La Royale No. 3 from Prat Ar Coum is back!

An old friend returns

Once again we welcome back one of our long-time oyster friends: La Royale No. 3 from Prat Ar Coum in Brittany.

The oyster that spends half its life in freshwater and half in saltwater.

Yvon and Caroline’s oyster farm, Prat Ar Coum, is actually located quite far up the Aber-Benoît river. But the area experiences some of the strongest tides in the world. The water level rises and falls by up to 17 metres every single day, pushing large volumes of seawater far up the river with every tide.

Thanks to this constant exchange of water, the area has become a natural habitat for wild oysters. The Prat Ar Coum oysters are diploid oysters — what we call natural oysters. That means they spawn during parts of the year when their flavour is less than optimal. But it also means that during other times of the year they are absolutely fantastic. Especially right before spawning. And that moment is… right now.

A beautiful place

It’s an incredibly beautiful place, and if you ever find yourself in that part of Brittany you should absolutely visit their shop. Here you’ll meet father and daughter Yvon and Caroline, who happily share the stories and history of this remarkable oyster region.

The oyster itself is a chapter of its own. The freshwater influence gives the oyster a gentle sweetness, followed by a clean cucumber note. The texture is light and delicate — not quite as crunchy as oysters grown directly in the open sea. Give it a try.

It’s a perfect expression of a very special merroir — and exactly the kind of oyster that reminds us why we have… THE OYSTER WHEEL.

La Royale – Prat Ar Coum Spéciales, size No. 3

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