See previous blogs Parts One and Two for details of our trip in the Jeep.
Flight schedules meant that we could either leave Morocco immediately after the Raid or stay on for a few days to chill out and to allow time for the Jeeps to return to France, so we took the opportunity to stay and see a bit more of Agadir. The city of Agadir is a fairly modern one, dating back to the 1960s and built around a large bay with a long golden sandy beach and Corniche which makes it a popular holiday destination for those looking for a bit of early sun. The original town and Kasbah sat on the hill that overlooks modern Agadir but it was pretty much completely destroyed by a huge earthquake in 1960. A large part of the external walls of the kasbah withstood the earthquake and the remaining structure, partly restored, and ruins can be visited. You can travel up to the top by car but we took the cable car from near our hotel to enjoy the views on the ride up. The views from the top give a huge panorama over the whole of the bay and the large marina and port area.
Seeing the city deprived of its old town by the earthquake, the architect and artisan decorator Coco Polizzi, born in Rabat and living in Agadir, decided to embark on a project to create a miniature Medina using traditional methods and artisans and local materials. The construction began in 1992 and the result is certainly very beautiful, if a bit reminiscent of a film set. The medina houses various artisan workshops selling traditional products, more authentic than the mass-produced souvenirs seen elsewhere.
Agadir also claims to be home to the largest covered urban market in Africa – the souk El Had. The site is huge, purpose built over 3 hectares, with around 3,000 stalls ranging from meat, fruit and vegetables to clothing, leather goods, shoes, carpets and textiles and tourist tat of course. The layout is much less confusing than the souk in Marrakesh and the souk felt less touristy, with stall holders less pushy and less inclined to pounce the minute you want to look at anything.
It was a relaxing end to our Jeep adventure and gave us time to wind down and to reflect on the experience. We flew back to Perpignan and collected the Jeep from Guy before driving home. Joe was immediately on the case with the pressure washer to remove the sand and salt from the beach driving. Another Raid is planned for October with a different route east of Agadir taking in the Erg of Chigaga, one of the two major dune fields in southern Morocco. It was too tempting to pass up, given we have all the gear, and Joe has already started work on some improvements to the gearbox and engine. At least we’ll have a good idea of what to expect next time around.
