THE BOOK OF
ميدلت
History, places, people, culture and food of Midelt, told by two Moroccans.
CHAPTER I
On the high Moulouya plateau at 1,500 m, at the foot of Jbel Ayachi, Midelt is the stopover between Fez and the desert. A former mining town, it is now Morocco's apple capital and the refuge of the last monks of Tibhirine.
CHAPTER II
Before the protectorate, Midelt was just a cluster of ksour called Aoutat n'Ait Izdeg, among the villages and fields of the upper Moulouya. The present name comes from a French corruption of "timidelt", dish-cover, the Amazigh name of a nearby hill.
People lived in igherman, fortified villages packed close together, at the foot of Jbel Ayachi.
The protectorate authorities founded Midelt in 1917 as the administrative centre of a 6,000 km² district, a military post on the south-east road to Algeria, and a base to protect the nearby mines. The Peñarroya company worked the Mibladen and Aouli lead mines, employing more than 1,500 workers; gypsum, minerals and fossils were also extracted.
For the mines, one of Morocco's first hydroelectric plants was built in the late 1920s, and the town was electrified very early. A narrow-gauge railway linked Midelt to Guercif until 1935, and the Foreign Legion dug the Foum Zabel tunnel on the Ziz road.
In 1926 the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary founded Kasbah Myriem, where local women learned and practised embroidery. The site later became the Priory of Notre-Dame de l'Atlas, where the surviving monks of Tibhirine, in Algeria, settled.
After independence in 1956 Midelt returned to Moroccan administration. It is now the capital of Midelt province and Morocco's apple capital.
CHAPTER III
1920–1980
The lead mines of Ahouli and Mibladene make Midelt a mining town.
CHAPTER IV
1
A summit of about 3,700 m, often snow-capped until spring, towering over the whole plain.
2
A Moulouya canyon with the remains of mining villages clinging to the cliffs.
3
A spectacular track at the foot of the Ayachi, best done by 4x4 with a guide.
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
The region's weavers work wool in geometric patterns; a workshop run by nuns has sold them for decades.
The Franciscan monastery of Notre-Dame de l'Atlas is home to a small community of French nuns who weave Berber carpets — their workshop is open to visitors. The local Ait Haddidou Berber tribe is known for its distinctive red and white carpet designs.
CHAPTER VII
Midelt is in the land of the Ait Izdeg, an Amazigh tribe of the upper Moulouya, long transhumant herders. Today the town lives from apple orchards and traffic between Fes and the desert.
Tamazight is the everyday language; ahidous, a line dance to the bendir drum, accompanies celebrations.
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
Allow 1–2 days to see Midelt without rushing. That is the length we use in our itineraries.
The best months for Midelt are May, June, September and October.
Per person per day, accommodation included: about $25 on a budget, $60 mid-range and $130 for a luxury stay.
CTM buses from Fes (3.5h), Meknes (2.5h), Er-Rachidia (2h). Most visitors drive.
The must-sees of Midelt: Cirque de Jaffar, Notre-Dame de l'Atlas monastery and Midelt market.
To taste in Midelt: Khobz, Moroccan mint tea, Oranges with cinnamon and Msemen.
The best areas to stay: City center.
Yes, Midelt welcomes many travellers every year. The precautions are those of any tourist destination: watch your belongings in crowds, politely turn down unofficial guides, agree on a taxi fare before getting in.
Yes, Midelt is easy to visit with children.
To go further and check what we write.
