Mussels, shrimp, small crabs and more…
The pride of eating what you catch
Come out to the shoals off the Norman coast on spring tide days. Between the hanging valleys of Varengeville-sur-Mer or by the rocks in Pourville-sur-Mer, coastal foraging has become a real tradition. People meet up with family (and kids) or friends for a foraging session in the salty sea air.
As the tide goes out, a vast expanse of sand is uncovered, dotted with rocks on or under which you just might find what you’re looking for. Foraging requires no permit, although there are some rules and regulations you’ll have to follow, mainly to preserve the natural environment and make sure these pleasures remain available to everyone, in the long term.
But don’t worry. You’ll still have enough to get your fill, because the maximum quantity per person and per tide is set at 5 litres, all types of shellfish combined. The best way to make sure you adhere to the allowed sizes is to bring a small ruler with you. Your velvet crabs must not be smaller than 6.5 centimetres, and your mussels cannot be bigger than 4 centimetres. As for shrimp, they must be at least 5 centimetres long, but take note that shrimp fishing season is only from the last Saturday in June to 31 January the following year. So, are you ready to get out your push nets and go down to the shoreline?
