Huîtres (Oysters) are a staple among several cultures, but especially in France! Arcachon Bay in Bordeaux, France is famous for its oyster farming, which has provided great contribution to their local economy and culture since the Roman era. These are eaten raw with lemon and usually with a glass of wine. In Arcachon, you are able to visit farmer huts and sample oysters. There are even oyster festivals! I visited the Maison de l’Huître (Oyster House), or Oyster Museum, in Guian-Mestras to learn all I could about oysters.
As I am vegetarian, I sadly could not try this delicacy. However, it can taste uniquely depending on where they are from, how fresh they are, and even in what season they were cultivated. In Arcachon, there are four oyster farming areas, which each create different flavored oysters! These farming areas are Le Canon, La Teste-de-Buch, Cap Ferret, and Pointe aux Chevaux. Each of these areas have different water salinity, tidal flow, food for the oysters, and climates which affect both the flavor and texture of the oysters. This difference in flavors can be summed up through the French term “merroir.” Merroir is a term used in oyster farming to refer to how the environment affects the flavor and quality of oysters.
