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رغبـاتنـــا
escapade à Abidjan I getaway to Abidjan I
مغـامـرة الى أبيدجــان
Appraised as Francophone Africa‘s success story,
Abidjan has been a regional model of economic
growth and development since early independence
days under the leadership of venerated former
president Felix Houphouet Boigny.
Besides ranking as the world’s leading cacao
producer and the sub-region’s power supplier,
Ivory Coast is also undergoing a steady economic
recovery prompting revival of key agricultural and
industrial sectors, from coffee and rubber to cement,
hydrocarbons and manufacturing. The economic
recovery is underway and the Ivorian people looking
to the future with self confidence and serenity.
region’s most remote spots. You are guaranteed
to come across something you’ve never seen,
witnessed or tasted! Just let it all take you by
surprise! At Marcory Market, among the wide
spectrum of eye-catching protagonists are the
Mamas. Wearing bright turbans, these imposing
women with sweet looks are unbeatable traders
always up for a casual chat and some banter amid
an elixir of sounds, colours and smells. Around the
corner is Cava art and craft centre hosting a mustsee collection of ancestral masks, colour-throbbing
tissues, authentic jewellery and ebony shelves.
A generous wild
But there remains one activity visitors could not skip:
nearby beaches. A mere two-hour drive east on the
picturesque coastal road lays the fishing town of
Assinie whose white sand beaches and crystal clear
waters are the most distinguished across the Gulf
of Guinea.
Even closer to Abidjan, Grand-Bassam colonial town
is an ideal one-day escape from the hustlebustle of
the big city.
There are no fewer than 9 national parks, Banco
Forest – known as the ‘lung of the capital’ - being
the nearest to Abidjan. It extends over 3000 acre s,
comprising relaxation areas, ecological hiking paths,
sports trekking trails and an eco-museum.
Abidjan’s must
A heart beating
La Gazelle 53 I
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“We are together” is much more than a typical Ivorian
proverb ; it is a social code to express kindliness,
solidarity and group spirit. In Abidjan, we are rapidly
caught in the frenetic rhythm of the city. It takes only
jumping on one wôro-wôro collective taxi towards
the Plateau - Abidjan’s very centre - to realise that
we are in a 7 million people city: hundreds of streets
merchants zigzagging through traffic offering all
kind of products unusual and colorfull.
Markets are Abidjan’s most dynamic spaces. The
one in the commune of Marcory is not only the
largest, but also the most captivating. Cruising
around its couloirs is nothing short of an instant
trip across West Africa: ginger soap, snail skewers
and thousands of other products coming from the
Located in the renowned district of Cocody and
bordering the Ebrié lagoon, the 25 floors of Hotel
Ivoire watch over the city! Erected in 1963 to
become an emblem of the ‘Ivorian Miracle’ and
golden area, the establishment carries a unique
historical significance as the scene of many political
events which marked the country. After having
been renovated in 2011, the hotel is now an icon of
prestige in Abidjan. Its funky pool offers an exclusive
panoramic view onto the city while its penultimate
floor Le toit d’Abidjan restaurant presents
a local and an international menu.
Its vibrant nightlife features a variety of musical
genres, stretching from domestic Zouglou music to
Reggae and Caribbean Zouk.
During the evenings, streets are awash with popular
hangout spots locally known as “maquis” where
families and friends gather under open skies to
mingle, eat, drink and often dance their way into the
night. Traditional eateries can barely cope with the
demand on braised fish with attiéké (manioc grains).
If in the mood to discover the local scene, head to La
Rue des Princesses in the district of Youpogon. I