Visit to the Cité de l'Huître

Museums

Adult €10.00 Child (6 to 11 years old) €6.00 Teenagers (12 to 17 years old) €6.00 Free with the Pass!

Visit the largest oyster maturing marsh in Europe, in an exceptional setting between the oyster beds, the river and the ocean. Walk around the pontoons, from hut to hut, discovering oysters and oyster farming. Admission to the museum is complemented by a programme of activities based around shellfish and their environment (demonstrations, cooking, introductions, etc.).

The Cité de l'huître offers events to raise awareness and deepen discovery; access to the events is included in your admission to the Cité de l'huître.

Additional information

Good to know:

. To take full advantage of the site, come before 3.30pm. 
. The average visit lasts 2? hours.
. All activities take place outdoors. Dress appropriately for the weather.

Services :

. Bicycle hire (not included in your La Rochelle Océan Pass).
. Toilets available on site

4 themed cabins to visit:
La Cabane Bleue: Oyster life
The Green Hut: Stories of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The Red Hut: Life in the marsh
The Golden Hut: The oyster bar

Daily entertainment programme (open to all, duration 30 minutes, included in the admission ticket):
Oyster farming
Discovering the marsh
Introduction to opening an oyster
Hot oysters

Opening hours

Easter and All Saints' Day holidays (all zones): daily from 10.30am to 6pm.
Summer holidays: daily from 10am to 7pm.
Bank holidays and public holidays: 10.30am to 6pm.

Outside school holidays and bank holidays:
June and September: Wednesday to Sunday, 10.30am to 6pm.
In May, October and November: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 12pm to 6pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 10.30am to 6pm.

Last entry to the site 1h15 before closing time.

Closed from mid-November to March.

  • Guide dogs

    Assistance dogs are permitted.

  • Motor disability

    The site is wheelchair accessible. 

    Parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities at the Cité de l'Huître (accessible all year round).

  • Access by bike

    The town of Marennes is on the Vélodyssée cycle route.

    ADVANTAGE INCLUDED in your La Rochelle Océan Pass: get a 30% discount on bike hire.
    Present your pass at our partner Cycling Tour in La Rochelle and benefit from your discount (your pass must be activated and valid).

  • Access by car

    April to June and September to November: take your vehicle directly to the Cité de l'Huître (30-space car park).

    In July and August: go to the summer ticket office at the entrance to the channel to park your car (120-space car park), then take the free summer shuttle bus, which runs approximately every 15 to 30 minutes. The Cité de l'Huître car park (30 spaces) is reserved for people with reduced mobility and families with pushchairs.

    ADVANTAGE INCLUDED in your La Rochelle Océan Pass (adult fare only): receive a €10 discount on the rental of a Yélomobile car.
    Reach the sites included in your pass around La Rochelle with the yellow-topped Yélomobile car-sharing car: book in advance for 1 hour or several days and Yélomobile cars will help you get around near La Rochelle. 

    Details of fares and conditions of access to the Yélomobile service 

Oyster City

Just 1 hour from La Rochelle, in the commune of Marennes, the Cité de l'Huître is designed to introduce visitors to the oyster-farming environment and the Charente-Maritime marsh region, with a range of activities and events on offer: an introduction to opening oysters, oyster farming, creative workshops for children, etc.