing the surreal “Pierres Bleues” or “Roche Peinture”, rocky bolders painted by Belgian artist Jean Verame back in 1984.  Assisted by the local fire department, Jean hosed about 18 tonnes of blue, red, black and green paint over a large area of rocks.  They are now pretty faded (pictures from the ‘80s show the blue as dark Yves Klein blue, now a light turquoise) but have a certain charm among the naturally red granite bolders and rocky outcrops.

We also took a wonderful day trip in the car exploring what many describe as the most beautiful part of the Anti Atlas (and we certainly agree); up a steeply winding increasingly desolate mountain pass with views back over Tafraoute and the villages in the Ameln Valley and then down hairpin bend after hairpin bend on the other side before reaching a magnificent gorge leading to a fine oasis, the tiny road lined with palm trees with the backdrop of the magnificent red crags above.

6 thoughts on “Morocco – Tafraoute

  1. Wow, you guys have seen some amazing scenery. It all looks stunning.
    How’s camping life going?
    We are all well, just plodding along with boring everyday life. The girls have loads of tests and orals on. Jamie just gets on and does it all Jenna is a bit more of a challenge, as you can well imagine. I just keep getting told it is just to boring to study.
    Jamie is heading off in to weeks time for a choir tour. They are going to perform at the Drakensburg Boys Choir and have some training there, very excited.
    Thats about all our news.
    Lots of love

  2. Great way to spend your anniversary – in a place you find the loveliest so far in Morocco. We shall toast you both in a glass of Brunello tonight and remember too drinking it with you in Val D’Orcia. To Oxford tomorrow – some compensation for leaving magical, other-worldly Venezia. Love M and T.

  3. Hello there Leigh and Lucy, you two look so well!!
    What wonderful pictures of places I have never dreamed existed!
    So glad you are enjoying the lifestyle and making the most of every minute.
    Glad to be able to see what you are doing, I had a big catch up today, as I dont have good internet reception in my house :-(
    Grahamstown having great summer weather for the last days – and we enjoyed the evening in Brenda’s gorgeous garden yesterday!
    Happy Anniversary past – hope you celebrated in fine style.
    Love, Carol Anne

    • Good to hear from you; you would love exploring the markets and surrounds in Marrakech! We’ve had such an amazing time in Morocco; what a varied and amazing country.
      Good to hear the Grahamstown summer is shaping up!
      L&L xx

Leave a Reply to leighandlucy Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *