Paris1972-Versailles2003

Ok so this is basically a new post as just mentioned briefly but is another love of mine and so lucky to be right next to the best oyster beds in France! and the world!!  Let me tell you a bit more ok

I have written before on oysters from the Sarzeau, Rhuys peninsula of my Morbihan dept 56, and the Riec sur Bélon in the Finistére dept 29. Now let me bring you even closer to my home and talk about Belz.

But first, a bit about the town of Belz located in the Morbihan department 56,just south of me in our lovely region of Bretagne. The territory of Belz is bounded by the Etel estuary,by the town of Erdeven and by the town of Locoal-Mendon. It also includes Saint-Cado Island, located on the Etel estuary.

The Breton name of the town, Belz, comes from the name of the Celtic god Bel, better known under the name of Belenos who is a Gallic god mentioned in many inscriptions unearthed in Cisalpine Gaul, Transalpine Gaul, Illyria and Norique.

In the middle of the 19C, the town was the scene of major road construction sites. Such as that of the new departmental road which connects Auray to Port-Louis, engenders the construction of a suspension bridge, inaugurated by the prefect of Lorois (pont Lorois) in 1844. And the extension departmental roads like the one which connects Pont-Lorois to Carnac, via Erdeven, and the one that goes down to Etel. This road is the D781.

I have written before in my blog on the Saint Cado village and the Chapelle Saint Cado on the island or Ïle de Saint Cado. Also, on the Church Saint Saturnin and the Pont Lorois.

Here you have numerous Neolithic megalithic monuments, dolmens, covered alleys, menhirs, which dot the countryside or the outskirts of hamlets. Some of the best known are the Menhirs of Kerdruellan, Dolmen of Kerlutu. Dolmens of Kerprovost ,the fountain of Kernours; and the Dolmen with gallery with the base of its tumulus.

The tourist office of the Bay of Quiberon on Belz: https://www.baiedequiberon.co.uk/belz

Finally, it was also from the end of the 19C that oyster farming gradually replaced the dredging of natural banks which were exhausted. The Etel river and more particularly the shores of Belz including its islets, become an important pole of oyster production on the scale of the Morbihan department.

We always go , because its closer and good into the coastal towns of the Morbihan breton.  We visited the Oyster breeding grounds of Belz. 

At Belz ,we went to get our local oysters and mussels right on the ria of pont Lorois, parc de Navihan. This is how the living is here, glorious with great fresh food, we had them right away with an excellent Riesling Kitterlé 2011 of Domaine Schlumberger of Alsace.

And we have come more mixing it with the muscadets of the  Loire ,glorious oysters .You have several harversters here such as Larmor Ostrea at the Pointe de Larmor. And the Aux Etablissements Huitres de Saint Cado (Pen Mane Bras); you have here oysters from the Ria of Etel as well as the flat oysters. However, our best for the showing, the friendliness and nice ambiance is the parc de Navihan at Belz by the pont Lorois. webpage: https://www.mairie-belz.fr/les-parcs-de-navihan,33,169.html

Here you have them all from the city of Belz: https://www.mairie-belz.fr/annuaire-des-entreprises-commercants-et-artisans,33.html?id=52

The tourist office of the dept 56 Morbihan in French but all local oyster producers: https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/explorer-vannes/gastronomie-vannes/deguster-des-huitres/

I dwell a bit on it but if you want to get technical and speak French this is the South Brittany oysters organism with plenty of info: http://www.huitres-de-bretagne.com/ostreiculture

And of course, could not leave the post before telling you a bit on the technical side of oysters, wonderful sea creatures we enjoy very much here. You are welcome!

The first oyster beds in my area were created in the Auray river and the first concessions in the Gulf of Morbihan were attested in 1863. Oyster farming is the farming of fertilized oysters in parks.  To access the parks, oyster farmers use oyster boats or large flat-bottomed barges.

Currently, oyster farming in the Gulf of Morbihan represents more than 10,000 tons of oysters produced each year. The Morbihan department produces 10% of French production with parks located in the Gulf of Morbihan and in the bay of the Vilaine.

Oysters are bivalves, meaning their shells are made up of two distinct and attached parts, more or less symmetrical, which can open or close. Bivalves include around 30,000 species including mussels, cockles, clams, etc. A filter animal, the oyster feeds mainly on small particles (plankton).

The adult oyster you eat is the result of a long series of care. The dwarf (the larva) is captured at the time of spawning on collectors of various kinds and then reared in parks. The oyster is then pampered, to the rhythm of the tides, for 3 years. The oyster rearing takes place in several stages: catching, semi-rearing, breeding, ripening, finishing.  It will then parade on the stalls of the wholesalers before joining your plate.

There are basically two types of oysters: hollow and flat. In southern Bretagne, you will find the following:  Sweet and slightly sweet oysters from Aven-Belon,  Low-iodized Ria-d’Etel with a fine marine flavor (Belz), Oysters from the bay of Quiberon with complex and varied flavors,  The Gulf of Morbihan with subtle flavors of seaweed,  The Penerfs with abundant and firm flesh, and les Croisicaises iodized with a nutty aroma. Superbe!!! Bon appétit!!

Hope you enjoy this close and personal post…on oysters of Belz! And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!