Ostreiculture Huitre Boucholeur Chatelaillon 2 Laurinda HudgensOstreiculture Huitre Boucholeur Chatelaillon 2 Laurinda Hudgens
From oyster shacks to oyster farms: a whole profession!
More than a job, a passion
Ostreiculture Huitre Boucholeur Chatelaillon 2 Laurinda HudgensLaurence ? It was during the visit of her oyster shack during a guided tour of the Tourist Office that we got to know each other. Her strength of character and her passion for her job appealed to me right away. *
As for her story, a real novel! 10 years ago, she decided to change her job completely to devote herself to oyster farming, her true passion.
*She even calls her oysters “my babies!”
Her mother and her sister quickly joined the adventure and started breeding with her. Since then, these three funny ladies with a strong temperament have made a place for themselves in this male profession. And not just any place, since Laurence is now the president of the shellfish cooperative of Boucholeurs! Hats off to her!
There is something magical about turning that tiny dot into a beautiful oyster…
Get to work!
Laurence had warned me: there will be sport!
Far from the oyster shack, We avoid pretty clothes and white shoes. They will not remain it for a long time… Everyone in the tractor, we leave to the adventure: direction the oyster parks!
The low tide and our new post allow us to have a pretty view on the coastline. We learn on the way that the precious shellfish arrived in Charente-Maritime in 1864 with the beaching of the boat the Morlaisien. The spoiled Portuguese oysters it was carrying survived the accident and then spread throughout the basin.
It’s not all that, but we have work to do! On the spot, Laurence’s protégés rest in pockets that we have to turn over regularly so that they grow in a homogeneous way. It’s up to us to “fire” them!
Our guide shows us the example, she amazes us! During this time, we cross his colleagues come from all the horizons and each one goes of his small anecdote.
Return to the oyster area and tasting in the oyster shack
The water begins to go up, it is sign that it is necessary to return! We go now to the oyster zone loaded with our pockets of oysters. We go of discovery in discovery with the aligned cabins, the basins of sea water and their small locks. Their goal: to mix the salt water to the fresh water.
Once our leggings put on, we enter the basin of refining where Laurence separates delicately oysters before putting it in clear for a soaking.
Translation: the oysters take a sun bath in their basin to have even more taste! It takes a while, so you will have to be patient…
Now it’s time for the tasting in the oyster shack!
The Office advises you
The best addresses to taste or buy oysters in Chatelaillon, it’s here!
