Al Hoceima
Location: Morocco (Mediterranean coast)
Village type: Huts
Opening date: 1962
Closing year: 2002
A little background: In 1960, the future King Hassan II contacted Gilbert Trigano. The future king wanted Club Med to establish a presence in Morocco.
It will be in Al Hoceima on the Mediterranean coast. The proposed location has all amenities nearby. The only drawback is that the nearest airport is 300 kilometers away. But no matter, there's a solution to everything, according to Hassan II.
The official opening of the village took place in 1963, but it was in 1962 that the first GMs were able to discover the village.
Al Hoceima is nestled within a Mediterranean forest (the Sfiha forest) bordering the beautiful Souani beach and its 4 kilometers of brown sand.
The resort covers 80 hectares, making Al Hoceima the largest of the Club Med villages for many years.
It comprises 560 unlit bungalows, located between the swimming pool and tennis courts.
Facing the village, a short distance offshore, the Peñón de Alhucemas stands guard like a lookout. This small fort houses a prison dating from the Franco era. It is Spanish territory, just like Ceuta and Melilla on the mainland.
In the village, the sports program is quite comprehensive. On the sea side, it's a lovely spot for sailing thanks to good wind conditions. Water skiing is also offered, but the water is less than ideal and more limited.
Interestingly, the prisoners and guards of the Spanish fort are among the privileged spectators of both sailing and water skiing.
In the forest, at the edge of the property, a riding ranch was built. In 1963, Al Hoceima became the first village in the Club to include horseback riding in its activities.
A few years later, the ranch housed nearly 80 horses.
Still in the forest, a tennis club with 27 tennis courts exclusively on clay makes Al Hoceima one of the most important tennis villages of the Club.
The village closed at the end of the 2002 season. On February 24, 2004, a major earthquake struck the region. Fortunately, the former club village was undamaged. Only a few cracks in the ground were observed.
Village Chiefs:
Pierre Levrard opened the village in 1962 and, in 1963, still as village chief, participated in the official inauguration with the Moroccan Minister of Tourism and Gilbert Trigano.
Vincent Benassy handed over the keys at the end of summer 2002.
The journey:
Earlier in the article, I mentioned the airport. To allow Club Med to solidify its presence and development in Al Hociema, the future King Hassan II promised Gilbert Trigano the construction of an airport.
From 1963 onwards, Club Med's Caravelle jets were landing just a few kilometers from the village. It was an "airport for the Club," as many Tridents from the 1960s mentioned. It was transformed into a military airport once the season ended.
The bus between the airport and the village is escorted by horses from the ranch.
Videos
Club Med Al Hoceima
The DinausauresClub – Gérard Pigeon DECOSTERD
Once upon a time, there was the Club Med in Al Hoceima. A former GO (Gentil Organisateur) recounts his memories of Al Hoceima
Al Hoceima 1964, excerpt from a report available in full on the INA website
Al Hoceima 1978, a collector's video that you absolutely must see
Al Hoceima was my village, experienced as a punishment in the summer of 1972… The bursar was Garry (I don't know what became of him), I was his assistant bursar, even though I was supposed to become bursar that season. But Serge Trigano put obstacles in my way, to the point that the head of the bursar's office in Paris, François Hubert (now deceased), passing by, asked me to understand what had happened in Assinie (where I had done the opening match with Henri Jaouen (now deceased) and Gilbert Picard in the bursar's office) that Serge Trigano had "taken such a dislike to me"...). Irène Clemer, who had recruited me (now deceased), had simply told me that I was too young (21 years old) and that it would come later… It did in 1973 (the Manial in Cairo) where I was the youngest bursar of the club that season, according to Paris! So much so that during that season in Al Hoceima, I've forgotten the names, let alone the faces, of all the GOs (Gentils Organisateurs) who worked for the commissary! But I brought back some vivid memories from those six months: with a friendly and attentive village chief, a strong, muscular man, Claude Besson (now deceased), who was also the father of filmmaker Luc Besson, who, as a young boy (12 or 13 years old), had spent his summer with us in Al Hoceima. And with a very friendly activities coordinator, Jean Viviani (also now deceased). In my memories of that large village of huts, I remember being in the restrooms several mornings in a row... it was just the two of us brushing our teeth... me and "Kiki Caron," then a big star of French swimming, who was a guest of Club Med along with Jacques Secrétin, the French table tennis champion! And then I always think of Al Hoceima when I hear Michel Fugain singing the hit song of the moment that was playing in the village on the holiday highway. It was undoubtedly a lucky day… a beautiful story from 1972!! Yes, memories of Morocco where we, the "stock exchange" executives, had the chance and the opportunity to participate in group meetings in Agadir, Marrakech… Yes, memories, memories!!
Hello,
I was at Club Med in 1972 or 73 with Claude Besson,
Jean Sébastien Laussac
nightclub also known as Germain Pilon.
I was also in Al Hoceima that summer, under the direction of Claude Besson. I belonged to the theater troupe that Serge Trigano himself had wanted, or so I'm told, and I was part of the Entertainment team run by Jean Viviani (a very nice guy).
I also remember Kiki Caron, a guest of the Club… and her competition in the pool, a speed race against Gianni, the lifeguard, who wasn't at all keen on taking on this challenge (rather macho of a man), but so pushed by the GMs and GOs that he really didn't have a choice! Guess who won… hands down. Secrétin, another guest of the Club, was performing an exhibition match against Vincent Purkhardt, another table tennis champion.
In short, good memories, the atmosphere of the film "Les Bronzés" was spot on!
Funny that I stumbled upon this in… 2024. 18 years old, 1989. Flashback. 15 incredible summer days in Al Hoceima. What memories! The shows were really funny, with a bicentennial theme (1789-1989). Still stars in my eyes.
Yes, I was there too, but I was looking after the Viviani children and was often with Luc Besson, who was getting a bit bored. There weren't any young people there. My first club.
Yes, I was there too, but I was looking after Viviani's children and was often with Luc Besson, who was getting a bit bored. There weren't any children there. My first club.
Hello,
I am originally from Al Hoceima and I am writing a book about the history of tourism, using Club Med and the Quémado-Mohamed V complex as examples. I would be grateful if you could help me with photos, information about significant events, etc.