Marrakech·Cobalt-blue botanical garden created by Jacques Majorelle
1 / 5
Created 1923 by French Orientalist painter Jacques Majorelle (1886–1962); developed over nearly 40 years
Signature cobalt 'Majorelle Blue', patented by the painter, inspired by Moroccan tiles and Berber burnous
Bought and restored in the 1980s by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé
Created from 1923 by French Orientalist painter Jacques Majorelle and developed over almost forty years, the one-hectare Jardin Majorelle is famous for its electric cobalt blue — patented as 'Majorelle Blue' — and its cactus, palm and bamboo collections. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought and restored it in the 1980s; it now welcomes more than 700,000 visitors a year.
Why visit
Jardin Majorelle is one of the most carefully composed gardens in North Africa: a one-hectare collage of cactus, bamboo, papyrus and water channels painted in saturated cobalt, yellow and red. It is also the closest thing Marrakech has to a Yves Saint Laurent pilgrimage site, with the Berber Museum and the adjacent YSL Museum together telling the story of his bond with the city.
What to expect
A compact but layered loop through palm groves, cactus collections and bamboo tunnels around the cobalt-blue Majorelle villa, with three stops: the Berber Museum, the small Yves Saint Laurent memorial and the on-site café-bookshop.
Best time
First entry slot of the day — usually 08:00 in summer — for cool air, golden light on the blue walls and the smallest crowds. Mid-morning onwards the garden fills, especially during high season (October–April).
Price range
Jardin Majorelle is not free: it is a ticketed garden, and tickets are sold only in advance through its own official ticket office at tickets.jardinmajorelle.com.
The garden, the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech are separate tickets, with a combined ticket available; the current rate is shown when you book.
Practical tips
Book online in advance: timed entry slots sell out, especially for combined Jardin Majorelle + YSL Museum tickets. The garden is in Guéliz, about a 10-minute taxi from Jemaa el-Fnaa. Strollers and large bags are restricted; check the official baggage policy.
The French painter Jacques Majorelle, son of the Art Nouveau cabinet-maker Louis Majorelle. He started the garden in 1923 after settling in Marrakech and developed it over almost forty years until his death in 1962.
Majorelle Blue is a saturated cobalt blue that Jacques Majorelle developed and patented for the garden's walls, fountains and pots. The colour was inspired by the painted tiles he saw across Marrakech and by the indigo dye of Berber burnous cloaks.
The Musée Pierre Bergé des Arts Berbères, in the original Majorelle villa, displays Amazigh jewellery, weapons, costumes, carpets and household objects from across Morocco — one of the most important North African ethnographic collections open to the public.
No. The Musée Yves Saint Laurent is a separate building immediately north of the garden, with its own entry fee. Combination tickets covering Jardin Majorelle, the Berber Museum and YSL Museum are sold at both entrances.