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Caught between October and February, the pink shrimp of Saint-Gilles is the star shellfish of the winter season.
Fishing for pink shrimp in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
As soon as autumn begins, fishermen leave the port at around 5 to 7 o’clock in the morning and come back late morning or early afternoon because the sale at the fish market in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie begins at 2:30pm.
On the port of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, ten to twelve boats leave the port to go and catch this shellfish approximately an hour away.
The topography of the Vendée coast makes it an excellent location for catching shellfish. The shrimp can be found in the silt, near the rocks. The fishermen don’t need to go very far, some stay near the port, other go further south to find bigger shrimp in the small rocks. Some traditional fishing boats known as ‘caseyeurs’ also venture north towards Saint-Jean-de-Monts. The shrimp is smaller there, but they can catch them in big quantities.
The pink shrimp of Saint-Gilles is 100% local and wild, and can be found on the local markets and in all the best restaurants. They are enjoyed in lots of different ways, either plain with bread and salted butter, or cooked by our local chefs.
