You could say that La Perle Gruissanaise is a true hidden gem, located at the very end of the Plage des Chalets in Gruissan. Just when you think you are going to drive into the water, there is this hangar standing at the end of the Avenue de l’Aiguille. You will soon find out that it’s not a traditional restaurant where you sit down, look at the menu, and a waiter comes to take your order. Instead, you’ll be doing much of the work yourself (apart from cooking and doing the dishes). In return, you’ll enjoy the freshest seafood while taking in an amazing view of the big blue sea!
Conchyliculteur
The French word for a shellfish farmer is ‘conchyliculteur’. Now try to say that five times fast… La Perle Gruissanaise is one of them and produces, sells and organises tastings. Run by fisherman by trade, Grégory, and his wife Mathilde, they offer a straightforward concept that brings seafood from sea to plate. Upon entering the premises, you will first see the wholesale section, which is open daily from 09h00 to 19h00. Here, you can order a seafood platter for takeaway. There is also a little shop where you can buy canned fish and other seafood-related products. Additionally, you can participate in a tasting, held daily from 10h00 to 16h00. To find out what kind of seafood is available that day based on the catch, simply check the blackboard.
Lunch Restaurant
The other part is the restaurant, open daily, except on Wednesdays, from 12h00 to 14h00. The concept is quite simple, you just have to know about it. The first step is to go to the first ‘stall’ to order (and pay for) shellfish, a seafood platter, mussels with fries, or fish caught that day by Grégory. Every day, you can choose between a selection of five to ten different fish, along with some homemade dishes. The oysters and shellfish can be picked up from the stall opposite, and you will get a beeper for the main course. Chéri and I started our lunch with a dozen oysters, but you can also get shrimp, bulots, and palourdes, to name a few. We also ordered two pans of mussels: one classic ‘marinière’ and the other with a Roquefort sauce. Both came with a generous plate of fries.
Bucket
The next step before finding yourself a place to sit is to collect your plate, glass, cutlery, and, of course, a bucket for empty shells. Since we only had a couple of oysters, we didn’t need one. However, other guests who indulged in a full platter happily tossed their empty shells into the bucket. To enjoy our food to the max, we picked one of the colourful picnic tables outside, overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Of course, we also tested the dessert, which can be ordered at another stall, together with some coffee or tea. There was some choice, mainly crêpes, waffles and ice cream. Although I managed to order a tarte au citron, and Chéri even had a café gourmand with three small cakes. However, the main attraction at La Perle Gruissanaise is undoubtedly the shellfish and seafood. You can’t get it any fresher- straight off the boat and onto your plate.
