Palm Groves (Palmeraie)

The palm groves along the Oued Bou Saâda are the most pleasant part of the town for walking. The river channels wind through hundreds of date palms, creating a cool, shaded corridor between the mud-brick houses of the old town and the open desert beyond. In the early morning and late afternoon the light through the palms is golden and the air is significantly cooler than on the streets.

Walk the full length of the palmeraie from the town centre towards the Moulin Ferrero to get a sense of how the oasis works — the system of channels and sluice gates that distribute water from the river to the gardens is centuries old and still in use.

things to do sight
A story
The palm groves of Bou Saâda are fed by the Oued Bou Saâda, a seasonal river that runs surprisingly cold even in summer from its source in the Tell Atlas mountains above. Local children swim in the channels between the palms. Dinet painted this scene dozens of times — the contrast between the cool green of the palms and the burning rock of the desert behind was what kept him coming back.