El Fguira stands in the south of Djerba, a long way from the bustle of Houmt Souk, in a part of the island where the farms are bigger and the roads quiet. The label puts it among the more remote of the mosques that make up the Djerba listing, and the journey is a pleasure in itself. The mosque is a small, whitewashed building with strong buttresses and a rounded roof, standing among olive trees and palms, and its shape is as simple as a child's drawing of a house. Like the others, it is still used for prayer, so it should be seen from outside and with respect.
The south of the island has a different feel. Flat, sandy land stretches toward the sea, and the coast has lagoons where birds gather, including flamingos in winter. Ajim, the old ferry port on the southwest corner, looks across to the mainland, and in Guellala, where potters have dug clay for centuries, workshops sell large red jars and plates, and a museum tells the story of the island's heritage.
Oil and water are central to life here. Olive trees, some many centuries old, cover wide parts of Djerba, and the oil is pressed in village mills. Wells and cisterns collect rainwater, which is precious on an island with no rivers. The traditional Djerban house, the menzel, is a walled farm compound with a dome-roofed living quarters, and it is designed to keep cool. Many are decorated with blue and white paint. They are scattered among the fields, with a mosque for each neighbourhood.
The roads are good for relaxed riding, but long stretches lack shade, so take water. Distances are modest, though signposting is sparse, and a map is useful. Erriadh, fourteen kilometres off, has basic services, and Houmt Souk, almost twenty kilometres, has fuel and everything else. Fill up in town before exploring the south, since stations are fewer.
Wind is frequent, and when the sirocco blows the sky turns a milky yellow. The best time is April or October, when the days are warm and the evenings cool. At sunset, the white domes turn pink and gold.