Fez — The historic buildings that formerly served as the General Consulate of France in Tangier are set to reopen on January 31 as the new headquarters of the French Institute in the northern Moroccan city, nearly a century after their original inauguration.
Located near Place de France, close to the Faro Square area known locally as Sour Al Maâgazine, the renovated site will become home to the French Institute de Tanger, anchoring French cultural programming in the heart of Tangier’s historic center.
A centennial site enters a new chapter
The reopening comes exactly 100 years after the buildings first opened as the seat of the French General Consulate. French and Moroccan officials describe the project as more than a restoration, presenting it as a renewed commitment to cultural cooperation and dialogue between the two countries.
To mark the transition, a week-long program of events will highlight France’s historical presence in Tangier and the evolving role of French-Moroccan cooperation in culture, education, and youth engagement.
Photography exhibition revisits Tangier’s past
One of the first highlights will be an open-air photography exhibition inaugurated on January 23. The display features aerial photographs of Tangier taken in the 1950s and during the early years of Morocco’s independence.
Drawn from the collection of the Maison de la Photographie de Marrakech, the images will be exhibited on the exterior railings of both the French Institute and the former consulate, offering passersby a visual journey through Tangier’s urban and architectural transformations over the past half-century.
Performances, literature, and live storytelling
Cultural programming will continue on January 28 with “Live Magazine,” a stage performance hosted at the Institute’s Espace Beckett. The event brings together journalists, photographers, and artists in a live format that blends real-life stories with artistic interpretation.
The official inauguration ceremony on January 31 will feature a literary encounter with Moroccan-French writer Tahar Ben Jelloun, centered on his latest book, “Pigiste au Maroc.” The evening will also include a concert by musician and composer Thierry Beaucoup, joined by Halima El Gourd, daughter of renowned Gnawa master Abdallah El Gourd.
A public-focused cultural hub
According to a statement from the French Institute in Tangier, the new site offers a range of public-oriented spaces, including a “Campus France” desk for students planning to study in France, a mediathèque for all age groups, and a multipurpose hall for debates, readings, and concerts. The complex also includes a landscaped park described as a rare green space in the city center.
French cultural officials say the reopening reflects a partnership “based on trust and mutual respect,” and aims to accompany the social and cultural transformations shaping modern Tangier.
