The singular “Ifry” means the caves where the local Berbers once lived. Ifran, the noticeably clean town with the European rather than a Moroccan Character, is cool in summer and may be snow-bound from December to March. It was established in 1929 during the protectorate, and adopted enthusiastically after 1959 by ministers, wealthier bourgeoisie. With its manicured parks, ornamental lakes, and pseudo-Alpine villas set along broad leafy street, Ifran has won extra prestige with the addition of a green-roofed Royal Palace that comes into view on the descent into the valley. South of the town’s squeaky-clean Alpine resort style centre and on everyone’s itinerary stands the Ifran’s landmark stone lion that once roaming the Atlas Mountains. It was allegedly that the locals were hearing the roar of the lion but they had never seen it, that's why they marked the town with the Lion stone statue.