Why organise a seminar in Essaouira
a real life experience and practical advice
Thirty years in events, and the same spark every time
What I love is transforming a place, taking people into a story.
My best memory, for a corporate event we organised a round table followed by lunch at Le Crabe Marteau, set up for the Route du Rhum departure in Saint Malo. The concept, a whole brown crab arrives, you place it on a sheet of newspaper, you pick up the mallet, and you knock, and knock, and knock, until the shell gives way and you can eat. And there you have it, 30 well dressed business leaders hammering away at their crabs in a booming chorus, punctuated by bursts of laughter.
The secret to a successful seminar, taking the group into a story
Morocco, a country that takes you far from your usual reference points
Morocco has that extra something, things sometimes go in every direction, yet you always land somewhere in the end. And that somewhere is often magical. Over the last three years, we have learned to embrace this element of uncertainty, it almost always ends with a powerful dose of emotion. Because Moroccans do not need process to create a moment, they carry storytelling in their skin. They did not learn it, they live it from childhood, in a resourceful society that genuinely enjoys giving pleasure.
It is the looks, the conversations, the shared laughter that teams will remember when they talk about the seminar afterwards.
Riad Eucalyptus, the perfect place to tell stories
When we redesigned this beautiful setting, we also had in mind seminars and family celebrations. The only thing left was to write the script.
When you go to Spain, you want paella, when you go to Brittany, you want fish or crêpes. Our ambition was not to serve couscous or tagine as a postcard touch of local colour, but to bring to life a real Moroccan story, one that immerses guests in another world and disrupts the usual habits.
We thought back to our trek in the southern Moroccan desert, to our stay in the Agafay desert, and we listened to Abdou talk about the Ourika Valley where he spent his childhood.
And we started imagining.
What does a seminar in Morocco at Riad Eucalyptus in Essaouira look like
It is arriving, putting down your suitcase, and being welcomed by Abdou’s smile, the heart of the place, with a steaming mint tea served in the garden beneath the eucalyptus trees.
It is settling in for an open-air working session on the rooftop or under the trees in the garden, with just enough breeze to keep ideas moving.
It is setting off on quad bikes through the dunes of Essaouira, riding along the ocean, then stopping at a fisherman’s hut to share tea again, because here tea sets the rhythm of encounters.
It is returning to Riad Eucalyptus Ethnic Hotel to dive into the heated pool, feeling the gentle warmth of the evening and the fading light.
It is improvising a meeting on Sidi Kaouki beach, barefoot in the sand, surrounded by free-roaming horses, with the surf as your soundtrack.
It is, one evening, sharing a lamb in our traditional Berber oven. At the same time, Abdou evokes memories of the Ourika Valley, before Gnaoua musicians make guests dance under the stars.
It is waking up to the smell of msemen and warm bread, enjoying a Moroccan breakfast with amlou, souk jam, cheese and fresh fruit.
It is wandering through the medina for a dose of raw energy, colours and smiles, picking up a few treasures, then ending the evening in a lively restaurant where world music and spices blend.
It is, of course, climbing onto a camel, simply for the pleasure of being carried along, slowly.
It is tasting, every day, the riad’s home cooking, generous, fragrant, and prepared with heart.
And it is falling asleep in an authentic room at Riad Eucalyptus, beautifully decorated, wrapped in silence and softness, lulled by the soul of Morocco.
Why Essaouira is an ideal destination for a seminar in Morocco
- A human-scale city , easy to navigate, where everything works on foot or by short taxi rides,
- A cinematic setting , wind, light and colours,
- The perfect mix of inspiration, relaxation and authenticity for a team,
- Essaouira’s creative energy, music, craftsmanship, cultural diversity.
Practical information for organising a seminar in Essaouira
- Ideal group size , 10 to 30 people
- Recommended duration , 2 to 4 days
- Nearest airport , Essaouira airport, with direct flights from Paris, Nantes, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Seville, Barcelona, Brussels, or Marrakech, around 2 hours and 30 minutes by road
- Possible activities : quad biking, horse riding or camel rides, yoga, surfing, pottery or cooking workshops, and more
- Catering and entertainmen t are organised locally through a trusted network
- Languages spoken : French, Arabic, English
- Accessibility , ideal for combining disconnection with comfort
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What to pack : light clothing, plus a warmer layer for breezy evenings