Harbour

Marennes

Name: Marennes
Address: Saint-Just-Luzac, FR

Saint-Just-Luzac, FranceCharente-Maritime

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Maximum length: 7.2 m

Small tidal harbour at the head of the Seudre estuary, opposite the Île d'Oléron, in Charente-Maritime.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Access via the buoyed Seudre channel from the Pertuis de Maumusson. Channel dries at low water and is usable around HW plus or minus 2 hours for a shallow draught. Beware of strong cross-tidal currents on the ebb near the Pont de la Seudre. Oyster beds marked with withies along both banks.

Practical

Six berths only, so most visitors use the larger Port à sec at Mus de Loup 0.8 NM to the north-west or Cale Ronde 1 NM to the south. Fuel station nearby. Town centre at 1.5 km with shops, bakery and pharmacy.

Ashore

Église Saint-Pierre-de-Sales with its 85 m Gothic spire, a seamark for the Seudre, stands in the town centre. Cité de l'Huître at Marennes-Plage, 2.5 km, explains the oyster-refining claires. Cycle path along the former railway line to Bourcefranc and the Oléron bridge, 6 km.

History

Marennes has refined oysters in shallow clay basins called claires since the 17th century. The Marennes-Oléron basin remains the largest oyster-producing area in Europe and the Fine de Claire and Spéciale de Claire carry a Label Rouge since 2009.