In the midst of an Eden of olive trees, carob trees, and jacarandas, on the red earth of the Palmeraie, stands a graceful white building—a striking contrast to the surrounding desert. The story begins in 1928, when one of the Audibert heirs, who had acquired land in the countryside near Marrakech, entrusted architect Paul Sinoir with the construction of a unique residence. Its silhouette and volumes were inspired by European modernism. In this environment, with its distinctive style and proportions, the Bled Roknine villa stands out.
Two years later, Paul Sinoir developed a very personal interpretation of the Moorish vogue, hand-drawing the villa of French painter Jacques Majorelle, which today houses the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts. The Bled Roknine villa, nearly a century old and abandoned for a decade, changed hands in 1989. Aziz and Christine Alaoui, who have owned the property for thirty-five years, fell in love with this relic of the past that awakens each morning to the scent of acacias.
"We were captivated by the monumental and mysterious character of Bled Roknine. It has no equivalent in the city. It was impossible not to succumb to its charm," says Christine Alaoui. When the couple first visited the property, they had no idea what awaited them behind the door. "We were given a set of keys from the 1930s that were completely unusable. We had to enter through a basement window and find our way in the dark. When we reached the ground floor, the sinuous lines of the staircase dazzled us."
Inside, colorful tiles with patchwork patterns by Anni Albers create a singular chromatic harmony. Each room has its own unique design, with the exception of the atrium and the large bathroom on the first floor, which is paved with Italian marble. In the living room, two ceramic tigers by Michel Vu oversee an impressive collection of family photos, mementos of barbecues in the Palmeraie, and lunches with Yves Saint Laurent and American decorator Bill Willis.
Over the years, the Alaouis have curated a collection of art and design pieces from the 1930s, an eclectic array that tells the story of a bygone era. Among these treasures is a dining room table purchased from the Countess of Breteuil, owner of the Taylor villa—considered the most beautiful private residence in North Africa. This table has hosted many famous guests, including Rita Hayworth, Mick Jagger, Churchill, and Roosevelt. Some even say that it was on this table that Charlie Chaplin staged the famous dance of the rolls from *The Gold Rush*.
Following the curves of the staircase, you enter a room where an Art Nouveau desk and cabinet by Louis Majorelle interact with drawings of plants and sketches by Bill Willis. On the second floor, diffuse light filters through the arrow slits and the vast bay window of the solarium. Here, copies of works by Tamara de Lempicka and accessories from the play *Tamara* by John Krizane stand out against the backdrop of the Atlas Mountains.
This secret house, full of angles and turns, almost makes you forget that you are in Morocco. Yet, one look outside is enough to fall under the spell of the bright colors of the Maghreb.
