A locally built Berber house, in a small hamlet, by a gorgeous stretch of sand…bliss!
A while ago I managed to find a Moroccan Perma Culture website on which I found a lady looking for volunteers to work on her build. Whilst I had no time to volunteer, I thought I’d visit and happened to find myself at Khanfous Retreat .. well what luck was that.
Between Asilah and Larache, down a very bumpy piste, the house is sited right in front of the well of a small hamlet, and thus all the world goes by right there infront of you.
Made using traditional rock and mud/pise, with walls that are approx 45 cms thick, when I visited it was roasting outside and wonderfully cool inside…and I expect the inverse in winter.
Unlike most of the houses I’ve seen in Loubar, which have corrugated iron roofs, this has been made of locally produced tiles, as are the majority of the houses in the hamlet.
This is something completely new to me as a roofing for rural houses (on Mt Zalagh, outside Fez, they use a lime morter mix that is spread on bamboo/plastic sheeting), but it makes for a beautiful finish and of course is far quieter than corrugated iron come any rain.
As you can see here the ceiling is made from locally sourced “chandelles” and bamboo. Cheap, beautiful and sustainable..OMG!
Obviously being west facing, the sunsets are regularly to die for and the design here perfectly frames it all…I know I’m getting excited…so much so that I couldn’t help but ask Carin, who at 24 had managed the build herself, how long it had taken…oh about 4 months!!!!!
And that was it decision made…I think we’ll be building something similar in Loubar. I spoke to the builders who had constructed the place and they’ll travel to Loubar and stay in tents. Obviously I’d rather employ locally and MM is my main man, but their prices are far cheaper and well, the proof of what they can do is there infront of me…we’ll see…but yes, again, I’m tingling!
30 – 40 minutes over local hills is this most spectacular beach, over a mile of unspoilt golden sand and at the time of visiting a local shack serving up great fish tajine.
According to Carin this only sees any major life following Ramadan and a trickle of French from Tangiar at weekend. When I was there, there were all of 15 people on the whole beach..of which over half were Carin and her friends from UK!!!
The road from Khanfous to Xaouen via Ksar El Kbir is amongst the most beautiful in Northern Morocco and has, amongst other things, this wonderful lake…ideal for a mid trip dip!
Lots and lots of very friendly people…Finn made loads of friends…and his overall opinion was…
Khanfous Retreat definately gets A Big Thumbs Up from us!
Get down there and do yourself a favour! Or come and help me build something similar above Xaouen.
