Another Hamadcha Marathon ~ Photo Essay

(Click on all images to enlarge)

In preparation for their tour in Australia, the Fez Hamadcha have been hard at work rehearsing. This week they took a break and travelled to Casablanca to take part in the pre-recording of a television show to be shown on the first week of January on TV1. The trip was intended to be a quick in and out of the studio. The reality was something different

Preparing the Hamadcha turban filled in some time - as did getting makeup for the cameras

Arriving at the studio mid-afternoon the group were informed that they should be ready by 6pm for an initial interview with the Hamadcha leader Abderrahim Amrani Marrakchi to be recorded. However things did not go as planned as the TV1 studio was recording a number of performances and were running well behind the schedule.

Rachida El Jokh with popular Moroccan singer Khalid Bennani who was also waiting to record

Abderrahim Amrani Marrakchi was interviewed prior to the performance

The next timeslot, they were told was at around 9pm for fifteen minutes of recording. We would, they assured us, be ready to return to Fez at about 9.30pm.

The impromptu concert in the waiting room lasted several hours

As the hours went by, the Hamadcha put on an impromptu concert in the waiting room. Dancing, singing and drumming for four hours, much to the appreciation of television crews during breaks in filming.

Once in the studio Abderrahim Amrani Marrakchi was in top form

Eventually the call to came to come into the studio. It was 1 am. Despite the extremely long wait, the filming went without a hitch and after fifteen minutes or so the audience gave the Hamadcha and Master Abderrahim Amrani Marrakchi a much deserved standing ovation.

Hassania and Rachida (right) letting their hair down was a hit with the audience

The actual performance went well and the group were more than ready to head home. However, what the group hand not factored in were the number of fans who insisted on being photographed with the Hamadcha members. It was interesting to see so many younger audience members showing an appreciation of traditional music and the musicians, though exhausted, were happy to spend time with them.

In the end the group left the TV complex at 1.52 am and arrived back in Fez at 7.15 in the morning.

When asked about the amount of time waiting in order to record just fifteen minutes of music one Hamadcha member responded with a shrug. "Ah but it was a great fifteen minutes."

The TV1 concert will be shown on February 2nd 2015

Story and photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

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New Weather Alert for Morocco

Following the devastating flash floods that claimed more than thirty lives (see story here), the forecast for the next few days predicts possible further flooding and some high winds in coastal areas. While temperatures have been unseasonably mild in many parts of Morocco, that too could be about to change.

Further heavy rain is now forecast for much of Morocco from Thursday November 27th to Saturday 29th. The worst affected area is forecast to be a triangular region of Safi, Taroudant and Guelmim, but a wider area may be affected. The Moroccan authorities are advising against activities near coastal areas or rivers around Safi, Essaouira, Agadir, Taroudant, Marrakech and the west High Atlas region.

In coastal areas high winds of up to 90km per hour are expected, with strong storms and large waves anticipated. It is possible that rivers may flood and bridges and roads may be closed in mountainous areas.

To find out the latest information ring the Moroccan government service on +212 (0) 537 71 17 17.  If you do not speak Arabic or French, please use a translator as it is unlikely that English is spoken at the service.

As a citizen of Fez, I can’t imagine what would happen to my city if rain struck the old medina. The rain in the southeast reached up to 200 milliliters per second, destroying nearly 250 houses, and that number is still rising. Under such circumstances, the old medina of Fez would be buried.

Writing in the Morocco World News, Amjad Hemidach, who hails from Fez, says that this week's rain found weak resistance in Morocco’s infrastructure. A new bridge partially collapsed in Taliouine, a town about 200 hundred kilometers from Agadir. The huge bridge, which was inaugurated only four months ago, failed its first test, killing twenty-four people. What is worse is that Morocco has about 300 hundred bridges that could potentially fall. In response to this catastrophe, Minister of Transportation and Equipment Aziz Rabbah said in an interview with Kiffach that the Ministry and the government are not able to fix all these problems in a short period of time.

