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 Aiguillon Bay au Marennes-Oléron basin, in these shallow, warm and slightly brackish waters, the famous mussels are born.
Today, there are more than 300 km of bouchot lines (wooden piles implanted in sand or sediment) on the Charente coast. There are other mussel practices such as string mussels, but the bouchot mold predominates 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 specifications dating from 1995. To benefit from the mark, the mussels of bouchots must be of marketable size, come exclusively from the bay of Aiguillon and be packaged and then shipped in compliance health standards and commercial rules in force. Only the mussel expedition centers of Marsilly, Esnandes, Charron, all in Charente-Maritime and Aiguillon-sur-Mer in Vendée are entitled to the appellation "La Charron". their taste and nutritional qualities, “La Charron” bouchot mussels are harvested from the beginning of summer to the end of 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 Pavé, located in Charron, a small coastal fishing port, offers a panorama of the bay of Aiguillon and on the bouchot parks, the famous wooden stakes that serve as supports for the culture of mussels. It is also the place where the arrival of the boats 2 hours after low tide.
The time for you to see how the mussels are shipped all over France or how the boats are equipped. Maybe the opportunity toboard a fishing boat and discover the professions 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.