Cité de l'Huître

Cité de l'Huître is a museum in Marennes-Hiers-Brouage focused on oyster farming and the marsh environment where Europe's largest oyster refining basin operates. The facility contains four thematic spaces covering oyster biology, marsh ecosystems, regional history, and tasting experiences.

The museum opened in 2006 and converted a former mariculture site into an educational center for oyster farming heritage. Its creation gave new purpose to a location that had been central to centuries of maritime tradition in Charente-Maritime.

The museum showcases oyster farming techniques practiced locally through hands-on displays and demonstrations led by maritime professionals. Visitors can observe how this shellfish cultivation remains central to the region's identity and daily work.

The location sits on Rue des Martyrs and welcomes visitors from April through November with guided tours and oyster shucking workshops. Bicycles are available for rent to explore the surrounding marshes independently.

The museum allows visitors to practice oyster shucking firsthand, learning a skill that has been passed down through generations in this region. This provides direct engagement with a craft that forms part of the local maritime culture.