King scallops | Brittany tourism

Very light, full of flavour and a rich source of omega 3 and minerals, king scallops (or ‘Coquilles Saint-Jacques’ – not to be confused with the smaller queen scallops) have a subtle flavour and an incomparable taste.

In the blink of an eye

Where are king scallops caught?

Every year, over 6,500 tonnes are fished from Saint-Brieuc Bay at Erquy, Saint-Quay-Portrieux and Loguivy-de-la-Mer. They are dredged from the sandy seabed, at depths ranging from 5 to 40 metres by special fishing boats known as ‘coquilliers’. In the Côtes d’Armor department, the Brotherhood of the Coquille Saint-Jacques has been promoting scallops since 1988.

What’s the best time to enjoy them?

The scallop season runs from 1 October to 15 May. The season is strictly regulated. Catching scallops smaller than 11 cm is not allowed. It’s no good looking for coral in scallops from Saint-Brieuc bay; there isn’t any!

Every year in April, the towns of Erquy, Paimpol and Saint-Quay-Portrieux take it in turns to celebrate king scallops in a major two-day festival. The programme includes sea trips, street entertainments, processions by the Brotherhood of the Coquille Saint-Jacques and – naturally – tastings.

The Coquille Saint-Jacques Festival

Did you know ?

King scallops became the symbol of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, which in French is ‘Saint Jacques de Compostelle’. Pilgrims collected them on the beaches of Galicia and proudly brought them home as proof of their journey.

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Technique : comment ouvrir une Saint-Jacques ?

How are they prepared?

Before tasting the delightful scallops, discover how to open the shells, scrape them and clean them. Watch the video.

As a carpaccio, baked in an earthenware dish or simply grilled as a snack: king scallops can be eaten raw or cooked. The smokehouse, the Fumoir de Saint-Cast, serves scallops lightly smoked. They’re delicious!

Some top restaurants for scallops

In Saint-Brieuc, the chef Mathieu Aumont at the Aux Pesked restaurant has a wonderful recipe for king scallops served in their shells with salted butter, aromatic organic herbs and French caviar.
At Chez Brume in Rennes, the menu offers seasonal fish and the day’s catch. So scallops are served from October to April.