Marrakech is a visual feast for the appreciative mind, with accompanying smells of spices, sounds of drumming, snake charmers and camels, desert winds and the African sun, set within ramparts of beaten red clay, so it’s no surprise that the city is such a popular destination for international sightseers. And – as is often the case – with an increase in tourists, comes the overdevelopment of a city, and so the local connoisseurs and discerning travellers have been quietly moving out of town to the exquisite calm and raw simplicity of the surrounding countryside.
It is here – in the Berber village of Oumnas – situated between the snowcapped Atlas Mountains and the wide expanse of the Agafay desert, that French-Swiss designer Romain Michel-Ménière recently opened his personal passion project; a hotel by the name of Berber Lodge.
After a glamorous early life spent in many of the world’s most famous cities some 15 years back, Michel-Ménière lost both his parents in separate accidents within a single year. This caused him to change the course of his life and move to Morocco. Initially he chose the country for practical reasons, including its proximity to Europe and the fact that the French language is widely used. But practicality soon gave way to a real affinity for the country and its rich culture.
‘Morocco has become my country, the place where I feel at home,’ says Michel-Ménière. ‘I love the culture and, above all, the people, who I have taken into my heart as my Moroccan family. The jet-set life was fun but unfulfilling – there was too much superficiality. My life in Morocco feels real and full of heart.’
Denne historien er fra December - January 2020-utgaven av House and Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December - January 2020-utgaven av House and Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
At The Breakfast Table With Jonty Rhodes And Family
Recently renovated, the historic Cape Town home of Jonty and Melanie Rhodes is an adaptable base for an active, clean-eating clan of six
LUNCH IN THE GARDEN with siblings Bronwyn and Jonathan Cane
Alfresco gatherings are the order of the day at this updated century-old semi – the home of a design-centric sister and brother in Brixton, Joburg
IN THE KITCHEN with Karen Dudley and family
For Karen Dudley, food informs the family dynamic and her home is as multilayered and as delicious a delight as her colourful personality and cooking style
THE TRADITIONAL KITCHEN
The perfect piece to pull together a country-style kitchen is a beautiful wooden table that will age with time and hold its place in the memories made around it.
IN THE FRAME
'The history of architecture is the history of the struggle for light.’
DRINKS AT THE TABLE with David Cope and Donné Bullivant
A dream kitchen renovation meant wine lovers Dave Cope and Donné Bullivant could finally settle down in their wondrously moody City Bowl apartment
THE MODULAR KITCHEN
DECOR TIP Modular elements like these USM Haller systems are a great way to create interesting, non-permanent storage that can be customised to your needs.
SUPPER IN THE BARN with the Thatenhorst family
Munich-based interior designer Stephanie Thatenhorst transformed the barn at her parents’ farm in Bavaria into an eclectic family retreat
BREAKING BREAD
The pendulum has swung back for this nutritious, crusty staple of flour, yeast, water and time – the much-beloved artisanal loaf
SNACKS ON THE TERRACE with sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis
The traditional Cycladic home of dynamic sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis on the island of Serifos is a reminder of what it means to be a part of a close-knit family