National TV reports showed living people being swept away by the heavy rain, an agonizing and poignant sight for Moroccans. Something could have been done to help the victims if we had had adequate equipment and a solid infrastructure.

In other videos, some citizens had the audacity to expose themselves to tremendous danger by driving through roads that the rain had turned into rivers. They escaped death when it seemed unavoidable. The images evoke the urgent need to re-integrate isolated areas in rural Morocco so they might benefit from the privileges that urban areas monopolize.

As a citizen of Fez, I can’t imagine what would happen to my city if rain struck the old medina. The rain in the southeast reached up to 200 milliliters per second, destroying nearly 250 houses, and that number is still rising. Under such circumstances, the old medina of Fez would be buried.

In the aftermath of the last flood, in which 500 people were rescued, some 40,000 families are still without electricity

THURSDAY'S WEATHER

Casablanca on Thursday can expect showers and a tope of 18 degrees Celsius and a low of 18
Essaouira reaching 19 degrees and a low of 17 There is a 50% chance of rain showers.
Meknes is cool with a low of 10 degrees and a top of 14. Showers are expected.
Thursday in Fez is cooling down with a top of 17 and low of around 11 degrees and further rain developing
Marrakech temperatures range between 13 and 19 and rain is expected. It could be heavy at times.
Tangier 14 - 16 degrees with a 50% chance of showers.

The effects of the extreme weather conditions are not all negative. The dam filling rate increased from 53.8% to 58% after the last rains recorded between 20 and 25 November , according to the Ministry in charge of Water. The water supply now amounts to 9 billion m3, thanks to the exceptional rainfall that fell in recent days.

The contribution of rainfall in different dams amounted to 920 million m3. The occupancy rate at the Mansour Eddahbi dam has increased from 51 to 100%, while that of Hassan Eddakhil from 19 to 44.8%. Moulay Youssef, increased from 33 to 85%. Yacoub Mansour (21 to 89.5%), Aoulouz (41 to 78.2%), Mokhtar Soussi (40 to 92.8%) and Abu El Abass Essebti (75 to 100%).


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Flash Floods ~ 31 People Washed Away

Flash flooding in southern Morocco has reportedly killed at least 31 people, with many others still missing. Heavy storms have swept across several regions including Marrakesh, where torrential rain destroyed many mud homes on Sunday.

Roads and highways were blocked off, making it hard for emergency crews to reach people. A girl of nine was among those who had been swept away by the raging waters of the Tamsourt River, media reports said.

Around 100 mud-brick homes were partly or totally destroyed and 100 roads, including six national highways, were cut off in the floods, officials said.

It was forecast that more than 100 millimetres of rain would fall, but nothing has been done. They just waited for the catastrophe to unfold.~ Brahim Boulid, Journalist

The "exceptional" storms also swept across the regions of Guelmim, Agadir and Ouarzazate, and a search was under way for the missing, the authorities said.

Journalist Brahim Boulid, reporting from Guelmim,said that the death toll stood at 31, including eight members of the same family who died after floods swept away their vehicle.

The Arabic-language dailies Al Massae and Al Ahdath gave death tolls of 16 and 22 respectively.

About 130 all-terrain rescue vehicles and 335 Zodiac inflatables and other boats were being used, the interior ministry said, in a statement carried by Morocco's MAP news agency.

The agency said at least 14 people remained missing in Guelmim, 200km south of Agadir. The national weather service warned that an alert over more heavy rainfall would remain in place until midday on Monday. It said about 100 mud-brick homes were partly or totally destroyed in the south, and 100 roads cut off, including six national highways.

Boulid told Al Jazeera that authorities were warned that the amount of rainfall would trigger floods but chose to ignore them.

"It was forecast that more than 100 millimetres of rain would fall, but nothing has been done. They just waited for the catastrophe to unfold," Boulid said.

Flash floods are common in Morocco, where four children drowned in the south in September, when they were swept away.

