Morocco’s Rose Valley

Pilgrims from Mecca brought the first Persian roses to the Dades Valley where the village Kalaat M’Gouna is nowadays famous for its production of rose water and scents. The rose valley is home to the largest rose water and oil manufacturers in Morocco and once a year in may, its habitants celebrate a festival in its honour. After picking and selling them to manifacurers and cooperatives, the roses are dried to be used for cooking and decoration or destilled in order to produce rose-oil. The rose-water, used to cook delicious sweets or as make-up remover, is a by-product of the destillation process.