AQUA 2018 Tour – Étang De Thau

Robert Roulston had the opportunity to tour Étang de Thau (an étang is a salt water lagoon) while in France for the WAS Aqua 2018 conference in Montpellier. This impressive lagoon produces 10% of the French pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Check out his photos below.

Shellfish farming is an important economic activity for the Thau lagoon, with both oyster and mussel production.

The growing of Pacific oyster uses very specific production techniques, using tables with oysters suspended beneath them and fully immersed in water. The combination of the richness of the environment and these practices allows higher growth rates than those classically observed.

During the tour of the Thau lagoon, Robert learned about unique production methods.

Robert had the pleasure of tasting local quality products, directly from the producer. Here he is eating a pound of mussels at Chez Tin Tin, along with some local wine! Chez Tin Tin has a panoramic patio on the water where fresh shellfish could be seen being brought in from their harvest on the surrounding waters.

vente de dégustation Chez Toto near the Étang de Thau in France

He saw countless shellfish restaurants up and down the streets of the nearby neighbourhoods.

It was a wonderful experience to tour the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France and he looks forward to returning some day!