nMorocco,
peoplesay that
agoodriad
is likeaworld
withina
world,where
yourevery
whim is
attended to.
Wandering
through the
labyrinthof
connectedcourtyardsatDaralHossoun, it’s
easy to forget thatanythingexistsatalloutside
thewallsof this formerolivegrove.
Thewordriadcomes from theArabic
forgarden, andalHossouncouldwellbe
theultimateexpression.Within itswallsare
amyriadspeciesof rareplants fromall
over theworld:more than900different species
–mainlysucculents, aloesandpalm trees.The
overall effect isa lushcontrast to the
surroundingdesertenvironment–anda
beguilingandspectacularsetting for thesmall
hotel at theircentre.
As towherehere is, it’snotMarrakech– the
citymostcommonlyassociatedwithgrand
riads–but, instead,on theoutskirtsofa little
towncalledTaroudant in theSoussValley,
roughlyanhour’sdrive fromAgadir.Notheard
of it?You’renotalone,but thisancient stopping-
offpointon thecaravanroute,where theSahara
desertmeets the foothillsof thesprawlingAtlas
Mountains, couldwellbeMorocco’sbest-kept,
off-seasonsecret.
And it’snot justbecauseof itsworld-
beatingriad.Withamicroclimatewhere the
temperaturecanreach25°Ceven inDecember,
Taroudantoffers thesunniestwinterweather in
Morocco. Itswindingsouksandclassic,high,
crenellatedmedieval rampartsalsohavemuch
incommonwithMarrakech– ifonamuch
smaller, sleepierscale.And from theoutside,
thosedramaticancientcitywalls that riseup
from thedesert look likesomethingstraightout
of
TheArabianNights
. Inside,however, it feels
rather less fearsome,with livelystreetcafésand
friendlymarkets,butvery few toutsor tourists.
Asafirst-timevisitor toMorocco,whospeaks
barelyawordofFrench, I’dalwaysbeena little
waryof thecountry’sreputation forgiving
touristsarun for theirmoney,but inTaroudant,
Iwalkedaround the tworamblingsouks
withoutanybother. Stallholderssmiledwhen I
entered theirshop, leftmealone tobrowseand
smiledagainas I left.
Therearenochichiboutiques, fancygalleries
orexpatbarshereeither,whichmightput some
peopleoff,but tome thiswaspartof thecity’s
easy-goingcharm. It’saplace tosipmint teaat
apavementcaféandwatch theworldgoby.
Compared to thedizzyingmedinasof
MarrakechorFez, it’salldelightfully laid-back
–and that’sevenbeforeyoudecide toproperly
kickbackatDaralHossoun, 3kmoutside the
citywalls.At theheartof thisoasisrunsa ‘line
“I’DALWAYSBEENALITTLEWARYOF
THECOUNTRY’SREPUTATIONFOR
GIVINGTOURISTSARUNFORTHEIR
MONEY, BUT INTAROUDANT, IWALKED
AROUNDTHETWORAMBLINGSOUKS
WITHOUTANYBOTHER”
I
PHOTOS
CORBIS, GETTY, REX FEATURES
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