Famous Rose Festival at KELAÂT M’GOUNA each may, crowds descend on the town of Kelaât M’Gouna in southern Morocco to celebrate the harvest of Damask roses from the nearby Dadès and M'Goun valleys. The roses are not farmed in fields as you might see in the south of France around Grasse, but are simply hedgerow plants that bloom once a year. French essential oil producers descend on the area at harvest time and set up stills in the fields. Every year thousands of tons of petals of rosa damascena are distilled in the big copper pots. Rosewater is the main product, but it's the essential oil, in fact a byproduct of the process, that is so valuable. That's taken back to France and sold to perfume and cosmetic houses; it's extremely expensive. The retail price of just 3ml, or half a teaspoon, costs over 150 Euros. The essential oil is extremely difficult to find in Morocco, and simply isn't available in El Kelaa M'Gouna at all. But you can find rosewater and lots of pink face and body creams. In countryside homes, it's not unusual to see whole rooms knee-deep in rosebuds and petals that are left to dry. Moroccan women use rosewater on their faces (it's great for combatting wrinkles!), and the dried buds can be mixed with ghassoul (clay) in facial and hair products. It's also used in flower water shakers at celebrations, and spice merchants add dried buds to ras el-hanoot, used in cooking. Rosewater from El Kelaa M'Gouna is available everywhere in the Fez Medina and is very cheap (around Dh10 for a 200ml bottle). Moroccans make their own rosewater at this time of year, when you can see shops selling nothing but rosepetals, and small zinc stills are widely available.

“When God wanted to create the horse, he said the south wind: I will leave you a creature that is the glory of my faithful, the terror of my enemies, a beauty reserved for those who obey me ... and God took a handful of wind and made a horse.” An Arabian legend At the foot of the Atlas Mountains, away from the hustle of the medina, what seemed like only a mirage has become a reality: Selman Marrakech, a palace of distinct, sublime and alluring charm. Passing through the immense portico, the gaze is drawn over the whole property by the geometry of the facades and gardens dotted with fountains, creating a sublime harmony. Across the Mechouar, the traveller gets a glimpse of the interior, a sensual contrast to the grandeur of the exterior. Designed by Jacques Garcia and built by the best artisans, Selman seduces with its timeless harmony. At this intimate, personal and family-owned property, each guest shares in the joy, love and dreams of their warm and passionate hosts. In this timeless palace whose construction was the vision of the owner, the art of traditional Moroccan hospitality has been revived. Precious moments are embodied in the presence of the beautiful thoroughbred Arabian horses, symbols of a bygone grandeur, which capture the spirit of Selman and invite the joy of living. There are views of the horses from the terraces and the gardens where one can admire the majesty and poise of these animals. Moments of pure grace add to the perfection of this timeless experience. An essential and unedited experience, a return to the source of forgotten luxury, now found again under the light of the Selman’s stars. When the rose garden begins to realease aromas, the temperature drops and the horses in the stables go quiet, you know its time to go to sleep. And tomorrow, when the sun rays wake you up again, you will know that another exciting day is awaits you. Selman is magical!