Discover the Valley of the Roses

The "Valley of the Roses" is the nickname given to the region at the foot of the High Atlas, between the town of Kelâat M'Gouna and the village of Bou Tharar, in the south-east of the country. It is generally reached via the village of Imassine, and is then followed by a number of small farming communities with mud houses that cultivate, away from the roads, all sorts of plantations (maize, barley and other cereals, potatoes, etc.).

As mentioned, the valley's nickname comes mainly from the rose hedges that were originally created to keep goats out of the fields! It is thought that pilgrims returning from Mecca introduced the Damascus rose to the region in the 10th century.

Today, the rose has become a symbol of the region! It is consumed locally in the form of rose water and is exported in the form of concrete or rose essence for the perfume industry in particular.

Nearby, the Toudra Gorge and the Dades Gorge, both magnificent, are well known to travellers. The Valley of the Roses, on the other hand, is much less visited. And yet the landscapes you'll find there look as if they've been plucked straight out of a painting!

Along the Oued M'Goun in particular, the road offers a spectacular panorama of these contrasting landscapes of red/pink rocks and lush green valleys. But what literally brings the Valley of the Roses to life are, of course, its flowers!

Every year, in April and May, thousands of roses colour the landscape. It's a marvellous sight, but it's short-lived, as the local women then pick the flowers and send them to the processing plants in Kalaat M'Gouna.

Once harvested and sorted, the rose petals are sent to local factories for distillation. The rose essence is then used to make a wide range of cosmetics and perfumes. To produce one litre of rose oil, you need around 4 tonnes of flowers! So it's no surprise that the price of this elixir is very high.

To buy rose products, visit the Rosa Bio shop on the main road east of Kalaat M'Gouna. You'll find a wide range of products and invaluable advice on how to use rose oil.

If you're there at the right time of year, we can only advise you to attend the rose festival, or Moussem des roses, held in the town of Kalaat M'Gouna after the harvest. On this occasion, thousands of Moroccans from neighbouring towns, and even from distant provinces, gather to feast and do business with the locals.

The festivities include a parade of locals, dressed in their finest, sprinkling each other with rose petals and water, traditional dances, and the election of the 'Miss of the Roses' from among the unmarried young women, on a magnificent float decorated with flowers.

Throughout the festival, you'll be able to buy a wide range of perfumes, cosmetics and culinary products made from rose petals and essential oils. The Moussem des roses is a colourful traditional event, offering an authentic, festive and joy-filled experience!

As you will have gathered, the Vallée des Roses is at its best in spring, when the flowers bloom and colour the valley floor and the plantations are lush green. It's a feast for the eyes, but not only that... Imagine the scent of roses wafting down the paths to the villages!

To visit the Valley of the Roses in the best possible conditions, we recommend that you travel between the beginning of April and the end of May, ideally during the Moussem of the Roses! However, the period between mid-September and mid-October is also very pleasant, after the sometimes sweltering temperatures of summer.