Le Jardin aux Etoiles
Riad between Agadir and Taroudant, in southern Morocco
Holiday rental with a resident of Swiss nationality
 What a view !The Atlas Mountains are not formed of a single chain, but of multiple valleys and peaks |  The Win-Timdouine site seen from the airPhoto taken shortly after takeoff from Agadir Al Massira airport |  In January and FebruaryThe almond trees in bloom are a further invitation to head towards Win-Timdouine |  Win-Timdouine BasinThe water flowing from the Atlas Mountains forms a natural pool, its contours shaped by human hands. Nature, however, has sculpted an extraordinary mountain landscape |  On the road to Win-TimdouineA vertical line in the Atlas Mountains, in the middle of the mountain range: from afar, one can see the mark of water flowing from the natural pool, before disappearing into nature |  From the parking lot to Win-TimdouineThis path, carved into the rock of the Atlas Mountains, can be pleasantly walked and leads in a few minutes to the natural pool of Win-Timdouine |
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 Along the wayBy going to Win-Timdouine, one has encounters outside of time |  Mint tea at the topThis Berber man, named MBark, is always there to offer you a much-appreciated hot drink, with warmth and simplicity |
Atlas: extraordinary natural pool of Win-Timdouine
The Win-Timdouine natural pool is an extraordinary place in more ways than one! Located in the Atlas, at an altitude of 1,600 m, it is fed by water that comes out of a maze of underground lakes about twenty kilometers long. The view from this privileged height and the serenity of the place are really worth the trip. A little over an hour from your rental riad.
Ce panneau indique clairement la direction de Win-Timdouine, écrit d'ailleurs "Winitimdiouine". Cette route mène aussi à Imouzzer jusqu'à un croisement qui sépare les deux destinations
Dans l'Atlas, la route se faufile entre gorges, vallées et précipices
En pisé et typique de l'Atlas sur le chemin de Win-Timdouine
Creusée à flanc de côteau dans l'Atlas
Chemin faisant, vous rencontrerez des habitants de l'Atlas, toujours aimables.
Vu depuis Win-Timdouine.
Et des paysages sans cesse changeants
Des montagnes qui atteignent en général dans les 2'000 mètres d'altitude
C'est ici que vous déposerez votre véhicule, pour accomplir les dernières centaines de mètres à pied
The enchanting road to reach Win-Timdouine
You can access the Win-Timdouine site by the old Agadir-Marrakech road, which remains next to the highway now linking the seaside town to the Ocher City. Above the village of Amskroud, the direction is indicated by a large road sign, to the right of the road uphill.
The road turns out to be properly paved. It accomplishes real wonders to weave its way between gorges, undulating valleys and precipices and includes countless bends over 8 kilometres. However, the beauty and variety of the landscapes quickly make you forget this little inconvenience. Drive carefully! Here birds will entice you to stop and take pictures, there a flowering almond tree will amaze you, further on an old man on his donkey will make you slow down.
Park your vehicle in the small parking space located about one kilometer from the basin. By following the path carved into the rock, which is in principle forbidden to vehicles, you can then take a nice walk to the basin. Lasting about 15 minutes, this walk allows you to realize the beauty of the place at the speed of man.
De quoi admirer la vue.
Les dernières centaines de mètres peuvent être effectuées à pied. Au sommet, la récompense de Win-Timdouine ! La route est carrossable, mais serrée.
Le regard porte sur des dizaines de kilomètres, dans l'Atlas
Un lieu de pierre, d'eau et de grands espaces dans l'Atlas
La vallée se trouve à 600 mètres environ en contrebas de Win-Timdouine
L'eau s'écoule des flancs de l'Atlas
Parfois verte, parfois bleue, selon la lumière et le ciel
Au premier plan, un olivier.
A l'ombre des oliviers.
An incomparable view of the Atlas
In Berber language, "Win-Timdouine" means "the cave of the lakes". The water that comes out of it flows through a small channel into a quadrilateral laid out in the open air by the hand of man. Given the altitude, the temperature does not exceed 25 to 30 degrees centigrade, even in the middle of summer, when the sun shines its rays on the southern face of the Atlas.
The clever ones appreciate this unusual swimming pool as soon as the plain turns into a furnace. It is indeed pleasant to swim in, provided that the pool has been cleaned of all impurities. The depth reaches about two and a half meters. Abdul, one of the friends of the Jardin aux Etoiles, published asmall report on his blog, in which he recounts one of his escapades in Win-Tindouine.
No tourist crowds
This magical place, which does not appear in the guides, is not yet known enough to be invaded by a crowd of tourists, although some useful improvements have been made there, including a car park. It has some chance of remaining uncrowded for some time to come. Inshallah!
Take full advantage of the encounters you will make there. You are unlikely to miss M'Bark, the local regular, always ready to offer you tea, which he heats on the fire. The man is discreet. This does not prevent rewarding it. You may also come across friendly Berbers living in these isolated lands who will be happy to tell you a thousand things about Win-Timdouine.
In just over an hour from the Jardin aux Etoiles
A field of scientific exploration, but water that is lost...
Le calcaire de l'Atlas
Le Berbère M'bark, l'homme du thé, est fier des études scientifiques et des explorations spéléologiques menée dans le midi de l'Atlas
The Win-Timdouine cave is the largest that has been explored to date in Africa. It constitutes a gigantic underground network comprising a series of lakes arranged along its 19 km of galleries. Exploration of Win-Timdouine only began in 1950. In 2008, an international biospeleological expedition examined it from top to bottom and learned valuable scientific lessons. See the video below on the left.
The water from the Win-Timdouine basin flows into nature. It ends up getting lost in the cliff that dominates the site, without reaching the village below. The inhabitants come there to get supplies in an improvised way. Most of this blue gold is therefore not used by humans.
A pipeline project has been considered, but so far it has not materialized. No more than the idea of drilling from the top of the mountain, which corresponds to the Tasroukht plateau, located 100 meters above. This water of underground origin emerging from the mountain is nevertheless important, even vital for the Berber populations of the region, as explained by the France 2 program called "ADN", to watch below.
Les plus courageux se jettent à l'eau !
Sur le chemin de Win-Timdouine
Une attention appréciée !
Beaucoup de monde. Essayez d'éviter ce jour-là.
Feu le très bon chien du Jardin aux Etoiles aimait se reposer sous l'olivier de Win-Timdouine.
Les connaisseurs viennent et reviennent à Win-Timdouine