Discover the Enchantment of Jardin Majorelle in Marrakesh

When French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent saved Jardin Majorelle from property developers in 1980, he couldn’t possibly have imagined how popular this garden in Marrakesh would become.

Four decades later, this magnificent cacti garden, featuring towering bamboo groves and an art deco studio showcasing Berber artefacts, stands as Morocco’s most visited tourist attraction. Last year, it welcomed approximately 900,000 visitors. To alleviate crowding and long queues, the Majorelle Garden Foundation is introducing a new online ticketing system and providing access to a secret garden.

The Secret Garden

Many tourists remain unaware that the public space of Jardin Majorelle has significantly increased, but only on select days of the week.

In December 2018, an unexpected archway in the garden’s back wall was unlocked for the first time in decades. This entrance leads to the private gardens and residence where Yves Saint Laurent lived, and where his partner Pierre Bergé resided until his passing in 2017.

This previously restricted area is known as Villa Oasis, which has expanded the gardens’ footprint. However, the Majorelle Garden Foundation has opted not to advertise this section widely. Currently, the Villa Oasis garden is accessible only from Friday to Monday, and entry is included with the standard Jardin Majorelle ticket.

What’s Inside Villa Oasis?

Accessed via a vibrant path adorned with bougainvillea, the Villa Oasis grounds are arguably more opulent and captivating than the main gardens, although they lack the iconic bamboo groves. Here visitors will find expansive succulents, sprawling prickly pears, and slim cacti nestled among green-tiled water features, including the largest pool topped with a striking pyramid-roofed pavilion.

The residence itself surpasses the Majorelle studio in size and features an oriental design, blending Marrakesh’s characteristic terracotta red with the iconic electric blue and Islamic green of the Majorelle aesthetics. A blue-and-yellow balcony with majestic pillars offers an enticing view into the living space, which served as YSL and Pierre Bergé’s private oasis during their visits to Marrakesh.

The Villa Oasis residence, showcasing exquisite Moroccan craftsmanship, art deco furnishings, and personal belongings of the couple, has effectively become a tribute that the Majorelle Garden Foundation intends to preserve as intimate and exclusive. Public access will remain limited to private tours organized through select luxury hotels and tour operators.

Nonetheless, photography opportunities abound, attracting Instagram enthusiasts who admire Jardin Majorelle’s bold designs. Although the Villa Oasis offers more room for exploration, it also creates an additional reason to visit.

Majorelle’s Ascending Star

The inauguration of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, a sister museum to the one in Paris, opened next to the gardens in 2017, enhancing the appeal of Jardin Majorelle. Over half of the visitors now explore both locations, making it simpler than ever to spend an entire day amidst the stunning cacti, pavilions, pools, and vibrant architecture that Instagram users adore. Guests can enjoy tea in the rammed-earth café buildings, which were once the quarters for staff, visit the Musée Berbère, shop for Yves Saint Laurent-inspired designs, and delve into the fashion designer’s life and connection with Morocco at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent.

Yves Saint Laurent’s Moroccan legacy is undeniably prominent. With an array of attractions and activities available in one location, it is no mystery why Jardin Majorelle has become a staple for every tourist in Marrakesh.

Taking Action on Queues

In recent years, only a visit at 8 a.m. could potentially allow tourists to avoid long queues. Jardin Majorelle seemed to be facing challenges due to its own success, with wait times averaging 15 minutes at best and potentially up to an hour. This situation reached its peak in the mornings after 10 a.m.

Visitors began expressing frustration over the admission delays. “Friends keep telling me they had to queue for an hour just to get into Jardin Majorelle. I couldn’t believe it,” shared Parisian Emmanuelle Sottani, a long-time Marrakesh visitor. “Ten years ago it was pretty quiet. I can’t remember any queue to get inside, and it used to be a peaceful space for tea in the garden.”

The recent introduction of the online ticketing system aims to alleviate these concerns. Launched on September 23, it allows visitors to secure specific admission times in advance. This innovation helps eliminate the need to stand in line down the street outside the gardens, where relief from Marrakesh’s intense sun is scarce. A minimal booking fee of Dh10 (approximately €1) applies.

Ticket-holders benefit from a 30-minute grace period to enter the gardens surrounding their booked time slot (with discretion exercised by security guards based on visitor capacity). Majorelle Garden Foundation management has confirmed to GoTravelDaily that the new system does not hinder the availability of on-site ticket purchases and that there are currently no plans to limit daily admission numbers.

“Some people simply do not have the time to queue. This online booking system aims to simplify planning,” stated Abdellah Khalafi, Jardin Majorelle’s Chief Financial Officer, overseeing the e-ticketing project.

The booking platform seeks to regulate visitor flow by releasing additional tickets for timing typically less congested. “We analyze statistics to identify quieter times, allowing for an enhanced visitor experience,” Abdellah elaborated. “For instance, the garden is excellent between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. when it’s less crowded, yet most guests arrive in the morning at around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m.”

Marrakesh Tourism Boom

In February of this year, an article discussing the tourism boom highlighted concerns that Jardin Majorelle had been negatively impacted by high foot traffic. Marrakesh, home to Morocco’s largest medina, including the Djemaa El Fna, numerous souqs, and significant historic sites, stands as Morocco’s premier tourist destination. Together with Agadir, it contributes to half of the country’s tourism statistics.

In addition, Marrakesh is currently experiencing a tourism explosion. In the first half of 2019, overnight stays increased by 8% to nearly 4 million. This uptick can be attributed to years of stability within Morocco, coupled with a government initiative known as Vision 2020 aimed at doubling the tourism sector’s size and accommodation availability.

However, effective tourism management has not been prioritized. Poor site management has begun to show strain at key historic attractions, and Jardin Majorelle is not alone in this regard. It is hoped that recent measures implemented at the gardens will alleviate some of the ongoing issues.