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Four Moroccan Films Make it to Mediterranean Film Fest

Four Moroccan films, Adios Carmen, Traitors, The Flour Bag and Fevers were selected for the Brussels Mediterranean Film Festival from the 5th to 12th December

The films tap into the prevailing zeitgeist surrounding children and family relationships. At times confronting, at times harrowing, they are all films to look out for. 

Adios Carmen is directed by Mohamed Amin Benamraoui. Set in 1975 it is the story of 10-year-old Amar who lives in a village in the Rif (northern Morocco) with his violent uncle, waiting for the unlikely return of his mother, who has left for Belgium. He finds a friend in Carmen, his neighbor, who is a Spanish exile and who works as an usher at the village cinema. Carmen helps him discover a world previously unknown to him.

Amar (Benjalil Amanallah) and Carmen (Paulina Gálvez)

Mohamed Amin Benamraoui (born in Morocco) came to Brussels in the mid-1980s and studied cinema under Thierry Zeno. Adios Carmen is his first feature. Benamraoui has produced a number of short films and has also worked as a radio presenter and a programme planner for several Berber festivals. Adios Carmen was produced by Taziri Productions, the soundtrack composed by Khalid Izri. The film won the first prize at the Arab Film Festival in Malmo (October 2014).

Fevers is the third feature film by Hicham Ayouch after Tizaoul (2006) and Cracks (2009). The film is a harrowing vision of the complexity of family relationships. Benjamin, aged 13, is battling against life, against the adults, against himself. Scarred and tormented, he's grown up without a father and with a completely troubled mother. Moving from shelter to shelter since he's five years old, Benjamin can't stand authority nor confinement which causes him to constantly escape.

Eventually, his mother goes to prison revealing to the social services and to Benjamin the identity of his father. To Benjamin the objective is simple: to quit the shelter, so, when given the choice, he decides to go to live with his father.

Karim Zeroubi, his father, is a broken up man on his forties who still lives at his parents at the Parisian suburban ghetto, which he has never left. A warehouseman at a supermarket, he rather waits for death than contents himself with his little life. Benjamin's presence will completely turn upside down the life of his father and his family. His father tries clumsily to bond with him but ends up utterly overwhelmed by this wild, cruel child. Randomly wandering through the suburbs, Benjamin comes across Claude, a cranky poet who lives in a caravan lost in the middle of nowhere. Their relationship is built of surrealistic and poetic exchanges.

Hicham Ayouch is a Moroccan director born in 1976. He is a former journalist, he worked in several French channels before he became a writer and a director. He began with two documentaries The King’s Queens about the status of the women in Morocco and Angel’s Dust about autistic teenagers. He also directed two features, Heart Edges a story of a dead fisherman village and recently Cracks, a love triangle between three misfits in Tangiers.

The third Moroccan film showing of the 14th edition of the Brussels Mediterranean Film Festival is Traitors, the first feature film by American actor residing in Tangier, Sean Gullette. The film, released in 2013, is an 86 minute brush portrait of alienated youth who seek to improve their socio-economic situation.

Malika is the leader of the all-female punk rock band Traitors, with a strong vision of the world, her hometown of Tangier, and her place in it. When she needs money to save her family from eviction, and to realize her dreams for the band, Malika agrees to a fast cash proposition: a smuggling run over the mountains for a dangerous drug dealer. But her companion on the road is Amal, a burnt-out young drug mule, who Malika decides to free from her enslavement to the dangerous drug dealers. The challenge will put Malika's rebel ethos to the test, and to survive she will have to call on all her instincts and nerve.

The Flour Bag by filmmaker Khadija Leclere is the fourth film selected. Again it is a tale of a young person in trouble. Only eight years old, Sarah, who grew up in a Catholic convent school, is abducted by her father to Morocco. A completely different life begins: Sarah now has to find her way in a Muslim extended family and get used to new customs. Nine years later, the little girl has become a self-confident young woman who has only one wish: She wants to Belgium to go back and be a writer. But things do not go as she intended.

