# Ifrane and the Middle Atlas Ifrane is a mountain town at 1,650 m, built under the French protectorate an hour from Fez, on the edge of Ifrane National Park with its cedar forests and Barbary macaques. For a nature day trip from Fez or Meknes, or a stay in the cool in summer and in the snow in winter. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/morocco/ifrane-and-middle-atlas/ ## A mountain town laid out in 1929 Ifrane surprises visitors arriving from Fez. The town was planned in 1928 by Erik Labonne, secretary general of the French protectorate, and created by a decree of 16 September 1929 as a summer resort for settler families. It has kept a European layout, very clean streets and its nickname of Morocco's "little Switzerland". Today it has about 13,500 inhabitants. The town found a second calling with Al Akhawayn University, created by royal decree in 1993 and inaugurated by King Hassan II on 16 January 1995. The stone lion carved in one of the town's parks is among its most visited sights. Ifrane also holds a record: −23.9 °C, measured on 11 February 1935, the lowest temperature ever officially recorded in Africa. ## Two opposite seasons In Ifrane, the climate shapes the trip. The WMO (World Meteorological Organization) 1991-2020 normals for the Ifrane station, at 1,663 m, show it: - **Winter is cold.** In January the average low is −1.0 °C and it freezes on about 19 nights out of 31; over the year there are about 68 days of frost. November, December and January each have around eight days of rain or snow. The Michlifen and Jbel Hebri resorts open for skiing from December to March, depending on snow cover: Sabaro advises checking snow conditions before setting off, and planning on sledging and walks in the snowy forest if the slopes stay closed. - **Summer is mild.** In July and August the average high is 30.3 °C, and nights drop to 15 °C. It goes above 35 °C on about one day a month in July and August, when Fez has around fifteen such days at the same time of year. That is the town's reason for being: a cool retreat an hour from the heat of the imperial cities. - **Spring and autumn** are the seasons for the lakes and for walking, with days between 15 °C and 20 °C in April and October. Ifrane gets an average of 961 mm of rain a year, mostly from November to March; July and August are almost dry. ## Cedars, macaques and lakes Ifrane is surrounded by Ifrane National Park, created in October 2004 and enlarged in 2008, which covers 125,000 hectares of the Middle Atlas. The forest is mostly Atlas cedar. It is home to the Barbary macaque, an endangered monkey found only in Morocco and Algeria, and to the shyer Barbary deer. Macaques are easy to see along the forest trails. Vendors offer bananas or pistachios to feed them. IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare), which trains rangers in the park, explains that food from visitors harms them; Sabaro advises watching them from a distance and giving them nothing. The park's other wealth is water: - **Lake Dayet Aoua**, the most visited, for a walk or a picnic on its shores. - **Lake Afennourir**, listed on 20 June 1980 as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention (the international treaty for the protection of wetlands), with a hide for birdwatching. - **Rivers and waterfalls**: the Ain Vittel river, the Ain Leuh waterfalls, and Oum Rabii National Park, around the river of the same name. ## A day trip or a stay Ifrane is about 70 km from Fez, just over an hour's drive, and 63.8 km from Meknes. Rabat is 207.8 km and 2 h 33 away. - **A day from Fez** is enough for the town, Lake Dayet Aoua and the forest macaques. A ten-hour private trip combining Sefrou, Bhalil, Ifrane and Azrou can be booked from €100 on Civitatis, an activity booking platform (price noted on 14 October 2026). Sabaro advises leaving early, to see the macaques before the groups. - **Two or three nights** make sense for walking in the park, for skiing in winter, or in summer to break a tour of the imperial cities with a few cool days. Michlifen Resort & Golf, a five-star hotel in Sabaro's selection, has a 3,500 m² spa with two hammams, a heated indoor pool and an outdoor pool, a kids' club for ages 4 to 14 and a shuttle to the 18-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. It is the address for families and golfers. Fez and Ifrane make a good pair: three days in the medina, then one or two days in the forest. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Ifrane worth more than a day? A day from Fez is enough for the town, Lake Dayet Aoua and the macaques. Two or three nights make sense for walking in the park, skiing in winter or a cool break in summer. ### Can you ski at Ifrane? Yes, at Michlifen and Jbel Hebri, from December to March depending on snow cover. Sabaro advises checking the slopes before setting off. ### Where can I see Barbary macaques? In the cedar forest of Ifrane National Park, along the trails. Watch them from a distance and do not feed them: food from visitors harms them. ### Is Ifrane cold in summer? No: days are warm, around 30 °C in July and August, but nights drop to 15 °C. Bring a warm layer for the evening. ### How long is the drive between Fez and Ifrane? About 70 km and just over an hour.