I envie escapade I wishlist getaway I مغـامـرة رغباتنا
I envie escapade I wishlist getaway I مغـامـرة رغباتنا
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Nefta
the pearl of Djerid
Surrounded by ochre-coloured hills and desert
plains as far as the eye can see, the Nefta oasis
takes on the appearance of a gigantic mirage on the
edge of the Sahara. Between beautiful landscapes
and cultural diversity, follow in the footsteps of a
thousand-year-old city with an atypical charm: the
jewel of Djerid.
La Corbeille of Nefta
Located at the gateway to the great Eastern Erg, about twenty kilometres
east of Tozeur, Nefta is one of the most important oases in Tunisia. If the
city owes its reputation to the delicious “Deglet Nour” dates (fingers of
light) cultivated in its palm grove, it is also rich in a millenary past whose
origin probably dates back to well before the Numidian era, as attested by
the archaeological site recently discovered west of the city.
Nefta has undergone many changes over the centuries, with the
disappearance of the hundred or so springs that irrigated the date palms
from a palm-embroidered hollow named La Corbeille, which is French
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for “the open basket”, until a vast rehabilitation project led by UNESCO
restored its ecosystem and gave the city a new glow.
The historic centre and in particular the medina, still present beautiful
examples of traditional architecture. All you have to do is walk through
its winding streets to admire the palm-tree wooden doors and the variety
of motifs drawn by the solid bricks (a mixture of sand and clay) on the
facades of the houses. A unique setting that served as a backdrop for
some scenes in the famous film The English Patient and hosted the 2nd
edition of the Les Dunes Electroniques music festival last November.
The city of a hundred marabouts
As a centre of Sufism since the 11th century, Nefta gave birth to the
“Brotherhood of Qadiriyya”, whose disciples included Isabelle Eberhardt,
a famous adventurer and writer of the late 19th century. The oasis thus
concentrates about a hundred zaouïa, places of retreat and practice of
the Sufi current, including that of the marabout Sidi Bou Ali who, in the
13th century, converted the city to Sunni Islam. Built in the middle of lush
gardens, the zaouïa of Sidi Bou Ali receives many pilgrims every year who
come to visit his tomb. In addition, Nefta has no less than 24 mosques, the
oldest of which was built in the 15th century.
The streets of Nefta still exude an atmosphere full of spirituality. Since
2016, the city has been hosting the Rouhanyet festival every autumn,
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which is dedicated to spiritual music and Sufi traditions. For four days, the
oasis vibrates to the rhythm of a dozen dance performances and songs by
Sufi artists and troupes of various origins.
In the surroundings of Nefta
The Djerid region has a particular charm that would not leave anyone
indifferent. There are many sites to discover from Nefta. Among the must-
see attractions, Chott el-Jérid lies a few kilometres south. This vast salt
plain that covers 5,000 km², offers sensational landscapes whose colours
vary with the seasons. If in the past, the Chott sheltered an immense lake,
today its surface is devoid of water and only the underground aquifers that
feed the surrounding oases remain. However, it is better to avoid venturing
ابق الس
اكن وقد ٠الفصول اختالف حسب األلوان فهيا ختتلف
يف »اجلريد «شط
ي غذ ت اليت اجلوفية املياه طبقات سوى ّتتبقى ومل ،اليوم ت ف ّ ج كبرية رية ُبح م ّ يظ
باع ت ّ وا املخاطرة عدم األفضل مفن ،ذلك ومع ٠وضواحهيا الواحة
الوحيدة ريق الط
٠كة ر ّ املتح مال ر ّ ال داخل الوقوع خمافة ،مك 80 مسافة عىل البحرية تقطع اليت
دهش ي ُ اليوم إىل يزال فال »امجلل «عنق موقع عن ا أم
ة ي ّ العامل األفالم سلسلة اق عش
بعيدا نفطة مشال مك 15 عد ب ُ عىل يقع حيث ٠ده ر ّ وتف غرابته بفضل »النّجوم «حرب
عن
»لواكس «جورج فريق قبل من ب املرك
الديكور يزال وال ،ة ي ّ البرش األنشطة لك
ي ُ التسعينات خالل
»ساكيووكر «أنكني إىل تنيمت اليت »ايسبا «موس بقرية ر ذك
االمس هبذا املوقع وحيظى ٠ »الشبح «هتديد السلسلة هذه من األوّل الفيمل يف
املدهشة العروض بعض أيضا فيه ت ّظم ن ُ ،مجل شلك عىل خصرية مبجموعة ا ن ً تمي
ُّ
I ٠الوحدات لسباقات
off the only road that crosses it for a distance of 80 km, otherwise you may
find yourself trapped in quicksand.
Less natural but just as unusual, Ong Jemal’s site will delight Star Wars
saga fans. About fifteen kilometres north of Nefta and far from any human
activity, there is the setting created by Georges Lucas’ team in the
1990s that revives the famous Mos Espa village where Anakin Skywalker
originated in episode I : The Phantom Menace. The site owes its name to
the camel-shaped boulder where some scenes of the spectacular module
1. Vue sur la Corbeille de Nefta et la palmeraie I View on Corbeille de
Nefta and the palm grove I نفطة خنيل واحة عىل إطاللة
2. Ong Jemal, le décor de Star Wars à quelques kilomètres de Nefta I
Ong Jemal, Star Wars setting a few kilometres from Nefta I ،امجلل عنق
نفطة من كيلومرتات عد ب ً عىل »النّجوم «حرب ديكور
races were also shot. I
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