The town has been located in three different places during its existence, two of them still inhabited today. The Oued El Malleh valley was a trade route for caravans coming from the Glaoua region on their way to cross the Atlas Moun- tains. To protect them powerful crown-shaped walls were built clo- se to the summit of the hill. Security was improved around the turn of the nineteenth century with protection from the tsar wall and protection of the Casbah.

In 1970 this new building work, which had suffered irreparable damage over many years, was replaced by clearly detached houses located on the right of the Oued, on the far side of the cultivated land.

At 1,160 m altitude, Ouarzazate is a settlement of some twenty thousand inhabitants and offers all the amenities of a modern city.

The town is proud of the great Somal mosque, the first stone of which was laid by King Mohammed V in 1958. Large luxury hotels welcome the many tourists who come to discover the exotic beauty of southern Morocco and life in the "pearl of the sands", as "Ouarzazate" is known.

The international airport has direct flights to Paris and other European capitals, making it possible to reach the heart of this jewel of the south in just a few hours. In Ouarzazate film studios visitors can still see some of the sets of famous scenes from the movies.

Ouarzazate is located at the crossroads of the Agadir, Marrakesh and Erfoud roads. and is a welcome stopover on the circuit of the one thousand kasbahs. It is also the departure point for wonderful excursions to the Dades valley, cutting through the mountains, and the Draa valley, the water from which flows away into the sands. The surroundings are rich in history, tradition and breathtaking scenery.

In the town center the Taourirt Casbah stands proudly. Rooking as if it has come straight out of the pages of a fabulous Arabian tale. The mud and straw houses with their weather-beaten walls are arranged in lines facing Oued Ouarzazate. This small river rises in the High Atlas mountains and becomes the Draa when it joins the Dade. The terrace of the old Glaoui residence affords an outstanding view of the fortified township.

A few kilometers away a handicraft cooperative sells rugs woven by Al Ouaouzguit tribes women. These carpets normally have a black background from which great lozenges emerge. A Glaoua carpet over one hundred years of age is on show here, and worked stone and local handicraft ar ticles can also be bought.

To the west over arid terrain is a Casbah which dominates the cultivated valley of Oued Derâa. The Tifoultout Casbah The walls of the fortress are made of adobe and were built over three centuries ago.

Modern techniques have made it possible to set up a restaurant under the tents so that visitors can savor the specialities of Moroccan cooking. The "don Jon" has been converted into a pleasant hotel with a wonderful view of the beautiful High Atlas mountains.

Twenty kilometers to the south of Ouarzazate at Oued El Malleh is the village of Ait Ben Haddou. The old tsar of the Ait Ben Haddou is the most panoramic village in the entire south of Morocco.

The Dades valley is found around forty kilometers away with its palm groves and a narrow strip of cultivated land. and colorful kasbahs such as the Kelaa Del Mgouna or the Boulmane of Dade. located at the mouth of the gorges. Beyond this on the road to the gorges, snaking between the high acquire vertical cliffs travelers get a strong impression of going through a tunnel. The Todra gorges are even more impressive than the Dade. This formidable geological fissure on the highest part of the plateau separates the High Atlas Massif from the Jbel Cirri. Tourists who wish to discover the beauty of the southern landscapes are advised to try vex from Ouarzazate to Erfoud so as to cross the Dades and Todgha gorges.

Those who have more time, however should continue to Zagora Lola toed close to the Oued Draa not far from a rocky summit where the remains of an eleventh century fortress built by the Almoravides can still be seen. The top of these rocks affords an unforgot table view over the river flanked by a palm gyrove with the vast desert as a backdrop. Minarets and green roofs give away the fact that Tamegrout is a religious city. The tomb of the mar about Sidi Mohammed Ben Nader. seventeenth century founder of a medersa which still exists today. is found here. The library has beautiful examples of the Koran and twelfth century antelope hide manuscripts.

In M'Hamid. a verdant oasis at the gateway to the desert. there is a local market on Mondays where all the blue men" gather at the end of the day to watch the traditional dancers from the south. It is in this dream-like atmosphere that you can participate in a demonstration of Ahouach dancing.

The roses festival which takes place every year at the beginning of May in Kelaa Del Mgouna gives visitors the chance to admire the Art Atta women considered the most beautiful in Morocco. Their beauty is set off by the make up and jewels they wear at festival time. Tawnier is the home of another of the most beautiful landscapes of south Morocco. It is a place where nature is most impressive because of the wild beauty and magical tones and contrasts. The hill overlooking the settlement provides an excellent view of the color and grandeur of this unique scenery. Fifty four kilometers to the south-west of Erfoud there is a series of sand dunes of around 50 meters high overlooking the village of Merzouga, close to Merzouga Lake, where flocks of pink flamingos gather in February. Rissani is the last settlement of Tafilalet province birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty. Mallow Ali Cherif, father of the first rulers of the dynasty. was buried here in a sanctuary, around which a new mosque was built. A few hundred meters to the north of Rissani stretches of adobe walls bear witness to the presence of an ancient village. Some experts think these are vestiges of Sijilmassa, medieval capital of Tafilalet, which mysteriously disappeared in the fourteenth century.