Djerba

Djerba is located in the southeast of the country. It is the largest island in North Africa, covering a land area of 514 km2 immersed in the Gulf of Gabes.

From firm ground, and more precisely from the peninsula of Jorf, a 15 minute ferryboat trip -crossing the Boughrara lagoon- separates you from Adjim, which is located in the Southwest of the island.

Homer was the first one to talk about Djerba. During his Odyssey, Ulysses was caught in bad weather on his way back from the Trojan War. He and his companions landed in Djerba. But eating the mysterious Lotus made these travelers forget about their homes.

Like the rest of Tunisia, Djerba was inhabited by Libyan aboriginals who live there until today. Thereafter, Phoenicians seized the place and called it Meninx in reference to the murexes they harvested from its sea bottom to extract the purple. The Phoenicians founded an important trading post in Djerba.

As for the trail of the Romans, it was characterized by a 6 kilometer roadway called El Kantara. This roadway connects to the present day the Southeast of the island to the peninsula of Zarzis. On entering Djerba through this dyke, we find ourselves near the region/area of Guellala. This village is inhabited by the Berbers who preserve/conserve/maintain their language and customs/culture. It is the capital of pottery of Djerba, if not of all Tunisia.