Marché d'Arcachon

The market in Arcachon is where the seaside town shows its everyday side, and it is the best place to understand the food that made the Bassin d'Arcachon famous. Arcachon sits on the southern shore of a large, shallow bay on the Atlantic coast, separated from the open ocean by the long sandy peninsula of Cap Ferret, and the tides that flow in and out of the bay twice a day have shaped the way people live and eat here for generations. The market is held in the town centre in the covered market hall and the surrounding streets, and the schedule changes with the season, with more days in high summer, so check locally before planning around it.

Oysters are the great speciality. The Bassin d'Arcachon is one of the main oyster-growing regions of France, with many families who raise them in parks on the tidal flats, and the market stalls sell them by the dozen, opened on the spot or packed to take away. The classic local way to eat them is with crépinettes, small, spicy sausages grilled and served hot, alongside a glass of cold white wine, a combination that locals swear by. Other seafood on the stalls includes mussels, clams, shrimp, sole and sea bass, caught in the bay and offshore, and visitors will also find regional products such as cheese, charcuterie, fruit and vegetables, bread and pastries. The cannelé, a small caramelised cake flavoured with rum and vanilla, is a speciality of nearby Bordeaux and is easy to find.

The atmosphere is lively, with traders calling out and customers queuing for fish and oysters, and it is a good place to pick up the ingredients for a picnic on the beach or lunch on a terrace. The town centre around the market has cafés and shops, and the tourist office in the town is a useful source of information about other events and visits.

Arcachon has a special history as a seaside resort. In the nineteenth century, a quarter called the Ville d'Hiver, the winter town, was laid out in the pine woods, with villas in many styles built for visitors who came for the health benefits of the sea air, and many of them survive. The Jetée Thiers, a long pier, offers boats to Cap Ferret, to the Île aux Oiseaux and to the oyster farms, and the Dune du Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe, lies a short drive to the south. The Cité Océan, named among local attractions, and the Oyster Farms (Parcs à Huîtres) are other parts of the area's identity.

The market suits food lovers and families. Go in the morning when the stalls are fullest, and bring cash and a bag.