Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles

It is after 13:00 when the first teams leave the Château Roslane. It is a 7-hour drive to the "gateway of the desert" - 450 km of spectacular landscapes whose beauty and diversity will amaze the unsuspecting traveller. After Azrou, a quick stop to visit the Barbary macaques, faithful guardians of the majestic cedar forests of the Atlas Mountains. Then a straight stretch of road across immense plateaus inhabited by Berber nomads, before  plunging into the steep gorges of the impressive Oued Ziz, which flows into the Errachidia dam reservoir a little further downstream. When the palm groves and kasbahs of the Tafilalt Valley finally appear, the destination, Erfoud, is drawing near.  Tonight the Gazelles are spending one last night in a hotel. For the organization, this is the first night at the bivouac... under a starry sky.

When Les Celliers de Meknès decides to play host to the Gazelles, they think big. The Gazelles Garden Party, held in the luxurious gardens of Château Roslane, begins with animated discussion about tomorrow's prologue. A sumptuous buffet follows, featuring a selection of the finest Moroccan dishes, a perfect blend of sun-gorged vegetables and a thousand exotic spices...

At 08:00, just outside Meknès, 14 teams from Canada and Morocco came together at Château Roslane estate of Celliers de Meknès. Under the early morning sun, with the vineyard as a backdrop, the operations performed in Sète began all over again: installation of IRITRACK equipment and SARSAT beacons, technical verifications and placement of sponsor stickers on the vehicles...

The highway leads in a straight line from  Tangier, to Kénitra and the capital of Morocco, Rabat. The undulating green hills are reminiscent of Tuscany. The fine weather beckons the Gazelles and organizers to stop for a glass of the famous mint tea with a plate of delicious Kefta kebabs or veal cutlets.

After a few more kilometres, the next valley reveals the ramparts of Meknès, royal city and home of Aïcha, title partner of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles for more than 15 years. Needless to say, even after such an pleasant trip, everyone is overjoyed to check into the sumptuous Menzeh Dalia Hotel... for a last taste of luxury before reaching the bivouac.

It must have been hard to get up this morning for those who were out on the dance floor of the Biladi until the wee hours. Be that as it may, everyone was up early, bustling about preparing to debark. A quick breakfast, belongings loaded on board their vehicles, a general feeling of euphoria as the ship approached Port Tanger Med II: a step closer to the 21st edition of the Rallye. Accompanied by Gnawa music, the teams drove off the ship, unable to hide their enthusiasm...