In the arid Dahar mountains around Tataouine, Berber communities built over the centuries a unique architecture, perfectly adapted to the climate and to defence. The ksour, fortified communal granaries, protected the harvests; villages perched on the ridges kept watch over the plain; in Matmata, people dug their homes into the ground. This striking heritage, which has inspired filmmakers, is discovered along a spectacular route, ideally outside the intense heat of summer, in spring or autumn.
Ksar Ouled Soltane, the monumental granary
Some twenty kilometres south-east of Tataouine, Ksar Ouled Soltane is one of the best-preserved ksour in the south. Its ghorfas, vaulted cells stacked several storeys high and linked by external staircases, are arranged around two large courtyards. In the past, each family stored grain, oil and olives here, safe from raiders. The late-afternoon light, which makes the ochre façades glow, offers the best photographs. The ksar still occasionally hosts local festivities, bringing its courtyards back to life.
TataouineChenini, the village on the ridge
Clinging to a rocky spur, Chenini is one of the most spectacular Berber villages in Tunisia. Its dwellings, partly carved into the rock, are tiered along the mountainside beneath the ruins of an old ksar crowning the summit. A small white mosque stands out against the ochre stone. Nearby, the Mosque of the Seven Sleepers is surrounded by a surprising legend. Wear good shoes: the paths are steep, but the panorama over the valley more than rewards the effort of the climb.
TataouineDouiret, the silent village
Perched on a hill south-west of Tataouine, Douiret was long an active Berber village, until most of its inhabitants moved to the new village built below. What remains is a striking site: troglodyte houses, dry-stone alleys, a white mosque still standing and the remains of a ksar at the top. The silence that reigns over these heights, broken only by the wind, gives the visit a timeless atmosphere, ideal for contemplation and for taking in the vast landscape.
TataouineMatmata, life underground
Further north, near Gabès and often visited on an excursion from Djerba, Matmata surprises visitors with its troglodyte homes: wide craters dug into the ground, around which the living rooms open. This architecture protects against both summer heat and winter cold. Some families welcome visitors to show their interiors, the grain mill or how bread is made. Film lovers will also recognise a set from the Star Wars saga, filmed in one of these underground dwellings.
