The Étang de Thau Museum A journey into the heart of shellfish farming traditions

On the quays of Bouzigues fishing port, overlooking the oyster beds that characterise the lagoon’s landscape, the Étang de Thau Museum tells a centuries-old story. The story of the “farmers of the sea”, those shellfish farmers and fishermen who have shaped the identity of the Thau basin. Opened in 1991, this ethnographic museum is much more than just an exhibition: it is a vivid immersion in a unique heritage, where ancestral traditions, technical innovations and respect for a fragile ecosystem come together.

A venture driven by local passion

It all began in 1981. Louis Higounet, the future mayor of Bouzigues, came up with a simple yet vital idea: to preserve and showcase the tools of the shellfish farming and fishing traditions before they disappeared. In the Foyer Rural, a first temporary exhibition brought together nets, baskets, fishermen’s tools and shellfish farming equipment. Its success exceeded all expectations. The people of Bouzigues flocked to the exhibition, bringing new items and sharing their memories. The exhibition became permanent.

Ten years later, the project took on a new dimension. With the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs and the Directorate of Museums of France, the town of Bouzigues built a building specially designed to house these collections. The Sète-based architect Christian Salvador designed a modern building on the edge of the pond, opening out onto the lagoon. The exhibition design was entrusted to Beb Phalip, Bérénice and François Goni, who devised an original presentation in which the objects are not simply displayed but placed back in the context in which they were used.

On 21 October 1991, the Musée de l’Étang de Thau opened its doors with the ‘musée contrôlé’ label, the predecessor of the current ‘Musée de France’ label. Bouzigues, a village of fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, now has a major cultural asset to pass on its history and traditional skills.

Louis Tudesq’s pyramid The invention that changed everything

The museum’s iconic exhibit stands right at the entrance to the first room: an openwork concrete pyramid. This massive, unassuming structure has, however, revolutionised oyster farming on the Thau Lagoon. In 1925, Louis Tudesq, a bricklayer by trade, and a few other locals from Bouzigues developed this innovative farming technique. The principle is ingenious: oyster larvae naturally attach themselves to the concrete of the pyramid submerged in the lagoon. Once the spat had attached, all that was needed was to detach them and transplant them to continue the farming process.

This invention made Bouzigues the birthplace of shellfish farming on the Thau lagoon. The pyramid technique was soon adopted throughout the lagoon before being replaced by other, more efficient methods. Today, almost no examples of these pyramids remain. The one preserved in the museum bears witness to a bygone but formative era.

Before this technical revolution, the Languedoc coast had already been renowned since Roman times for the harvesting of clams, mussels and oysters from natural beds. By 1900, over-exploitation of the environment had led to a depletion of these resources.

For a long time, fishermen opposed the establishment of aquaculture farms, fearing for their traditional livelihood. But after several trials in Sète, Balaruc and then Bouzigues, mussel and oyster farming became firmly established. Techniques evolved: concrete pyramids, mangrove stakes, and then suspended farming tables, which now characterise the landscape of the lagoon.

Aquariums and lagoon biodiversity

The aquarium hall, which was completely renovated in 2016, immerses visitors in the lagoon’s ecosystem. Here swim species typical of the Thau Lagoon: gobies, sea bass, sea bream and pipefish. These fish live in recreated tanks that mimic their natural habitat, amidst seagrass and sand. It becomes clear why the lagoon is home to 88 species of fish and is one of the most biodiverse areas in the Mediterranean.

The aquariums allow visitors to observe these often elusive animals up close. The pipefish, a cousin of the seahorse, hides amongst the seagrass beds. Young sea bass and sea bream take advantage of the lagoon’s calm waters to grow before heading out to sea. This living display perfectly complements the museum’s message: to show that shellfish farming, fishing and environmental conservation are inextricably linked.

