Source Bleue


The original town spring is now a shallow, stagnant pool, and green rather than blue. Legend claims a woman of ill repute, Lalla Zninia, stopped to rest here at what was then plain desert. She spent the next three days repenting her wicked ways, and God was so impressed that he showed forgiveness by having a spring gush beneath her feet.

Her name was thus given to the village that preceded Sultan Moulay Al Hassan’s 19th-century fortress town. The adjacent citadel is undergoing careful restoration (scheduled to be completed in 2020) and is also worthy of a quick stroll. Nearby are more jewellery and Berber crafts shops.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Grande Mosquée

0.04 MILES

The minaret of the Grande Mosquée (closed to non-Muslims) is studded with jutting wooden sticks, in the style of Sahel mosques including the famous…

2. Tiznit City Walls

0.26 MILES

Built in 1886 by Sultan Hassan I, the 5km of plaster walls signify the inauguration of Tiznit as an official city. It’s possible to climb onto sections of…

3. Mirleft Beach

20.14 MILES

Layers of breakers crash on miles of tawny sand at the longest of Mirleft's clutch of wonderful beaches. Thatch huts and loungers are available for Dh5,…

4. Aftas Beach

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Rocky cliffs frame the soft sand at this beach, popular with footballers and families. The predictable thatch huts and decrepit loungers are available,…

5. Marabou Beach

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Bisected by a massive, imposing boulder, this beach is petite compared to its neighbours, but the waves are no less intense. Avoid swimming at high tide,…

6. Plage Sauvage

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Four kilometres south of Mirleft is this truly wild beach, accessible down a set of steps, featuring caves, cliffs and crashing waves great for surfing…