Morocco

by Claudio Bravo

Click for Information about the Marrakech Art Fair in October

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Interior of a Moorish Home

Lady in Pink

by Claudio Bravo

Click for Marrakech Travel Info

Available Immediately for Private Events and Receptions

Combining the gorgeous exteriors, the lush setting and our relationships with most of Marrakech's finest caterers, we are available immediately to plan and execute your next important event at Le Cinq. Please do not hesitate to contact us at the email address provided on this page if you would like more information.

The Weather Girl

Click on the Purple Djellaba for the Current Marrakech Weather

Jardin de Majorelle

Click for information on Le Jardin de Majorelle

Le Jardin de Majorelle

Jacques Majorelle was born in 1886 in Nancy, France. In 1919, he settled in Marrakech to continue his career as a painter. It was in Marrakech that he acquired a parcel of land which he would eventually transform into the renowned Majorelle Garden. In 1947 he opened his garden's doors to the public. In 1962, after suffering a serious a car accident, Majorelle returned to France where he subsequently died. Over the period of almost two decades the garden was very much neglected and fell into serious disrepair. It was in 1980 that Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent purchased the derelict garden and embarked on a mission to restore it to it's previous grandeur.

Contrasts in color, as well as between light and shadows seem to have been the passion of Jacques Majorelle when creating his masterpiece of a garden. He was, in fact, one of the most important collectors of varieties of plants in his era. Plants from all five continents are on display in this lush and enchanting oasis in the center of the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. This masterpiece of Jacques Majorelle, not only his studio, but his place of inspiration and contemplation, today houses the magnificent collection of Islamic art belonging to Pierre Bergé and the late Yves Saint Laurent. This unique locale juxtaposes luxurious vegetation, and architectural elements that combine both sobriety and the more decorative traditional Moroccan aesthetic. The power of Majorelle's trademark shade of blue, known locally as "bleu Majorelle" contributes to the fresh and peaceful soul of Majorelle's important work.

Marrakech Art Fair

The first edition of the Marrakech Art Fair will be held from 8 to 11 October 2010 (with a preview on 8 October) at the Es Saadi Palace.

Fifty international art galleries are pleased to invite professionals and passionate art collectors to present their recent discoveries during a 4-day event.

Modern art, contemporary art, and design will be high on the agenda. Works of art and creations from the 20th and 21st centuries.

A series of cultural and artistic events will take place during the Marrakech Art Fair, such as exhibitions in cultural center, visits of artist's studios, presentations of private collections and more.

2 Men in Djallabas

by C. Bravo

24 hours in Essaouira

If you happen to be here in the Summer months and you find the heat unbearable, a delightful respite is to take a 2 and a half hour car journey to the seaside town of Essaouira, due east of Marrakech on the Atlantic Coast. A hot drive across a vast desert eventually yields to long groves of olive trees, that is when you know that you are about to begin your descent into Essaouira. The temperature can be as hot as 120F on your way across the desert, but as you descend the long hill into the seaside town, the temperature drops 50 degrees, to a lovely cool 70F with a constant breeze. Essaouira has a surfer dude culture, and one can easily tell that it was a popular hippy destination in the 60's by its laid back atmosphere and its many funky art galleries and eccentric people. It is WELL worth a visit.

Essaouira

Click for a slide show of photos of Essauira

Oliviers et Lavande

Still Very Raw, the landscaping at Le 5 is a work in progress

Handsome Camel Herder

Click his nose

Delivery of building supplies

Le 5 is a work in progress, and as you can see is being built the traditional old fashioned way

YUCK

Click the guys tongue to Rock the Casbah

Birds on Le 5 against the Moroccan Sky

Click the bird for Information about Moroccan WIldlife

Getting to Marrakech

Getting Here

Le 5 is about 15 minutes taxi ride from the Menara Airport (RAK). We can arrange for you to be met at the airport by an English/French speaking taxi driver, who will accompany you to Le Cinq.

BY AIR

From New York City:

There is nonstop service on Royal Air Maroc/Delta www.delta.com (Codeshare) three days per week from JFK to Casablanca, with a quick and easy connection to Marrakech.

Otherwise there are direct flights to most of the following European cities in which you can connect for a flight to RAK

From London:

There are direct flights to Marrakech from Gatwick through Atlas Blue, Royal Air Maroc, Easy Jet, and from Luton by Ryanair and Thomsonfly.

From Manchester direct flights can be obtained through Thomsonfly. Ryanair have direct flights to Fez. Please note that BA no longer flies to Morocco.

Easyjet.comhttp://www.easyjet.com
Ryanair.comhttp://www.ryanair.com
Thomson Flyhttp://www.thomsonfly.com
Atlas-blue.comhttp://www.atlas-blue.com
Royal Air Marochttp://www.royalairmaroc.com/ENG/

From Manchester:

Thomson Flyhttp://www.thomsonfly.com

From Paris:

Air Francehttp://www.airfrance.com
Royal Air Marochttp://www.royalairmaroc.com/ENG/
Corsairhttp://www.corsair.fr/corsair/

From Madrid:

Iberiahttp://www.iberia.com
Air Europahttp://www.aireuropa.com/en/index10.html

Flights are also available from Malaga through Regional Airlines:
Regional Airlines can be contacted on 212-2253 8080

From Amsterdam

KLMhttp://www.klm.com
Atlas Bluehttp://www.atlas-blue.com

La Palmeraie

Dar Dmana

Local Men outside the neighborhood mosque

two steps from the front gate of Le 5

Sleepy Dromedary

Waiter at Argana

on the Djema el Fnaa

Dining and Activities

Things to See & Do

It is not essential to have a guide in Marrakech as the maps will guide you perfectly. The souks are interesting places in alleys and small squares that are dedicated to specific crafts and it is here that you can often watch part of the making process. There are a number of souks worth visiting and you can easily find the way to the souks on your own. Even if you get a little lost, you will find that this is part of the fun. The most appealing times to visit the souks are early morning and late afternoon when they auction off merchandise to the public. The Marrakech Museum is also a place worth visiting; it houses exhibitions of Moroccan art and sculpture, both traditional and contemporary. There's also a small bookshop and cafe in the entrance courtyard. With the summers in Marrakech being so hot nobody seems to want to do much. A perfect place to do nothing is in the gardens, with many picnic spots, lake-sized pools and cool and quiet surroundings.

Cuisine

Marrakech eating and drinking options break down less rigidly than usual between the Ville Nouvelle, in this case the Medina. The Medina is where you'll find most of the city's French-style cafés, bistros andrestaurants and virtually all the bars. There's plenty of choice for meals, including the spectacle of the Djemaa el Fna food stalls, many inexpensive cafe-restaurants and a number of up-market palace-restaurants that offerMorocco's traditional cuisine at its very best.

Siesta in a Donkey Cart

Arabesque

Followers

Henna

Click the Hands of the Cashier at the Boutique Majorelle, at Les Jardins des Majorelles

Well, Hello Stranger?

About Me

Hobart V. Fowlkes, Jr.: A Contributing Editor at Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine, Hobart Fowlkes is a NYC based Writer and Photographer who specializes in a variety of decorative arts from Europe, North Africa and South Asia. He is curator of fine arts, furniture and objects for a private collector, and has spearheaded a variety of large interior design projects. "Quo Vadis?" is a vehicle Hobart uses to chronicle his travels, offer tips on traveling without going bankrupt and to showcase his ever growing collection of photography.

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Koutoubia Mosque

Camel Face

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