When Jacques Majorelle arrived in Marrakech in 1919, he had no idea that the garden which would bear his name would become one of the most famous on the planet. He purchased the garden in 1924 and opened it to the public in 1947. Since then, millions of visitors have photographed it from every angle. Majorelle Garden captivates with its bamboo-lined paths, fountains, urns and basins painted in the renowned Majorelle blue, and especially its incredible collection of cacti, unique in the world, along with a flora that includes no fewer than 300 species.
However, the garden owes much of its fame to Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent, who bought it to prevent it from falling into the hands of real estate developers. They would bequeath it decades later to the Moroccan heritage. Upon reopening, the museum hosted a prestigious exhibition of the finest creations of the designer Yves Saint Laurent, who is known to have drawn his inspiration from the charms and colors of Marrakech. Visitors can take a lunch break at the cafe in the middle of the garden. The menu, with a Moroccan flair, features chicken pastilla with almonds, poultry salad with mango, assorted tajines, and for a lighter appetite, a simple croque-monsieur… With a rather high bill—the croque at 85DH and espresso at 30, but after all, dining in the footsteps of Jacques Majorelle in a dreamlike setting is a luxury!
Majorelle scentedJust opposite the garden, there is a small art gallery since the artworks on display are perfume bottles, surrounded by reproductions of Majorelle's paintings. The idea comes from Abderrazak Benchaâbane, whose latest creation is «Majorelle». «Majorelle because if the painter was a master of light and color, he was also an avid gardener, a lover of plants and their scents,» he says. The gallery has a soul. One visits it almost on tiptoe so charged it is with emotion and mystery.
The secrets of the Berber heritage perfumes
Exiting Majorelle Garden, just a few steps to the right, is Berber Heritage! Just by entering, you feel the urge to buy everything, because Berber Heritage offers a journey through the senses, especially sight and smell. «Twilight, Passion, Berber Boldness, Fugue» for the ladies and «Tuareg, Secret d'Oud, Nommatitude or Berber Land» for the gentlemen, all creations by Marie-Jeanne. And what about the room scents, with honey and almonds, black mandarin, black pomegranate? It's a real awakening of the senses!
Kaowa, the trendy snack
Wooden terrace, sober and modern decor, and a menu that offers lots of original little things: that's Kaowa, the trendy bistro of the Majorelle neighborhood. This is the ideal place to finish off the visit to the garden since Kaowa is just opposite. And it's Norya who welcomes you and offers a «full of vitamins» with a very trendy menu: a multitude of original fresh little salads, wraps, renamed malfoufs, vegetable and fruit smoothies of the season, chicken briouates with spinach, cheese and even Nutella. The ice cream cart could make the best Italian ice cream makers green with envy… And on the bill’s side, it's not a heavy hit. Chic and inexpensive? Who can beat that?
Only one biography
While some facets of Jacques Majorelle's life appear in art books, there is only one true biography of the painter, penned by novelist Alain Leygonie, who met Michel Hammann, the adopted grandson of Maïté, Majorelle's second wife. A Garden in Marrakech, Jacques Majorelle, painter-gardener 1886-1962, detailed with documents and testimonials, tells the story of this amazing character.
Text Mehdi El Sours
Photo Simon Saliot