24-27 octobER 2013 grand palais et hors les murs, paris Official sponsor
BLACKBOOK WHERE TO GO NEXT TRAVEL WHAT TO KNOW NOW ON LOCATION Postcard from CASABLANCA Overshadowed by its portrayal on the silver screen, the white city is abuzz with a life of its own. CLAUDIA WHITEUS surveys the scene While to many, a mention of Casablanca inspires images of white-gloved waiters, grand Art Deco edifices and a young Ingrid Bergman, the city of film lore and French raffinement has long since departed. In its place sits a sprawling, rough-edged metropolis of 3.7 million – by far Morocco’s largest – which is infused with a pulsating, raw urban vibe that’s often overlooked by visitors in favour of more traditional destinations like Marrakech and Fes. For decades merely a stop along the way to somewhere else, Casablanca’s energetic, under-the-radar charm is ready for its international close-up. Take the Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche (sofitel.com), whose unveiling last year upset the reign of the city’s established hotel scene, previously dominated by 1920s-era grandes dames like the Hotel Transatlantique, where Edith Piaf used to stay during sojourns here. With a soaring 24 storeys and minimalist purple-hued decor, the 171-key tower in the ALAN KEOHANE Sofitel Casablanca’s 600sq m SoSPA is steeped in Moroccan tradition – from its mosaic walls to its traditional hammam treatments departures-international.com 23
