Taddert is a small village strung along the N9 high in the Atlas, a few hundred metres below the Tizi n'Tichka pass, which at around twenty-two hundred and sixty metres is the highest main road crossing of the range. Every vehicle that makes the journey between Marrakech and Ouarzazate comes through, so the village has a lively roadside life, with cafés, mineral and fossil shops, and men waving at passing riders. Fuel is available, which helps, because the climb on both sides is long.
The road itself was built in the 1930s by the French and has been repaired and widened many times since. It climbs from Marrakech in a series of broad bends, with long, steep gradients and hairpins that drag trucks to a crawl, and this makes overtaking a daily challenge. Rock falls and potholes are common, and mist, rain and snow in winter can close the pass or demand chains. Between December and March, check conditions before you go. In the early morning, with a clear sky and cold air, the descent towards the desert side is wonderful.
Around Taddert, the landscape changes dramatically. The northern slopes are green with walnut and almond groves, and the villages are built of terracotta-coloured mud brick. After the pass, the colours turn to red and ochre, and the valleys are dry and wide. A few kilometres off the main road, the kasbah at Telouet, once the seat of the powerful Glaoui family, who ruled the region under the French, stands in crumbling splendour with its painted ceilings still visible.
Practical advice is simple. Fill your tank here or in Ouarzazate, bring cash in dirhams, and buy water. Mint tea at a roadside café is a good rest, though the sweetness may surprise you. Beware of dogs, goats and children near the road, and of lorries cutting corners. Bargaining is the norm in the shops, and a smile goes a long way. Spring and autumn offer the best weather, while summer is hot on the southern side.