Just a short drive from the famous Jemaa el-Fna square lies a place that will make you fall head over heels in love: the Majorelle Garden! More than just a garden, it’s an oasis of color, art, and serenity, waiting to give you an unforgettable experience.


The Majorelle Garden, also known as the Yves Saint Laurent Garden (yes, the famous designer—you’ll find out why it has that name later), stands out from the moment you arrive with its lush cobalt blue, the vibrant and unique “Majorelle Blue,” which blends with the yellow and green of the palm trees and the beauty of cacti and exotic plants from all five continents. Being there is like strolling through a living work of art! Created by French artist Jacques Majorelle and later lovingly saved and restored by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, this garden is a true work of art and beauty.

Here, you can stroll peacefully along shaded paths, listen to the gentle murmur of the fountains, and soak up the atmosphere of calm and beauty. Every corner is picture-postcard perfect. What’s more, nearby you’ll find the fascinating Berber Museum, where you can immerse yourself in the rich culture and traditions of the Amazigh people (you can read more about this in another post). And if you need even more reasons to fall in love with this place, here are a few fun facts:

• “Majorelle Blue” is patented (and has a surprising origin): The first fun fact is the famous, vibrant cobalt blue that dominates the garden, known around the world as “Majorelle Blue.” This shade is so distinctive and unique that Jacques Majorelle (the garden’s original creator) patented it in 1937. The inspiration for this color didn’t come from a traditional art pigment, but from something much more ordinary: the intense blue he saw in the Atlas Mountains, on the tiles of Berber homes, and in the uniforms of the Tuareg people. He wanted a color that would dramatically contrast with the lush greenery and the Moroccan sun, and he found it in that deep shade that is now iconic.
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• From Experimental Botanical Garden to Marrakech Icon: Before becoming the aesthetic oasis we know today, Majorelle Garden began as an ambitious botanical laboratory. Jacques Majorelle, the painter who created it, was not only an artist but also a passionate botanist. Starting in 1923, he devoted nearly 40 years to developing this space, bringing exotic plant species from all five continents. His vision was to create a garden that was not only beautiful, but also a living collection and a library of global biodiversity.
  He traveled himself to collect rare specimens and acclimatize them to Marrakech’s climate. That’s why today you can find an incredible variety of giant cacti, all kinds of palms, bamboo, water lilies, and countless other plants you wouldn’t expect to see in one place. This “botanical garden-museum” aspect is essential to understanding its richness and the meticulous care with which it was designed, long before it became the famous fashionable retreat we know today.
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• Yves Saint Laurent’s ashes are scattered there: The second fun fact, and perhaps the most moving, is that Majorelle Garden was a place of deep personal connection for Yves Saint Laurent. He loved this garden and considered it a source of inspiration and a sanctuary. After his death in 2008, in accordance with his wishes, his ashes were scattered in the garden, specifically in the rose garden at Villa Oasis (his former residence within the garden). In his honor, a small Roman column with a commemorative plaque was erected, making the garden not only a place of beauty, but also a personal sanctuary for one of the greats of fashion.
  

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to visit this beautiful, colorful oasis. If you’d like to visit with us on one of our tours, just let us know and we’ll add it to your itinerary for your days in Marrakech.

 PHOTOS OF MAJORELLE GARDEN: