Toujane: the Berber village clinging to the mountain, between Matmata and the sea
Between Matmata and Medenine, the mountain road winds up to Toujane: a dry-stone village stacked up the slope, olive terraces, women weaving carpets and a view that stretches all the way to the sea.
- From Djerba
- ≈ 120 km
- Driving time
- ≈ 2 h
- Suggested time
- 1 h on site
- Best season
- October → May
- Altitude
- ≈ 500 m
The road linking Matmata to Medenine through the mountains is one of the most beautiful in the Tunisian South: hairpins, ridges, stony valleys and, suddenly, a stone village the colour of the rock, set on the slope as if it were growing out of it. Toujane is a typical Berber village of the Dahar, which stayed away from the main roads and is therefore perfectly preserved.
What to see and do
- The tiered village: two slopes of dry-stone houses separated by a ravine, stepped alleys, cultivated terraces, an old white mosque and the ruins of the former kalaa (fortress) at the top.
- The panorama: from the ridge, the view plunges over the Jeffara plain and, in clear weather, as far as the Gulf of Gabès. The contrast of mountain, desert and sea is striking.
- The carpets: Toujane is renowned for its weaving, klims with geometric motifs and embroidered margoums, which the women weave at home and sell directly.
- The oil mills and the honey: several families still press their olives the old way and produce a renowned mountain honey.
A little history
Like Chenini or Douiret, Toujane is one of those Berber villages that settled high up in the Middle Ages to watch over the plain and protect themselves from raids. The collective granaries, the cisterns and the terraces tell of an autonomous mountain economy that lasted until the middle of the 20th century, before the exodus to the cities of the coast.
On our tours
Toujane is visited on the Sahara day via Matmata (after Ksar Ghilane, with Tamezret) and on the Matmata & Douz day: after the troglodyte houses, the mountain road leads to the village for a tea-and-carpets break, before heading back down to Medenine and Djerba. In a private vehicle, we can also add it to the return from a Sahara day.
Practical information
- From Djerba: about 120 km, 2 h via Medenine; 45 min from Matmata by the mountain road.
- Best season: October to May; spring for the olive trees in bloom.
- What to bring: walking shoes for the sloping alleys.
