Garden · Guéliz – Majorelle
Jardin Majorelle
Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech: Morocco’s most famous garden, with its iconic blue villa and cacti from five continents — the story of a painter and a couturier who loved the Red City.
Feature
Jardin Majorelle & the Yves Saint Laurent Museum
A century of art and colour on one Marrakech street: from a French painter who planted a garden to a couturier who saved it and made it a global icon.
The painter: Jacques Majorelle
Majorelle came to Marrakech to paint landscapes, souks and kasbahs, yet his greatest work was not a canvas but a garden. Over forty years he gathered plants from five continents and painted walls, pots and paths, until his name became synonymous with the blue he chose for his studio.
The couturier: Yves Saint Laurent
In Marrakech, Yves Saint Laurent found what he called a “shock of colour”. He spent months there every year sketching new collections and said the city taught him colour. When he bought the Jardin Majorelle with Pierre Bergé in 1980, he was not acquiring property — he was saving the legacy of an artist he admired.
How to visit both in one day
Start with the Jardin Majorelle at opening time and allow about an hour and a half, including the Berber Arts Museum. Then walk just two minutes to the Musée Yves Saint Laurent and allow another ninety minutes.
Practical tips
The garden is very busy between 10 am and 3 pm. Bring a hat and water, and wear comfortable shoes. Photography is allowed in the garden but may be forbidden in some museum rooms. Always check closing days before you go.
The three places
Museum · Guéliz – Majorelle
Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts
Inside the blue villa of the Jardin Majorelle, a museum of over 600 objects revealing the richness of Amazigh (Berber) culture, from the Rif to the Sahara.
Museum · Guéliz – Majorelle
Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech
The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech: a brick building woven like fabric, telling the story of one of the 20th century’s greatest couturiers and his extraordinary bond with Morocco.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Jardin Majorelle?
A botanical garden in Marrakech’s Guéliz district created by painter Jacques Majorelle and opened to the public in 1947, later saved by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1980. It is famous for its blue villa and plants from five continents.
What is the difference between the Jardin Majorelle and the YSL Museum?
The Jardin Majorelle is a historic garden that contains the Berber Arts Museum; the Musée Yves Saint Laurent is a separate building opened in 2017 and devoted to the designer’s work. They are on the same street and easy to visit on the same day.
How long does it take to visit the Jardin Majorelle and the YSL Museum?
Allow about an hour and a half for the garden and the Berber Arts Museum, and about the same for the Musée Yves Saint Laurent. Half a day is enough for both.
When is the best time to visit the Jardin Majorelle?
Right at opening time or late in the day. Between 10 am and 3 pm it gets very crowded, especially during holidays and in spring and autumn.
Is the YSL Museum open every day?
The museum is usually closed one day a week (often Wednesday). The hours in our guide are indicative, so check before you go.
