Peter and Caroline Go to France: A Week in Marrakech- Part 2: Excursions and Activities

As much fun as it was exploring the Medina of Marrakech, haggling and shopping and sampling new Moroccan delicacies, we decided to plan a few excursions and activities that would help us experience all that Morocco has to offer.

ATV Excursion

We started with a 4-wheel ATV biking excursion through the palm groves in the desert.

There was some interesting wildlife to see, such as goats, sheep and even a large cow, who was the boss of the road for a few minutes. Unfortunately it wouldn't have been safe for me to snap a photo while driving!

We took our first break on top of a hill with a fantastic view of the desert, the rolling hills and the Atlas Mountains.

Our next pit stop was at a home in a tiny Berber village. This house, made of mud, clay and grasses, is home to a lovely family who offered us spiced Moroccan tea and a local version of crepes, handmade in the outdoor stone oven depicted below.

Our bike guide serving hot, spiced tea.

Cooking Class at the Maison Arabe

The next day, we had arranged a cooking class at a gorgeous hotel in the center of town. We were part of a class of 9 students, and learned to make lamb tagine, Moroccan bread (which was delicious and tasted like a Thomas' English Muffin) and some vegetable side dishes.

Tagine cooking means letting meat cook slowly in a cone-shaped clay pot over the course of a few hours. While we let our lamb simmer, we took a walk to a local bakery. It was not your average bakery, however. This is the local oven. Women make their own bread dough at home, and bring it here to be baked. It saves families time and is convenient for those who do not have ovens in their own homes. The two men working at the bakery have to remember whose bread dough is whose, which must be a challenge!

Upon our return to the Maison Arabe, we had a chance to make our own bread. Instead of taking it to the local bakery, we cooked our dough in a cast-iron pan on the stove.

When our meal was finished, we were quite impressed with the flavor and texture of our food. Everything was delicious and we even received two clay tagines to bring home as gifts from our teacher!

Jardin Majorelle: Yves Saint Laurent's Vacation Home

Our next excursion was to the Jardin Majorelle, which was the private garden at the vacation home of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berget. The gardens are beautiful, and stone walkways lead you through a maze of dozens of species of plants and cacti. It's a peaceful oasis and a relaxing place to spend the afternoon. Unfortunately, we could not take pictures inside the bright blue house, but a special exhibition was on, displaying some of Yves Saint Laurent's famous fashion designs which were inspired by his love for Morocco.

Palais Badii and Palais Bahia

Morocco has a few ancient palace's for visitors to explore. The first we visited was the Palais badii, which was literally next to our hotel. It's actually the ruins of the King of Morocco's Palace, constructed in 1598 and demolished in the 17th century.