Dar el sadaka, a home unlike any other

Jean-François welcomes you with a coffee in his 'hive' villa built for his parents. This home takes you to another universe and immediately encourages informal address with a smile, a legacy from his years in Spain where formal address is uncommon.

His world is Dar El Sadaka in the Palmeraie, an 11-hectare estate where for years he has been experimenting with homes like no other… First, there's the upside-down house; tilted for an even greater thrill, it's really not for the faint of heart once inside… And there's also a giant house where the size of every object has been doubled to let you (re)discover a home through the eyes of a 4-year-old child.

Unusual and magnificent

Jean-FrançoiNairobitestjejer up as a challenger who loves to provoke thought and play with the senses. Tired of people knocking at the gate to see the upside-down house or the giant house, Jean-François, along with Philippe Forestier, his partner, the site director and a light artist, decide to offer a real experience of their creativity. You can organize a giant dinner where turkeys replace chickens, magnums replace bottles, and even the fries are giant. You can also organize a cocktail beneath a tree lit by 1,000 candles (go ahead, count them) served on a mirror table.

Do you want a meal where all the dishes are black? No problem! A cocktail in front of the upside-down house where everything is upside down? But of course! This place is a bit like Lewis Carroll meets Tim Burton. You come across a golf cart perched on a pole 5 meters high on a path before jumping at a sighting of an ant or a bee as big as your arm. 

Dar El Sadaka is one of those magical and unexpected places that make you fall in love with Marrakech… You just need to know which door to push to step into a surprising world. Go on our behalf, Marrakech Insiders, and be sure to follow the white rabbit!

This article is published in partnership with Insider

More than just a ride, Insiders is a unique experience during which knowledge, anecdotes, and good humor are shared aboard a sidecar for the delight of vintage lovers. Discover the unusual Morocco with Marrakech Insider.