Guide · France · All year
Cancale, on the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, is Brittany’s oyster capital. At low tide hundreds of hectares of oyster beds appear below the quay, and at the end of the harbour growers sell their oysters at the oyster market all year round.
Short answer: head for the Marché aux huîtres at the end of La Houle harbour, under the lighthouse, open all year. Come at low tide to see some 350 hectares of oyster beds. Guided walks through the beds are available. Picking oysters in the beds is not allowed.
| Creuse | The most farmed oyster: smaller and affordable |
| Plate (Cancalaise) | The native flat oyster: bigger, richer, pricier |
| Pied de cheval | A rare, large wild flat oyster over ten years old |
Frequently asked questions
Oysters in Cancale
Is the Cancale oyster market open all year?
Yes, the Marché aux huîtres at La Houle harbour is open all year.
Can you pick oysters in Cancale?
Not in the oyster beds, which belong to the growers. Local rules apply to shellfish gathering elsewhere.
Prefer to pick your own? Read oyster picking in Zeeland, and see the flat oyster.
Habitat · France
