Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Now that the tarmac road connects Rissani with Merzouga, Erfoud has been left high and
dry, although plans are afoot to surface the well-maintained
piste
from Erfoud to Merzou-
ga. For now, savvy travellers heading south from Fez and Meknès brake here for wood-
fired
madfouna
(Berber calzone), fossils and a look at ancient
Ksar M'Aadid
(5km north of
Erfoud).
In October Erfoud has an increasingly popular
date festival
, with dancing and music. The
Sights
Erfoud lies in the heart of Morocco's
fossil beds
, and the Paleozoic strata south of the high-
way between Erfoud and Alnif are a prime hunting ground for diggers. Kilometres of
shallow trenches have been hand-dug by Berber miners in their search for trilobite fossils
.
Few of them are found in perfect condition so diggers take broken trilobites to 'prep' labs
like Brahim Tahiri's facility in Erfoud where they are restored.
The best place for an introduction to Morocco's fossils is at Tahiri's
Museum of Fossils &
Minerals
( 0535 57 68 74;
www.tahirimuseum.com
;
Rte de Rissani; 8am-7pm)
, the only private
fossil museum in Morocco, where scientifically important specimens are exhibited beside
their lesser cousins for sale in the boutique. Brahim's efforts at raising awareness of Mo-
rocco's rich geological heritage have even been recognised internationally with the nam-
ing of his very own trilobite,
Asteropyge tahiri
. You'll find the museum 6km along the
Rissani road.
Trilobite replicas can be made from plaster, plastic or auto-body putty, and can be hard
to distinguish from real fossils.
Sleeping
Hotel Cannes
( 0535 57 86 95;
www.hotelrestaurantcannes.com
;
85 Ave Hassan II; s/d/tr Dh160/210/270)
Cheap,
clean, central rooms sporting a range of '70s colour schemes from apricot hallways to au-
bergine rooms and turquoise bath suites. Breakfast is an additional Dh25, and the cafe
does decent meals. It's within walking distance of the market, CTM and Supratours ticket
offices on Ave Mohammed V and the bus stop at Pl des FAR.
HOTEL
€€
Kasbah Tizimi
HOTEL
€€
