A Unique Land When ceramics capture the spirit of Sète

Push open the workshop door. On the workbench lie slabs of fresh clay, tools and moulds. Cyrielle works with red earthenware which, once fired, reveals tiny black grains reminiscent of beach sand.

Her technique? A subtle blend of engraving, printing and inlay. “Actually, I don’t really think I’m much of a draughtswoman. So by using this stamping method, I just need to know how to press the object firmly into the clay while it’s still fresh. That’s how the symbol emerges.”

Watch her at work. She passes the clay through a rolling pin, “it reminds me of my mother rolling out her pastry,” then comes the magical moment: the imprint. A real oyster shell, a mussel, a rosemary leaf. “With a real plant, you get a level of detail I could never achieve with a drawing.”

The engravings are done by hand. An octopus with eight tentacles, a sardine, a sea bream. Then comes the pigment, blue as the sea, black as ink, which slips into the inlays. “I really like that texture, that relief; it really adds an extra touch.”

The process takes time. At least a month between shaping the piece and the final enamelled result. “ We work with the elements, the weather. Time is of the essence.”

In the window of La Boussole à Facettes, the creations tell the story of Sète. There is the famous tielle dish, its signature piece, featuring the imprint of a pufferfish. The oyster plates come in the colours of the bay: sea blue, sunset red, yellow, black and purple. Some feature imprints of real shells. Others feature pasta shaped like letters spelling out the word ‘Macaronade’. There are also magnets bearing the image of Sète, ‘pavois’péro’ plates, pizza dishes adorned with rosemary, and those little plant sticks inscribed with quotes from Paul Valéry or Brassens.

Each symbol tells a story. Sardines, sea bream, seahorses, anchors, boats… “I was born in Brittany, so I have quite a strong connection to the sea. I feel very attached to Sète because of its link to the harbour and the water. ” Her collection has grown over the past eight years, and every piece remains unique. “The way I position the shell ensures that each piece is unique.”