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Piano Concert on Saturday November 22

French Pianist Eric Artz plays tomorrow night at 8 PM at the French Institute at Dar Batha. His repertoire will include Chopin, Rachmaninov, Liszt and Debussy

Eric Artz has played as a soloist since he was a teenager, and was awarded First Prize at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris in 2012. He is also a prizewinner of more than 20 other international competitions.

Born in 1983 in France, he began studying spiano at the age of 7. He gained entrance to the Paris Conservatoire National Superieur at 14. After receiving his Master's degree, he won First Prize awarded unanimously as well as the CNSMDP Diploma of Artist (Doctorate).

He is the prizewinner of 20 National and International competitions, including the Geneva
competition, Maria Canals (Spain), and the Epinal competition (France). He is also laureate of the Cziffra Foundation and the Natexis Banque Populaire Foundation.

Artz has played as a solist with orchestras since his early years, with French orchestras
(Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Orchestre de la Garde Républicaine for Radio
France) and with the Prague Chamber Orchestra.

He has performed abroad in Austria ( Salzburg), Italy ( Rome ), Sardinia (Cagliari), and in Switzerland, Germany, England (London), Israel ( Tel Aviv Opera house, Jerusalem), Ireland (Dublin) and also in Japan.

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International Photographic Exhibition in Fez

The work of 14 international artists will be on show in Fez during the eighth edition of the Rencontres Internationales de la Photo de Fès. On the theme of "Invisible Cities", the exhibition opens on Saturday November 22 and runs until December 15

One of Swiss artist Regula Bochsler's still images from Rendering Eye

As part of Saison France-Maroc 2014, organised by the French Institute in Fez, the exhibition will be displayed across several venues. The work has been curated by Selva Barni and Francesca Girelli from Italy. "The theme is inspired by Italo Calvino's classic book from 1972, Invisible Cities", says Selva Barni. "It is about more than physical portraits of places - it's about the underlying layers; the city as memories."

Calvino's Invisible Cities consists of a sequence of imaginary dialogues between the Venetian traveler Marco Polo and the Tartar emperor Kublai Khan. In the course of these discussions, the young Polo describes a series of cities, and discusses Cities and Memory, Cities and Desire, Cities and Signs, Thin Cities, Trading Cities, Cities and Eyes, Cities and Names, Cities and the Dead, Cities and the Sky, Continuous Cities, and Hidden Cities.

Exhibition curators Selva Barni and Francesca Girelli from Italy

The majority of the world's population now live in cities, and the way residents experience the urban landscape varies tremendously. The diverse work of the14 artists who have contributed to the exhibition reflect this. "They are artists who use the photograph as media, rather than being principally photographers," explains Selva.

Swiss artist Regula Bochsler

One of the artists is Swiss based Regula Bochsler who has used the Apple 3D mapping program to create a series of impressionistic portraits of cities, titled Rendering Eye. "Apple started a mapping service in 2012," she says. Created by flying over major cities, the images consist of exposures from multiple points of view, which are then combined using software.

"They offer a bird's eye point of view, but as they are taken over a period of time, anything which is moving is not visible," she says. "So it's like seeing those cities after the blast...we have never seen a representation of the world we live in in this form."

Another artist, Heba Amin from Egypt, uses video and soundscapes for Speak2Tweet. While the viewer is visually transported through empty buildings, the soundtrack gives Twitter texts in Arabic (with subtitles), from the time that Mobarak shut down the internet for a week, to try and silence dissent, in a display of despotic power. Resourceful Egyptians set up a system where phone messages were converted into Tweets, and they are a vivid record of attempts at resistance.

One of Heba Amin's images from Speak2Tweet

Contributing photographic artists also include Peter Steinhauer/US; Raed Yassin/Libya; Andre Principe/Portugal; Felicity Hammond/England and Li Mu/China.

