Located on the Port de Larros in Gujan-Mestras, at the heart of the Bay of Arcachon‘s oyster industry, the Maison de l’huître unveils this delicious shellfish in an original way. Follow the guide!
A visit to the museum
The Maison de l’huître is located on the Gujanese port of Larros, just 5 minutes from Camping Le Ker Helen, on the shores of the Arcachon Basin. Small in size, but rich in content, the museum offers a new way of discovering oysters and oyster farming.
The visit begins with a 20-minute film presenting the oyster-farming profession in the Bassin d’Arcachon. You’ll then discover four themed rooms devoted to the history of the oyster through the ages, the different species around the world, the workings of oyster beds, the equipment used by oyster farmers, breeding techniques, oyster reproduction in hatcheries, the phenomenon of the tides… Everything is perfectly explained through models, photos, aquariums and numerous objects linked to oyster farming in the region. Not to mention the guide’s very interesting explanations. In short, you’ll know everything you ever wanted to know about oysters (but were afraid to ask), and much more besides. You’ll even leave with some original recipes for cooking oysters.
The outdoor course
The Maison de l’huître (Oyster House) offers an open-air interpretive trail, dotted with explanatory panels, to help visitors better understand the maritime environment. Four themes are proposed for discovery: the emblematic boats of the Basin (the “plate” and the “pinasse”), the ports and oyster-farming villages of the Basin, the oyster-farmer’s hut and the flora of the coastline. The Maison de l’huître also offers audioguided tours of the port of Larros, with its typical huts, shipyards and traditional boats.
Tasting in the cabins
Now that you know all about oysters from the Bassin d’Arcachon, it’s time to put theory into practice with an oyster tasting session. To do so, head for the tasting huts in Gujan-Mestras, which is THE oyster capital of the Bassin d’Arcachon! On the menu: oysters, of course, but also whelks, clams and Basin shrimps, served with bread, butter, lemon and a glass of white wine.
Read on the blog: “How to choose oysters, but above all, how to open them easily? “
A little history
The history of Basin oysters goes back to the 4th century. They were already found on Roman tables in Italy. After a period of neglect in the Middle Ages, the oyster was rehabilitated by Louis XIV. At the time, oyster cultivation had not yet been introduced. They were gathered around the Bassin like mussels or cockles. It was Napoleon III who, in 1856, decided to industrialize oyster farming. The first imperial parks were built in Arcachon. In 1859, Jean-Michel Coste, an eminent naturalist from Brittany, invented the first collector, a device that captures oyster larvae for breeding purposes. True oyster farming was born on the Bay of Arcachon!
Also read on the blog: “What to do in Gujan-Mestras, we give you our ideas! “
Practical information :
- Address: Rue du Port de Larros, 33470 Gujan-Mestras (3 km from campsite)
- Opening hours: September to June, Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; July and August, daily including Sunday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Prices: €5.90/adult, €3.90/children (aged 5 to 14)
- Further information: www.maison-huitre.fr