Majorelle Garden: A Blue Oasis in Marrakech

1. The story of the garden

The French painter Jacques Majorelle settled in Marrakech and began creating the garden in the 1920s on a plot outside the city walls. Over forty years he gathered plants from five continents and commissioned an Art Deco studio, which he painted in the intense blue now known as Majorelle blue. He opened the garden to the public in 1947.

After Majorelle's death the garden fell into neglect. In 1980 the fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé bought it to save it from being replaced by a hotel, and restored it. Saint Laurent's ashes were scattered here after his death in 2008, and a memorial stands in the garden.

2. Majorelle blue

Majorelle was the son of Louis Majorelle, a celebrated Art Nouveau furniture maker from Nancy. He arrived in Morocco in 1917 and was captivated by the colours of the south: the blue of tiles, of Amazigh window frames and of the workers' overalls he saw in the Atlas.

In the 1930s he painted his studio, designed by the architect Paul Sinoir, in a deep ultramarine and set it against lemon-yellow pots and green foliage. The combination was bold enough to carry his name, and it has been imitated around the world ever since.

3. What to see

The garden is small, about one hectare, and laid out as a series of paths that loop around the villa. Take it slowly; the details are the point.

• The blue villa: Majorelle's former studio, the most photographed building in the city.
• The cactus garden: Giant cacti and succulents from the Americas and Africa.
• Pools and fountains: Water lilies, lotus flowers and reflecting basins.
• The bamboo grove: A shaded path that feels far from the heat of the city.
• The Berber Museum: Housed in the villa, with jewellery, textiles and objects from Amazigh communities across Morocco.
• The Yves Saint Laurent memorial: A Roman column in a quiet corner.

4. The plants

Around three hundred species grow here, gathered by Majorelle on his travels. The stars are the cacti: tall columns, fat barrels and prickly pears, planted in beds of pink gravel. They share the garden with agaves, yuccas, palms, bougainvillea, jasmine and a grove of giant bamboo.

Water runs through the whole design, in long channels and square pools planted with water lilies and lotus. Listen for the birds too: bulbuls, blackbirds and sparrows have made the garden their own.

5. A suggested route

From the entrance, follow the bamboo path to the long pool, then turn towards the blue villa and the cactus beds in front of it. Visit the Berber Museum inside the villa, continue to the lily pond and the pavilion, and end at the Yves Saint Laurent memorial before leaving through the courtyard with the bookshop and café.

6. The Yves Saint Laurent Museum

Next door, a striking brick building opened in 2017 houses the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, with a permanent display of his designs and temporary exhibitions. Combined tickets with the garden are available, and together they make a full morning.

7. Tickets and opening hours

Tickets are sold online for a specific time slot and frequently sell out, so book a few days ahead, especially in spring and autumn. Opening hours and prices change with the season; check the official website before you go.

Allow about an hour for the garden, and an extra half hour for the Berber Museum.

Local tip: Book the first slot of the morning. The garden is at its quietest and the light is soft for photographs.

8. Photography tips

• The blue villa photographs best from across the pool, with its reflection in the water.
• Look for details: a yellow pot against a blue wall, the shadow of a palm on the path.
• Morning light is soft; by midday the contrast is harsh.
• Be patient at the popular spots and take your turn.
• Professional shoots and tripods need permission in advance.

9. How to get there

The garden is in the new town, Gueliz, about a 25-minute walk or a short taxi ride from Jemaa el-Fna. Agree the fare before you get in, or ask the driver to use the meter.

There is a queue at the entrance even with a timed ticket, so arrive ten minutes early. The street outside has cafés and design shops if you need to wait.

10. Other gardens in Marrakech

If you enjoy Majorelle, visit Le Jardin Secret in the medina, a restored riad garden with a tower you can climb, and the Menara Gardens, an olive grove around a 12th-century pavilion and pool with the Atlas as a backdrop.

For something on a different scale, the Agdal Gardens south of the royal palace are vast orchards first laid out in the 12th century, and the Anima Garden, on the road to the Ourika Valley, is a modern sculpture garden with views of the Atlas.

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