Li Mu, Sol Lewitt’s Untitled (Wall Structure), 2011

Rencontres Internationales de la Photo de Fès includes other activities, such as photography workshops led by local photographer Omar Chennafi.  "In search of hidden treasure Fez" aims to help young people discover the art of photography.

Rencontres Internationales de la Photo de Fès runs from November 22 to December 15, 2014. 
It takes place at the French Institute Gallery; Gallery Kacimi; Cultural Complex Sidi Mohammed Ben Youssef; Dar Tazi at Batha - the base of the Association of Fez Saiss. 

Opening: Saturday, November 22, 6 PM, Galerie Kacimi, 26 Avenue Moulay Youssef, Ville Nouvelle

Guided tours of exhibitions: Sunday, November 23, 3 PM

Meeting and discussion with the artists and the two curators: Sunday, November 23, 5.30 PM at the French Institute, Dar Batha. 

More info: CLICK HERE

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Press Freedom in Morocco ~ An Important Step Forward

Morocco is currently debating a new press code meant to reinforce press freedom throughout the Kingdom. The draft code, presented last month by Minister of Communications Mustapha El Khalfi, lays out a bold reform plan that, when passed, should mark a big advancement for press freedom in Morocco

Communications Minister Mustapha El Khalifi

Caitlin Dearing Scott, writing for All Africa.com, reports that the draft code centres on strengthening the guarantees of freedom and the independence of journalists and press institutions; protecting the rights and freedom of individuals and society; making the judiciary the exclusive authority in all press cases and strengthening its role in the protection of freedom of the press; and defining the rights and freedoms of journalists.

Notably, the code proposes:

Guaranteeing the right to access information;

Guaranteeing strict legal safeguards to protect journalists from attacks;

Establishing a mechanism to mediate disputes in the press through the National Council for the Press, which will include representatives of civil society'

Adopting judicial protection of confidentiality of sources;

Removing prison sentences for journalists and replacing them with moderate fines; and

Eliminating the suspension or prohibition of publications without the approval of the court.

The code also includes a section on promoting rights and freedoms for online media, a sign of its intent to respond to changing realities in the Moroccan media.

The project to update the press code is the result of broad consultations that began in 2012 among the government, professional journalist organizations, unions, media representatives, and the National Council for Human Rights.

It reflects Morocco's domestic and international commitments with regard to human rights and freedom of the press, as well as: the 2011 constitution; high royal directives; the government's program; the National Action Plan on democracy and human rights; the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER); and the recommendations of the White Paper on the national debate "Media and Society."

The code was drafted by a Committee in consultation with union and media representatives, notably the National Union of the Moroccan Press (NMFS), and the Federation of Moroccan Newspaper Editors (FMEJ), and is now being considered through a national dialogue conducted by the General Secretariat of the Government.

Following the conclusion of the national dialogue later this month, the draft will be submitted to the Council of Government, then to the two chambers of Parliament. It remains to be seen what changes will result from this collaborative effort, but the draft code looks like an important step for Morocco's ongoing liberalization and democracy-building efforts.


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The Hamadcha of Fez on CNN

The Fez Hamadcha are currently rehearsing for their upcoming tour in Australia (see story here). The tour has been organised by The View from Fez with the assistance of the Woodford Festival, the Festival of Sydney and the Moroccan Embassy in Australia. Recently CNN filmed the Hamadcha in Fez...

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The View from Fez - Our 9th Birthday!

This week, back in November 2005, The View from Fez posted its first story and, at the time, we were amazed that we actually had anyone viewing our posts. Now, nine years on, we celebrate having posted 4,500 stories, 4,577, 279 page views and more than a million and a half (1,541,095) regular readers in 40 countries across the world.

The majority of writing and photography on The View From Fez is by Sandy McCutcheon and Suzanna Clarke. Over the last few years we have been fortunate enough to have a large number of contributors, guest writers, photographers, visiting journalists, musicologists and interns. This has allowed us to provide the most complete coverage of events such as the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture and the Amazigh Festival. Our thanks to you all.

