Maison de l’Huître Gironde

The small but fascinating House of the Oyster at Port de Larros explains how oysters are farmed in the Bassin d'Arcachon – from the baby beginnings when oyster larvae stick themselves to terracotta half-pipes laid out in rows by ostréiculteurs (oyster farmers) in shallow waters near the seashore, to their removal a year later to oyster banks in deeper waters where they mature and acquire their distinctive taste over a two- or three-year period. The museum also organises guided walking tours (adult/child €4/3) of Port de Larros, the largest oyster port around Gujan Mestras, where flat-bottomed oyster boats rest moored to weathered wooden shacks. Alternatively, it rents audioguides (€2.50) covering the entire port area. No visit is complete without sampling locally harvested oysters afterwards in one of the many waterfront seafood restaurants.