Jardin Majorelle / Musée Yves Saint Laurent
Jardin Majorelle
The cobalt-blue garden created by French painter Jacques Majorelle, later bought by Yves Saint Laurent, who is buried here. Cacti, bamboo, a Berber museum, and Marrakech's most photogenic spot.
Jardin Majorelle is in the Guéliz new town. French painter Jacques Majorelle began laying it out in 1923, painting the villa and flower pots in his signature “Majorelle Blue.” The garden holds cacti, palms, bamboo and a water-lily pool, with plants from all five continents. In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought and restored it. After Saint Laurent died in 2008, his ashes were scattered in the garden, where a memorial stands. The painter's former studio now houses the Berber Museum, which displays Amazigh clothing and jewelry. Next to the garden, the Musée YSL, which opened in 2017, shows his haute couture pieces and manuscripts.
Tickets must be booked in advance by time slot on the official website, jardinmajorelle.com, as very few are sold on site. The garden costs about MAD 170, the Berber Museum adds MAD 60, and the YSL Museum costs about MAD 140. A combined ticket for all three is discounted. Opening hours are 08:00–18:30. The YSL Museum is closed on Wednesdays, with last entry at 17:30.
The garden is small and can be seen in an hour, but it gets crowded, so book the first 08:00 slot. A taxi from Jemaa el-Fnaa costs about MAD 30–40, or it is a 30-minute walk. Nearby alternatives in the old town include Le Jardin Secret and Anima Garden. The café in the garden is pricey, but the setting is lovely.
Opening hours
08:00–18:30 (YSL Museum closed Wednesdays)
Nearby sights
- Guéliz
- Dar El Bacha – Musée des Confluences
- Le Jardin Secret
- Medina Souks
- Ben Youssef Madrasa
- Jemaa el-Fnaa
- Maison de la Photographie
- Koutoubia Mosque