Gratitude is also due to the generous support of our sponsors and readers who have made it possible for The View from Fez to assist a number of young Moroccans with serious medical or emotional problems, as well as to provide support for education and training.

The View From Fez team covering the 2013 Fes Festival - Sandy McCutcheon, 
Natasha Christov, Suzanna Clarke, Stephanie Clifford-Smith and Vanessa Bonnin

What our readers and contributors have to say: 

"The View From Fez is THE reference in terms of cultural information in Fez and the region, and it would be hard to live without it! It's the only serious and reliable source for interesting information for this region of Morocco."  Philippe Laleu, director of the French Institute in Fez

"Happy Birthday to The View From Fez! The View From Fez was the first English language blog devoted to Morocco and is still the best way to keep up with what is happening in Fez. It started out as The View From Fés, and I remember the heated debate trying to convince Sandy to change it to Fez." David Amster, director of the American Language Center, Fez

"THE VIEW FROM FEZ captures the many interwoven layers of Morocco's most magical city in the rarest and most extraordinary of ways. Highly recommended for explorers and armchair travellers alike." Tahir Shah, author and filmmaker - http://www.tahirshah.com/

"By far the most interesting blog about Morocco run by people passionate about this country in all its aspects."  Frédéric Sola - Riad Laaroussa, Fez Medina

"Happy Birthday to The View from Fez! One of my favourite Blogs as it lifts me out of my world and places me in a another world that is so different, so vibrant, so fascinating. Keep transporting me. Here’s to another 9 years of The View from Fez." Lisa Clifford, writer, Florence, Italy - http://www.lisacliffordwriter.com/

"As an expat in Fez I find the blog a fantastic source of what's going on, in the arts, travel ideas, news roundups... I also use the search engine a lot when I want to find out about a particular subject. It helps me make sense of the world around me and inspires me to get to concerts, talks and openings." Sue Bail, Riad Manager Fez Medina

"Discovering The View from Fez was like finding a shortcut right into the heart of the city's cultural scene." Christina Ammon, Travel Writer, Colorado, USA

"The View from Fez was the first site I visited when I learned I would be traveling to Morocco. I scrolled through posts on zellig tile, recipes with argan oil, and photos of twirling Sufis in ecstatic dance. I was enthralled. The View from Fez is an enticing invitation and a knowledgeable guide to a dynamic city. Anna Elkins, Poet and Traveller, USA

"To share, to view, images from Fez on the blog helps one to be a traveler and an artist. The novelty of living in Morocco is kept fresh by sharing the experiences, the moments of light, with a larger readership. And The View from Fez allows me to share my view of Fez. A photo comes to life the more it is seen. Thanks TVFF."
Jake Warga, photographic contributor, JakeWarga.com Ifrane, Morocco

"The vibrant colors and intricacy of the zelij, the putrid and pleasant scent of the tanneries and tajines, the persistent warm welcomes and calls to prayer, the intertwining of French and Darija - the alchemy of it all bewitched me from the second I stepped through the keyhole gate into Fez. I didn't have to learn to love it. I just fell. Instantly. The day I left I already longed to return. I find myself drawn often to The View From Fez, where I browse photos and news of the faces and places that so charmed me. The spell is cast anew. Happy Birthday TVFF! Here's to many more. A bientôt!" Kimberley Lovato traveler, writer, champagne drinker. www.kimberleylovato.com San Francisco, USA

"A very happy ninth Birthday to the View from Fez, from Larry Marshall in Melbourne Australia. It was a privilege to work with the View from Fez on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. As a former colleague of Sandy’s from the ABC Radio National in Australia, I was really very proud to be contributing to the most acclaimed English language website on Moroccan issues, and on Fez in particular. The photos that came out of our work on the festival were truly beautiful and captured the breadth of talent on show in Fez. The team that worked to bring these stories to life were on a tight deadline and each morning saw a fresh series of reports on all that had happened the day and night before – this was exciting journalism which reached hundreds of thousands of people around the world." Larry Marshall, Australia

The View from Fez is one of the most important journalistic developments for Morocco in the last decade providing an intimate local view of the culture of Morocco. Happy 9th birthday and many happy returns.~ Frank Rynne, producer Master Musicians of Joujouka

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Happy Independence Day Morocco !

