Gueliz, Marrakech

In contrast to the ancient Medina, Guéliz Marrakech stands as the vibrant hub of the Ochre City's contemporary commercial hub. Positioned to the west of the Medina, a mere 20-minute stroll from Place Jemaa el Fna (accessible through Boulevard Al Yarmouk), Guéliz presents an array of attractions to its visitors. Its focal points encompass shopping, dining, an array of exceptional art galleries, and captivating gardens.

The district of Guéliz originated from the 1912 "Protectorat" agreement between France and Morocco. Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey, a French general, envisioned modernizing Marrakech by creating Guéliz, derived from the French word "église" (church). It started as a small French military camp and grew into a prominent new area near the ancient Medina, featuring art-deco style architecture by French architect Henri Prost and others. The district's growth included charming villas, wide avenues, plazas, and a central marketplace, while adhering to a height limit of three stories.

Today, the boulevards and lanes that harken back to the French colonial era are brimming with a plethora of upscale Moroccan, European, and international restaurants. Chic bars, nightclubs, art galleries, concept stores, and both mainstream and designer fashion boutiques also color the landscape.

Among the grandeur of Art Deco and Colonial-style facades, the district's principal tree-lined thoroughfare, Boulevard Mohammed VI (originally christened "Avenue de France"), holds a special allure. It has captured the hearts of both locals and tourists alike, inviting leisurely evening strolls in adjacent parks, the chance to bask in the perennial splendor of exotic flora, opportunities for lavish boutique shopping, and the enjoyment of Moroccan tea or coffee in the shaded alcoves of sprawling cafes.