Informations

It occupies all the space which separates the High Atlas from the mountains of Sargho and Ougnate. It skirts the Southern slope of the High Atlas which certain tops exceed the four thousand meters and jealously keep their snow beyond June.

The valley thus extends from the immediate surroundings of Ouarzazate until Boumalen of Dadès. The valley is irrigated by the Dadès River. This river, fed well in the solid mass of Mgoun, brings a sufficient water to allow a regular culture within the year. The water and the richness of the ground attracted since old time the populations of various origins.

The valley preserves its traditional beauty and its grace. Particularly during the spring and at the beginning of the summer. The plantation is luxuriant there. The fruit trees produce in abundance apricots, peaches, almonds. Roses are flourishing there. The celebrity of the valley of Dadès also holds with its Kasbahs. The famous road of the Kasbahs crosses the valley from beginning to end on approximately 200 km.

The Kasbahs are indeed innumerable. They perpetuate the memory of the fights of influence whose valley constituted the stake. They testify to the economic and strategic importance to the area and its eminent historical role of crossroads of the communications; Moreover, these splendid monuments preserve almost intact specificities of the architecture of the Berber tribes of the Moroccan South.

The Kasbahs and the Qsours constitute the principal habitat of the oases and the valleys. They owe their architecture with very diverse influences, particularly Eastern and Mediterranean pre-Islamic. In majority, the Kasbahs occupy of the abrupt tops from where they give the impression to emerge to overhang the valley. They are believed isolated and inaccessible. The Kasbahs are generally built on two stages. They are enclosed in high walls with at each corner a decorated tower which affirms the defensive character of the Kasbah. This one includes residences, stores and warehouses which border one or more course. The Kasbahs gathered in Qsours have all that is necessary to ensure the subsistence and the self-defence of the inhabitants. At the interior, the life is treated on a hierarchical basis. The base of differentiation is drawn from the social and financial status groups. The Kasbahs reserved for the fortunate classes are vaster and more imposing than those where the other groups live. Community buildings are arranged inside Qsar: well, mosque, places of meeting and gatherings, cemetery...

The visit of the valley of Dadès starts with the luxuriant oasis of Skoura with its splendid palm plantation. This one shelters very beautiful villages and Kasbahs with the decorated towers. Among marvellous Kasbahs which deserves the interest, one counts those of Améridil, El Kebbaba, Dar Aichil, Dar Aït Sidi El Mati, and Dar Aït Souss. The attic marabout of Sidi Me barek or Ali, located around Skoura draws the attention by the cupola which surmounts the Koubba. Greenery, cliffs and water are in rendezvous. An extremely sinuous road and inclined awaits you. The sight from top is impressive.

The children run to the sight from abroad and ask for pens... think of providing some to please them...Back