'Real' South of France

'Real' South of France Tours EXPERIENCE THE AMAZING CULTURE, HISTORY, FOOD AND WINE IN THE REAL SOUTH OF FRANCE realsouthoffrancetours.fr Marseillan Étang de Thau with its delicious Tarboureich oysters © Cheryl Avery Marseillan’s market takes place on Tuesday morning and its arrival turns the village from a quiet, sleepy town into a vibrant place. In a row of shacks where the boats come to off-load their catch from the Etang, you’ll find La Cabane Brasucade, a tiny family run eaterie facing onto the lagoon. Here, they marinate the oysters and mussels which are grown just offshore - you can’t miss the sight of row upon row of what look like huts on stilts in the lagoon. The freshly harvested, marinated molluscs are cooked over an open fire. Served with the local wine, such as Picpoul de Pinet, this is one of life’s finest pleasures! There are numerous water sports including kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, sailing and kitesurfing. Bicycle paths are everywhere, including the 18 miles of Marseillan Plage. Beaches offer somewhere to relax, play and eat with numerous restaurants and bars. There are also many walking paths in the area, some circumnavigating vineyards where you can enjoy tastings. This is an area of small, independent wine growers and often, it’s a matter of ringing a bell at the front door to access the tasting room. This little part of paradise is authentic and irresistibly pretty, a well-kept secret to fall in love with. archipel-thau.com 84 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 85