Toute la Mer sur un Plateau

Two days to kick off the scallop season

On Saturday, October 3rd and Sunday, October 4th, 2026, the Granville fish auction hall and fishing port will host the 23rd edition of the Toute la Mer sur un Plateau festival, organized by the SPL des Ports de la Manche. Located on the north quay of the fishing port and inside the Halle à Marée, the event celebrates the start of the scallop fishing season. Admission is free, with doors open Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

25 tons of shellfish and crustaceans sold at the auction hall

The heart of the festival remains direct sales: 25 tons of shellfish and crustaceans are available at the auction hall, ready to eat on-site or take home. Straight from the fishermen, the public can enjoy the season's first scallops, accompanied by whelks, dog cockles, lobsters, almond clams, bouchot mussels, oysters, cockles, and clams.

Maritime trades explained by the experts

A large part of the festival is dedicated to discovering maritime professions. The Normandy Regional Committee for Maritime Fisheries and Marine Farming showcases Normandy's fishing trades through an exhibition and "Find Your Flow" activities. Normandie Filière Mer presents species caught along the English Channel coast with its "Smart Fish" tips, offering advice on how to shop wisely and easily cook local fish. Former fisherman Laurent Guyard explains "dredging and baiting" techniques, supported by an exhibition of fishing gear and educational panels. The Normandy - Hauts de France Regional Shellfish Farming Committee offers games and activities centered on shellfish farming, and an exhibition of 36 photographs by Patrick Lefrançois dedicated to Granville fishing boats can be discovered inside the auction hall. The "Ciné Marin" completes the experience with films on Granville fishing methods and portraits of auction hall workers, while Karim, an auction hall agent, shares the real story of what a fish auction hall is all about.

Cooking, drawing, playing: marine activities

New this year, the drawing workshop allows children aged 10 and up to learn step-by-step how to illustrate the shellfish and crustaceans of the Normandy coast with Maître Jacques (registration required with the instructor). La Cité de la Mer hosts workshops all day for all ages — "Create your pocket shark," "Marine species sound bingo," "Marine species Trivial Pursuit," and "Shellfish and crustaceans" — and the "Questions for a Sailor" game rewards the first player to reach ten points on seafood knowledge. In the kitchen, restaurant owners and chefs from the Manche middle schools take turns sharing their secrets for preparing shellfish and crustaceans during "Cook the Sea" sessions, held five times a day. Children aged 6 to 12 have their own dedicated sessions with "Little Chefs Cook Fish," workshops led by Stéphane Launay.

The Shellfish Shucking Championship and the Artisan Lane

On Sunday starting at 10 am, France Écaille and the Normandy - Hauts de France Regional Shellfish Farming Committee will host the regional selection for the 2027 French Shellfish Shucking Championship. Throughout the weekend, the sea and local artisan lane gathers 40 selected exhibitors selling their products: rillettes, smoked fish, fish soups, cider, spices, oils, Andouille de Vire, saffron, beer, wine, knives, binoculars, and clothing.

Dining at the port

Food is available on-site at the "Bistro Marin" — featuring Granville-style plates, shellfish platters with whelks, dog cockles, and oysters, scallop skewers, and fried sand eels. Tickets are sold on-site starting Saturday morning, with no reservations possible. The oyster bar, featuring a terrace overlooking the outer harbor, allows you to enjoy bay oysters while looking out at the boats.