Entertainment Galore along Boulevard de la Corniche
The exotic city of Casablanca in Morocco often conjures up visions of the 1942 film, Casablanca. Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, the film won three Oscars and went on to become a worldwide classic. Certainly this interesting city has proven to be a popular tourist destination, with many thousands of visitors each year.
The Boulevard de la Corniche, which some have called the French Riviera of the African continent, is an area along the Atlantic Ocean that is home to a number of exclusive up-market clubs that are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. La Corniche stretches from the Mosque on a crescent through to the lighthouse standing on a rocky outcrop west of Casablanca. In the early 1900s the port of Casablanca was considered to be a dangerous place for ships because of a large sandbank and the strong currents. The French built the lighthouse in 1905 to assist sailors in avoiding these obstacles and to dock safely.
Northwards from the lighthouse, along the scenic waterfront, there are swimming pools, hotels and restaurants. This is a well-liked area for taking a leisurely stroll and enjoying the sea air. At the far end of La Corniche are the Casablanca health clinic and the Sinbad Amusement Park. This exciting playground, complete with brightly lit carousels, dodgem cars, slides and colorful pedal boats, is a very popular entertainment area.
Many of the most luxurious villas in Casablanca are situated in the residential area of Anfa, just behind La Corniche. It was in one of these buildings that a conference was held in January 1943 between Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States, and Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of England. This conference, which was kept secret from the general public at the time, set the direction for the rest of the war and is considered to have been instrumental in paving the way for the final Allied victory in Europe, which came to be known as “V-Day”.
When you visit Morocco, make sure that you spend some time in Casablanca. As you stroll along the Boulevard de la Corniche enjoying all that it has to offer, you might give some thought to the historical world-changing events that took place in this beautiful city.
