Charron, in the heart of Aiguillon Bay
The road you take to reach the ports of Charron has a taste of freedom. Here, nature and water reign supreme. Located at the mouth of the Sèvre Niortaise, Charron offers you atypical landscapes: sometimes marsh, sometimes river, sometimes sea, in the heart of unspoiled nature.
Charron opens onto the nature reserve of the Baie de l'Aiguillon, which makes it a real paradise for migratory birds. The village has two ports: the port of Pavé, and the port of Corps de Garde.
mussel farming
It is from the Bay of Aiguillon to the Marennes-Oléron basin , in these shallow, warm and slightly brackish waters, that the famous mussels are born.
Today, there are over 300 km of mussel beds (wooden stakes driven into the sand or sediment) along the Charente coastline. Other mussel farming practices exist, such as rope-grown mussels, but bouchot mussels are the predominant method in Charente-Maritime.
The Charron mussel
This is where the “La Charron” bouchot mussels are produced, harvested, checked and packaged.
" La Charron " meets the requirements of a specifications document dating back to 1995. To qualify for the label, bouchot mussels must be of marketable size, originate exclusively from the Bay of Aiguillon, and be packaged and shipped in compliance with current health and trade regulations. Only the mussel processing centers of Marsilly, Esnandes, and Charron, all in Charente-Maritime, and L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer in Vendée, are entitled to use the "La Charron" designation. Long renowned for their taste and nutritional qualities , "La Charron" bouchot mussels are harvested from early summer to late autumn.
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Where can you eat bouchot mussels?
You can taste shellfish directly from the producers, located along the coastal path. This coastal walk lined with squares connects Pointe Saint-Clément to Port de la Pelle in Marsilly. You can also enjoy a seafood platter by the water at the Port du Corps de Garde de Charron.
The port of Pavé, when the land plunges into the ocean
The port of Le Pavé, located in Charron, a small coastal fishing port, offers a panoramic view of the Bay of Aiguillon and the bouchot mussel beds, the famous wooden stakes used as supports for mussel farming. It is also the place where the boats arrive two hours after low tide.
Now's your chance to see how mussels are shipped all over France, or how the boats are equipped. Perhaps you'll even have the opportunity to come aboard a fishing boat and discover the trades of oyster farmers, fishermen, and mussel farmers?
The opinion of the local counter
We like to wait for the return of the fishing boats to the port of Pavé and if the schedule corresponds to the sunset it's even better! We pull out the camera and immortalize the glowing colors of the end of the day.
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Is it possible to swim in Charron?
A small coastal fishing port renowned for its production of mussels, Charron does not have a beach. Located at the mouth of the Sèvre Niortaise and the end of the Marais Poitevin, the landscapes around Charron are a set of mudflats and salt meadows which make it an area not accessible to swimming. To enjoy the ocean and large sandy beaches, drive back to Angoulins or the seaside resort of Châtelaillon-Plage, located south of La Rochelle. You can also have a good time on one of the many beaches of our Vendée neighbors on the Aiguillon sur Mer side.