Merzouga

The Erg Chebbi begins at the edge of the village, orange sand dunes rising more than a hundred metres. Night falls quickly and it turns cold before midnight, even in July. Sunrise is watched from the ridge, on foot, half an hour before the stated time.

Merzouga is the last village before the Erg Chebbi. The sand starts where the houses end, with no transition, and the dunes rise more than a hundred metres.

The desert is not flat. You walk through hollows, climb ridges, and lose your bearings quickly. The camel drivers here know the water and the passes, and that is the only reason you set out with them.

Night falls all at once and the cold arrives before midnight, even in July. You need a jumper, always, and winter nights drop below zero.

Sunrise is watched from a ridge, on foot, half an hour before the stated time. The colour of the sand shifts in minutes, from grey to pink, then to full orange.

Lake Dayet Srji, north of the village, fills after the rains and draws flamingos in spring. It is dry the rest of the year, which surprises those who have seen it in photographs.