Beyond Ksar El Kebir, a decaying customs post at ARBAOUA marks the old colonial frontier between the Spanish and French zones. There is a row of worthwhile pottery stalls at the border post, while two kilometres from the main road is the Hostellerie Route de France (no phone at present; 150-200dh).

 

South again, SOUK EL ARBA DU RHARB is the first settlement of any size, though it is little more than its name suggests (Wednesday Market of the Plain), a roadside sprawl of market stalls, with some grill-cafés and a few hotels , the best of which is the Gharb Hôtel (tel 03/790 2615; 40-100dh). On the Tangier side of town is the Grand Hôtel (tel 03/790 2020; 100-150dh), with a popular bar on the ground floor. The town is not a very compelling place to stay, though you may want to head here for transport connections to Ouezzane (a standard grand taxi run, or infrequent buses) or Moulay Bousselham (regular grands taxis take 20min; buses, if they stop at all villages en route, up to two hours).

While in Souk El Arba Du Rharb there is the opportunity to visit Basra , the summer retreat of Idriss II, the sultan who created Fes. To get there, head north on the P6 towards Ksar El Kebir, turning right after 9km towards Ouezzane, and, after another 12km, you arrive at a village with the ruins of Basra standing on hills above it. The tenth-century walls were demolished in the sixteenth century, but can still be traced, along with the town gates. Now it's now a pleasant viewpoint and a great place for a picnic.