Stranded French Retirees Among Thousands Unable to Leave Morocco Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

They often come by motorhome to enjoy the landscapes and other tourist attractions that Morocco can offer them. When they came in January 2020, this retired couple was far from imagining that returning home would be an uphill battle. Like many motorhome users, they were surprised by the closure of borders, the suspension of maritime links, explains the retired person from Laval, who points out that they are about "2,500 people blocked".

According to the newspaper Sud-ouest, Christian and Bernadette Garroui managed to book their tickets to go to Sète, in the south of France. "An additional expense of 667 euros," regrets Christian Garroui, the 79-year-old retiree. While waiting to return home, the couple joined Marrakech and were able to find a place in a campsite. "The living conditions are correct. We can only go out for food, go to the pharmacy or the bank. But an authorization is mandatory, as is the wearing of a mask. We are not allowed to leave the city," says the retired couple.

They deplore the silence of the consulate which, according to them, does not communicate enough to reassure them about the arrangements made to satisfy them. According to the newspaper, the majority of tourists stranded in this campsite are between 70 and 80 years old. "An elderly population without medical follow-up and subjected to high temperatures," summarizes Christian Garroui, very disturbed by the situation.