All holidaymakers will tell you: you never leave hungry at Oleron Island ! A little salty, a little sweet, and above all, a lot of flavor! Here is a brief overview of the Oléron specialties that have made the region's gastronomic reputation. Charente-Maritime.
Marennes-Oléron oysters
Known for a very long time, since Roman times, oysters have made the reputation of Marennes Oléron Basin. For many, it is the Rolls Royce of French oyster farming! The reason for this success? Oléron oysters benefit from a breeding and refining technique in "claires", former salt marshes transformed into clay basins. There are four types ofMarennes-Oléron PGI oysters : the fine de claire, the special claire, the fine de claire verte and the pousse en claire. These last two are also the only French oysters to be distinguished by a Label Rouge.
Bouchot mussels
The “Bouchots” of the basin Marennes-Oleron are renowned throughout the region, and are without a doubt the best mussels you can eat! They are grown on large wooden stakes (called "bouchots") planted on the foreshore, covered and uncovered by the tides. They are distinguished by their slightly sweet flavor, generous flesh and melting texture. After a vacation on the island of Oléron, we generally return with the desire to start making a mussel eclair, a typical recipe from Oleron Island. More difficult to make than a plate of mussels and fries, but so much tastier!
The langoustines of La Cotinière
In Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron, the port of Cotinière is the first artisanal fishing port of Charente-Maritime, known and recognized for the quality of the products unloaded at the quayside: sea bass, turbot, meagre, sea bream, sole, clams, lobsters, shrimps... But the star of the Cotiniere, It's the langoustine, a highly sought-after delicacy on the stalls of Oléron. The month of April heralds the peak season for this crustacean with its tender and tasty flesh. Bought alive and wriggling, langoustines are cooked in boiling water with coarse salt, then eaten as is with mayonnaise. They can also be grilled on a griddle, roasted in the oven, or flambéed in a pan.
Salt from the Oléron marshes
Salt is an integral part of Oléron's history, since the Benedictine monks of Cluny transformed the island's wetlands into salt marshes in the 5th century. A tradition that continues to this day. During your camping stay, you can buy salt directly from salt merchants, particularly at Port of Salines has Grand-Village-Beach. During the summer, you can see the salt worker harvesting coarse salt and picking fleur de sel, the fine layer of white crystals that forms on the surface of the salt marshes. This fleur de sel is neither treated, washed, nor crushed after harvesting, which allows it to retain its properties and its very fine, iodized taste. Gourmets and Michelin-starred chefs love it!
Small Fish Chowder
Chowder is to the people of Charente what bouillabaisse is to the people of Provence! It is a fish soup with potatoes, white wine, and cream. It generally uses second-class fish or fish too small to be sold. Cuttlefish chowder is very popular in Oleron. In its Fouras version (Fouras-les-Bains), it is prepared with eels, small soles, cuttlefish, potatoes and local white wine.
Charentaise pancake
Room for dessert? Treat yourself to a small slice of Charentaise angelica galette, a traditional cake from Charente-Maritime formerly served on special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, communions and village festivals. This pastry from Oleron Island with AOP butter Charente-Poitou Can be filled with salted butter caramel, prunes, apples, raspberries, depending on your taste. Golden on the outside, this shortbread is both crumbly and soft. A real treat, which the Biscuiterie de la Cotinière has made a specialty of.
The jonchée, the marsh cheese
Cheese lover? Discover jonchée, a specialty of the Bassin de Marennes-Oleron. It is a fresh cheese, curdled from cow's or sheep's milk, drained and rolled in rushes. Jonchée is served very cold, accompanied by cream with almond essence, herbs, pepper and salt, or even cognacThis unusual cheese can also be served as a dessert with fresh fruit, sugar and a red fruit coulis. A unique cheese to discover at the markets. from Oleron and in the region's supermarkets.
The REAL Charentais melon
This summer, taste the authentic Charentais melon, lovingly cultivated by the market gardeners of Oléron. It is recognizable by its round shape, its yellow-green rind and its darker ridges. Its very juicy, sweet, and fragrant orange flesh makes it the star fruit of the summer! It can be found on the stalls of markets of the island of Oléron from July to September.