Moroccan Tannery — Local services in Fez

Our last stop in Fes, on a too short visit, was to the famous tanneries, after lunch on a Wednesday in March 2022. Hassan, our local guide, dropped us off with a tannery guide, Mohammed. We were first given mint leaves to help combat the smell of the vats--we were Goldilocks' three bears in usage.

Passing multiple levels of rooms showing numerous leather goods, we went up to the top, open balcony. Mohammed told us about how families had different pit areas, and the colors were more vibrant--and the pits smellier--in the summer. He also detailed the organic process used, no chemicals.

Then it was time to shop. One friend haggled for a small pouf (Rissani had given her more confidence) that comes unstuffed. While tempted by all the gorgeous bags, I had always planned to buy my bf a leather jacket. I had measured him at home (in centimeters) but not as thoroughly as needed. So Mohammed and the jacket guy looked at pictures of me and my bf to get better dimensions. Our taller friend also helped model a few jackets. I settled on next season's early release: a cognac camel belly leather bomber jacket. Han Solo style. Mohammed also showed off the genuine leather curing process by holding a lighter to the jacket--BEFORE I paid for it, of course.

Downstairs while paying--I haggled from 4500 to 2800 DH, comparing with similar European prices online--we were given our choice of leather shoe keychains, as a gift. Probably a bad sign on how much you spent when you're given more gifts. Oh well, would definitely come back...

Definitely a Must See in Fes!

The largest and oldest tannery, “Chouara” seems frozen in ancient time. In the midst of raggedy white buildings and old houses, are many stone pits filled with colorful dyes and various liquids.

They spread like a large palette of watercolors surrounded by colorful leathers that dry on the rooftops. This unique scenery is both intriguing and suffocating because of the foul odor.

The tanners are immersed in the stone pits from the waist down and work relentlessly under the hot sun. They are sweaty, soaking wet and dirty. They process the skins of cows, sheep, goats and camels for several days. The process hasn’t changed since medieval times, all done by hand, without the need for modern machinery, which makes it physically challenging.

The tanners first dip the skins in a mixture of cow's urine, quicklime, water and salt. This caustic mixture helps break down the leather's resistance, detach excess fat and flesh and hair that remained on it.

They then dip the skins in another set of pits containing a mixture of water and pigeon excrement. The pigeon excrement contains ammonia, which aside from being toxic, acts as a softening agent that allows the leathers to become malleable so that they can absorb the dye.

The process, which last several days, is both interesting and unsettling to watch. The meticulous work done by these tanners, who proudly preserve this ancient unique tradition, contrasts with the difficulty of the job and the...

If you must go, go with a reputable local tour guide.

The tannery is located close to the Place Saffrine, but there is no obvious signage or entrance to the tannery. It appears compulsory to visit a close-by shop to get a view of the tannery in action.

While the tannery itself was impressive, the people who profit from the tannery are not. We were constantly misdirected by men stating either the tannery was “closed”, or the only way to view the tannery was by visiting a shop with a private terrace rooftop. Several men who insist they are “just helping” will lead you to a rooftop but you will be pressed to make a purchase at an affiliated store once you are finished with your viewing of the tannery. The goods in the shops are priced exorbitantly and you are expected to bargain (an experience that not everyone will enjoy). If you do not buy anything, they will turn nasty and ask for a fee ranging from 50 dirhams per person or more for their “guidance” (despite them having offered nothing more than accompanying you to the terrace in question). On more than one occasion I was rudely cursed at with the F word by these men simply for not listening to them or following them into a given shop.

In summary, the site is poorly managed as a tourist destination and as a result, there exists a local ecosystem of swindlers preying and profiting on the vulnerability of tourists who want to visit this iconic...