The environment and traditional boats

The “Environment” gallery showcases the lagoon’s flora and fauna through a new series of display panels dedicated to birds. Little egrets, pied avocets, flamingos and herons: all these wading birds frequent the shores of the lagoon and bear witness to the site’s ecological richness. An orientation map of the Étang de Thau helps visitors find their way around this complex landscape, where shellfish farming areas, nature reserves and waterways intermingle.

The centrepiece of this room is a sailing gondola resting on its stand. This boat, typical of the Étang de Thau with its characteristic lateen sail, was once used for the daily journeys of fishermen and shellfish farmers. The museum has three such boats in its collections, including this one, which bears witness to local shipbuilding ingenuity. The templates from the Aversa collection, displayed alongside, illustrate the various hull shapes adapted to the specific conditions of lagoon navigation.

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The Thau Lagoon Museum, located in Bouzigues, showcases fishing and oyster and mussel farming, as well as all the activities associated with the management of the Thau Lagoon.
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Temporary exhibitions and events

A gallery dedicated to temporary exhibitions allows the museum to regularly refresh its focus. Each year, a new ethnological or technical theme is highlighted. In 2012, “Women of the Lagoon – Voices and Portraits of Women from the Bassin de Thau” gave a voice to these women who worked behind the scenes, long overlooked in the history of shellfish farming. In 1999–2001, “La Saint-Pierre – Festivals and Traditions of Mediterranean Fishermen” explored maritime celebrations. More recently, in 2025, “Red, Green or Brown: Secrets of Seaweed” revealed another little-known aspect of the lagoon ecosystem.

The museum also takes part in major national events. During European Museum Night in May, it opens its doors free of charge in the evening with activities and concerts. Heritage Days in September provide an opportunity for themed guided tours and meetings with shellfish farmers and fishermen. The Spring of Museums, in which the museum has participated since 1999, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the institution.

A vibrant museum with strong local roots

Recognised as a Musée de France, the Étang de Thau Museum is not merely a repository of the past. It is a vibrant place that celebrates local heritage and traditional skills whilst looking to the future. How can shellfish farming, fishing, tourism and economic development be reconciled on a daily basis whilst preserving the lagoon’s fragile ecosystem? This question runs through the entire museum experience.

Owned by the town of Bouzigues, the museum has been managed since 2017 by Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée, alongside the Gallo-Roman Museum Villa-Loupian and the Ancient Mediterranean Garden in Balaruc-les-Bains. These three facilities form a coherent network of museum sites centred on a common theme: the interaction between humans and nature, throughout history and into the future, within the cultural landscape of the Thau Archipelago.
An association of Friends of the Museum supports the institution’s work and contributes to the cultural life of the region.

The Voile latine de l’étang de Thau association, based on the quay next to the fishing port, preserves and maintains the traditional boats moored a few metres from the museum. The visit can naturally be extended outdoors, along the quays where shellfish farmers carry on the traditions passed down from generation to generation.

An enriching visit for everyone

The museum offers self-guided tours and guided tours. Guided tours, which are available by booking from Monday to Friday for groups and on Wednesdays at 3 pm for individuals, allow visitors to explore the museum in greater depth with a cultural guide who shares anecdotes and technical knowledge. An audiovisual room screens a film on oyster and mussel farming and fishing techniques in the Étang de Thau, complementing the visit with first-hand accounts from professionals.
The museum is accessible to people with reduced mobility and offers facilities for visitors with hearing or intellectual disabilities: accompanying texts and images, a guided route featuring characters, sketches, photos and drawings. This focus on accessibility ensures that everyone can discover this exceptional heritage.
The museum shop sells books on the history of shellfish farming, local produce and souvenirs. Right next door, the harbour restaurants invite you to extend the experience with a tasting of oysters and mussels fresh from the pond, with a view of the very same oyster beds you discovered in the museum.

Sources

Wikipedia (Étang de Thau Museum), Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée, Town of Bouzigues, Thau Archipelago Tourist Office, Hérault Tourisme, INA Fresques (Rivages Héraultais), France Voyage, Occitanie Tourism