Every year Morocco celebrates its Independence Day, the Eid Al Istiqulal, on November 18 to honor the return of their King Mohammed to Morocco.

The return from Madagascar

The King had been on exile to Madagascar when Morocco was a French protectorate. On this day the King proclaimed the freedom of Morocco from France and Spain which had colonized the country for 44 years.

The country celebrated today and even received a nod from Google!

Today, the Independence Day is an opportunity to look back at the achievements of the three monarch who led the country through the different stages of its history, namely, late Mohammed V and Hassan II and the current king Mohammed VI.

It is also an occasion to hail the efforts and sacrifices of the Moroccan people, who sacrificed lives and money to achieve the independence of the country and subsequently to place it amongst the democratic, modern, moderate and open countries.

A little history - According to the official story, November 18, 1955, Mohammed V declared the independence of Morocco, after signing with the French Prime Minister Antoine Pinay.

However, the date of 18 November is actually one of the enthronement of Mohammed V in 1927. At the same date in 1955, Mohammed V commemorating his early reign, in a speech, announced negotiations with France to put an end to the protectorate. So the date is now officially the anniversary of the independence of Morocco. However, the repeal of the protectorate between Morocco and France was actually signed a few months later, on March 2, 1956

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Fez's Unique Hotel Sahrai Opens

The newest five star hotel in Fez officially opened on Monday November 17. Hotel Sahrai is the vision of co-owner Anis Sefrioui, and fulfils a life long dream

Hotel Sahrai's manager, Guillaume Binder, and co-owner Anis Sefrioui 

"When I was growing up in Fez, there was a old house on this site, with arcades. I always dreamed to build a hotel here," says Anis Sefrioui.

He was speaking at the opening of the Hotel Sahrai, last night, which was attended by a selected coterie of invited guests, including Moroccan Minister for Tourism Lahcen Haddad.

"We want Fez to be a high end cultural destination," said Mr Haddad. "This hotel is part of that, but we need more like it. It's an excellent mix of traditional Islamic design and is very modern also, with a wonderful view of the Medina."

Moroccan Minister for Tourism Lahcen Haddad

It took five years of negotiation for Mr Sefrioui to purchase the property, located on the hill between the new city and the Medina, and another three years to design and build it.

The realisation of Mr Sefrioui's vision is made even more significant, as the hotel's manager, Guillaume Binder, is an old friend from his days of studying hospitality in Lausanne in Switzerland. "We met on the first day of our studies, and we've been friends ever since," says Mr Sefrioui.

The hotel was designed by rising talent Paris-based interior designer Christopher Pillet. "He achieved the objective of making a contemporary hotel with a specifically Moroccan identity," says Mr Sefrioui. It uses local materials, such as Taza stone and hand carved plaster, but with creative, modern flair.

There are 50 rooms, with views of Fez and the Atlas mountains, a large outdoor swimming pool, rooftop bar and lounge bar, a Givenchy spa and two restaurants. Relais de Paris offers a continental menu - it's rumoured a renowned international chef is starting there soon - and Amaraz has gourmet Moroccan dishes.

Unique and unusual artwork, inspired by Moroccan crafts, adorns the hotel walls and entry hallway. At last night's opening, the work of conceptual artist Eric Van Hove was on display. "He's used a Mercedes engine as inspiration, and got Moroccan craftspeople to replicate it using traditional materials," said Stephen di Renza, creative director for Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech. "The work has been bought by Dartmouth College in the US, but I believe it will first tour to I'Institute du Monde Arabe."

Above and below: artwork by Eric Van Hove, inspired by a Mercedes engine

For further info on Hotel Sahrai: CLICK HERE

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