Oyster Shack · Bassin d'Arcachon
Huîtres d'Arcachon
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After a virus wiped out the native oyster beds in the 1970s, Arcachon farmers replanted the bay with Pacific oysters from Japan — nearly all French oysters eaten today descend from that rescue.
Live oysters are farmed in the shallow, tidal Bassin d'Arcachon and shucked to order at wooden cabanes along the waterfront, served on ice with lemon or a shallot vinegar. Locals eat them standing at the counter with a glass of white wine.
Why it's made this way: The bay's mix of ocean tides and freshwater rivers creates ideal oyster-farming conditions, and Arcachon has supplied France's oyster trade since the 19th century.
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