Why Morocco
It is the nearest faraway place: three hours' flying, an hour of time difference at most, and French understood almost everywhere. Desert, high mountains, two coastlines and imperial cities all sit in a country you can cross in a day by train.
It reads along three axes. The Atlantic coast, from Essaouira to Agadir, for wind and surf. The imperial line — Fez, Meknes, Rabat, Marrakech — for the medinas. And the south, from the Atlas to the Sahara, for the landscapes.
Entry and stay
A passport is required and must cover the whole of the planned stay. National identity cards are no longer accepted by the Moroccan authorities, which still catches out plenty of travellers used to low-cost flights.
Tourist stays run to ninety days with no formalities. Beyond that, an extension is requested from the Moroccan immigration service and cannot exceed three further months. A return ticket and proof of sufficient means may be asked for on arrival.
One detail that gets expensive, and that the French ministry flags explicitly: check on arrival that your passport has actually been stamped by the border police. Without that stamp you are staying irregularly without knowing it, and the problem only surfaces when you leave.
These rules are those applying to French nationals. Other nationalities fall under a distinct regime, to be checked with the Moroccan authorities. Source: France Diplomatie, checked on 22 September 2026.
Getting around
The train is excellent on the Tangier–Casablanca–Marrakech axis. Al Boraq, the northern high-speed line, links Tangier to Casablanca calling at Kenitra and Rabat-Agdal; seat reservation is compulsory in both first and second class, and tickets open for sale three months ahead. The rest of the ONCF network is punctual, comfortable and cheap.
Elsewhere, CTM and Supratours coaches serve the whole country with timetables that are kept and luggage in the hold. Grands taxis — those old saloons shared six at a time — link the medium-sized towns: you pay for a seat, and the taxi leaves when it is full. It is the cheapest transport in the country.
Money
The dirham is a non-convertible currency, and the rule is stricter than most visitors assume: the Office des Changes forbids both importing and exporting dirhams, with a single tolerance — two thousand dirhams in banknotes per traveller. So you cannot get hold of any before leaving, and you cannot go home with what is left of your holiday money beyond that ceiling. Exchange is done on the spot, in banks or licensed bureaux, never in the street.
Source: Morocco's Office des Changes, checked on 22 September 2026.
Cash dominates: markets, taxis, medinas, small restaurants. Cards work in hotels, petrol stations and large chains. Carry small notes — nobody gives change for a large one.
Health
No vaccination is required to enter. The French ministry recommends being up to date on the universal vaccinations — diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough and measles — and, depending on the length and conditions of the trip, hepatitis A, typhoid or rabies.
The main risks are waterborne and foodborne. Wash your hands, drink only bottled or properly treated water, and avoid raw vegetables, shellfish, reheated dishes and cold buffets.
The financial point matters as much as the medical one: insurance covering the full cost of medical care is essential, because hospitals may demand payment in full before discharging a patient.
Before you go
The Moroccan penal code punishes behaviour that is lawful in France, and these provisions apply to foreigners. Homosexuality is an offence carrying up to three years in prison. Heterosexual relations outside marriage are prohibited and carry up to one year. Bringing in pornographic material is illegal. This is not a cultural nuance, it is criminal law.
Haggling is the rule in the souks and is not aggressive: it is a conversation, it takes time, and you can decline it with a smile. The first price quoted is usually double or triple.
Fake guides approach at the medina gates and steer you to the shops that pay them commission. Official guides carry a laminated card issued by the ministry: that is the only reliable test.
During Ramadan the hours change everywhere — administration, shops, transport — and many restaurants close during the day outside tourist areas. Travelling is still perfectly possible, but it is planned differently.