Ifrane

Ifrane sits about 65 km south of Fes in the Middle Atlas at roughly 1,650 m, and the drive takes about an hour. The usual way up is a shared grand taxi from the Fes taxi rank at 30 to 50 MAD per seat, with a few regional buses at 25 to 40 MAD and private cars or taxis at about 500 to 900 MAD return. Mornings are the best time to find a shared taxi, since cars leave when full and services thin out later in the day. The town is often called the Switzerland of Morocco because of its steep red-tiled chalet-style roofs, tidy streets and pine-scented air, a result of its planned layout in the French protectorate period. It is also home to Al Akhawayn University, whose campus is best admired from outside. The best-known landmark is the Stone Lion of Ifrane, a carved lion near the town centre that makes a popular photo stop. Parks and green spaces, including the Parc Michlifen area, make for easy strolling, while Ifrane National Park and the Dayet Aoua lake nearby offer longer walks and birdwatching for those with a taxi. A simple day involves a morning taxi up, a walk through the town centre and the Stone Lion, lunch on the main avenue for around 60 to 140 MAD, and then either a visit to Dayet Aoua or an afternoon return to Fes. Visitors who add Azrou and the cedar forest should budget an extra 250 to 400 MAD for a shared taxi. The town is cooler than Fes year-round, which makes it a popular escape in July and August, while snow is possible from December to March and gives the town a ski-village atmosphere, although road conditions can slow transfers. Spring brings mild days and blossom, and autumn colour appears in the surrounding forests. Arrive by late morning to allow time for lunch and a walk, and leave by mid-afternoon in winter when daylight and driving conditions deteriorate.