Les oursinades

the friendliest of festivals

Head for the Côte Bleue where the new year is always filled with joy. January announces sunny French Bank Holidays in Sausset-les-Pins and Carry le Rouet. Keen foodies and tourists whose curiosity has been piqued arrive in droves to enjoy a lunch on the harbour. Ready to sample fresh sea-urchins fished the same morning?

Sea-urchins, the darlings of Carry-le-Rouet

If there is one event you really mustn’t miss, it’s the Oursinades in Carry-le-Rouet. Throughout February, those who are keen on dishes with a strong iodine fragrance descend on the harbour to make the most of these long-awaited weekends. Because, more than just a tasting, it’s a real institution. A true banquet where sharing and friendliness reign supreme, the Oursinades are perfect for getting together. But why Carry-le-Rouet? Let’s go back 70 years, to the Cap Rousset calanque when a group of fishermen presented the mayor of the time, Baptiste Grimaldi, with his weight in sea-urchins. This was followed by a day of festivities which was to mark the beginning of the great story of Carry-le-Rouet and the sea-urchin. A few years later, the municipality launched “ La Journée de l’Oursin” (sea-urchin day) but love knows no limits, and the Oursinades became the perfect opportunity to create a new tradition. Every year, the curious, regulars and newcomers mingle and clink glasses together in an atmosphere filled with fun and good humour. And to make the festival even better, dancing and music are programmed, not forgetting the unmistakable market where regional products, artisan jewellery and souvenirs will find their way into your baskets.

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Direct from the sea to your plate!

At last, the weekend is here and fishermen, tradesmen and restaurateurs hurry to greet the famished who have come to eat their “sea chestnuts”. On the quays, booths are set up, sea-urchins and shellfish are prepared and white wine is chilled. The town is ready to greet the epicureans from near and far who have come for a feast. A victim of its own success, the Oursinade is often rhythmed by patience but no worry, you’ll always find something as you stroll among the stalls: sea-urchins, crates of seafood and cooked dishes. Opinions differ among the regulars: “And how do you like your sea-urchins?”. There’s no right answer! Some will say: “In the shell with a squeeze of lemon juice and good bread” while others will whisper “in pasta, there’s nothing better!” Whether you’re sitting down at a table, on a rock or in a bar, everywhere is perfect to eat the orange urchin flesh. There’s something to suit all tastes and this contagious simplicity makes these moments so unforgettable. With the family, friends or as a couple, the Oursinades are a great popular festival to savour copiously.

In addition to all this, our wine/sea urchin pairing for the best possible Oursinade!

Choose a wine from Provence, a nicely chilled Cassis white. The fruit of a coastal vineyard, it will go subtly with your shellfish with its iodized but well-balanced character.

The little favourites of the Mediterranean

Patience is a virtue and here, the proverb takes on its full meaning! The sea-urchin’s success is so huge because the sea-urchin is rare and protected. Careful fishing which takes into account the reproduction of this shellfish has helped to protect it. Sea-urchin fishing is regulated in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and is based on different criteria: size, quantity and period. Along the Mediterranean coast, professional and amateur fishermen can pull on their fishing gear and bring the famous sea hedgehog to the surface from November 1st to April 15th. The rest of the year, it has time to reproduce in preparation for the beginning-of-the-year Oursinades.

And because we’re very nice, here’s a little vocabulary to help you mingle with the natives who are pretty proud of where they come from. Once the sea-urchin has been opened, you can see what look like orange tongues: varying in size, these orange fleshy parts are known as gonads and they are the sea-urchin’s reproductive glands. If you’re buying them closed, make sure their spines are firm and straight. And now that you know it all, you can show off on Carry-le-Rouet’s harbour.

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Carry-le-Rouet

A fishing village turned family resort

One of the pearls of the Côte Bleue, Carry-le-Rouet can be enjoyed at any time of year. During the famous Oursinades in February, of course, but also in spring and autumn. Over the years, the village has built up a solid reputation as a family resort. And with good reason: young and old alike, whether you’re a fan of farniente or sporting challenges, there’s something for everyone. Relax in the turquoise waters of a cove, read a book in the shade of a pine tree, hike through rocky landscapes… It’s all possible here. Yet Carry-le-Rouet has managed to preserve its fishing village character. At the beginning of the 20th century, it had just 300 inhabitants! The construction of the Marseille-Miramas railway between 1911 and 1915, followed by the inauguration of the line in 1945, made a major contribution to its development. A trip on the Côte Bleue train is a must for anyone who wants to capture the spirit of Carry-le-Rouet.

When?

The first 3 Sundays in February in Carry-le-Rouet

The last 3 Sundays in Junuary in Sausset-les-Pins

Where?

On the harbour of Carry-le-Rouet

On the harbour of Sausset-les-Pins

How?

By sea, leaving from the Vieux Port in Marseille

By road with your car or a tourist bus

By le train de la Côte Bleue, from the Gare Saint Charles railway station. This is our favourite means of transport, the most ecological and there’s no need to worry about traffic jams!