Lobster | Brittany tourism

Delicate yet firm flesh, a fine black shell with bluish highlights: so many characteristics that make the Breton lobster unique. Nicknamed “petit bleu” (little blue), it’s reputed for its extremely delicate flavour. And Brittany’s chefs will all agree with that!

In the blink of an eye

Where are Breton lobsters fished?

Lobsters live on rocky seabeds, sometimes quite near the coast. They are fished from potting vessels, some of which are very modest boats whose “captains” immerse one or two pots alongside the coast; others are rather more imposing craft carrying hundreds of lobster pots on their decks… Such is the case in Roscoff, in northern Finistère, for example. Occasionally, a miraculous bout of shore fishing at high tide will bring you face-to-face with the creature, but it’s an extremely rare encounter!

What times of year can you enjoy lobsters?

You can eat Breton lobsters all year round but be careful not to break the bank, especially when Christmas is drawing near! In markets, direct from fishermen and at fishmongers, prices stay more “reasonable” during the high season, which runs from April to September.

Le saviez-vous ?

Don’t confuse homarus gammarus, commonly known as the blue lobster or Breton lobster, and homarus americanus, commonly known as the Canadian lobster and recognisable by its orangey-red shell. The first is more expensive but its flesh is much more delicate and subtle than that of its cousin on the other side of the Pond. And it’s got nothing to do with chauvinism here – it’s simply a gustatory no-brainer!

Click. Inspire. Go…
Receive the Brittany newsletter!

To receive 4 times a year a summary of the best things to do in Brittany by e-mail head this way.

Where can I buy Breton lobsters?

At the Viviers d’Audierne in southern Finistère. The lobster is the undisputed star at this seafood wholesaler, which also sells other crustaceans, langoustes, brown crabs and spider crabs.
The high-end artisanal fish cannery Groix & Nature organises guided tours and tasting sessions all year round on its premises on Groix Island. An opportunity to acquaint yourself with bisque, blue lobster rillettes with Kari Gosse and lobster oil with Sichuan pepper, which you can also get to know at Comptoir Groix & Nature in Lorient.
Caught by the seafood divers at Pêcheries Le Levier in Perros-Guirec a sustainable, eco-friendly form of fishing. The finest lobsters, abalones and scallops!

How do you prepare lobsters?

The hardest part is the cooking phase. Ask the fishmonger to band its claws and “send it to sleep” for half an hour in the freezer compartment. Then you’ll have no problem immersing it in boiling water and cutting it in half lengthwise. Take care: cooking over too high a heat or for too long can dry out its flesh and make it rubbery. Low in calories and an excellent source of proteins, lobsters can be prepared in a whole range of ways, including grilled, in sauce, flambéed in cognac, as a risotto, soufflé, salad or carpaccio and in surf-and-turf combinations.

Where can I eat lobsters in Brittany?

At the Auberge des Glazicks in Plomodiern, the two Michelin-starred chef Olivier Belin’s dishes include a slice of pearly-cooked blue lobster, pig’s head aspic, farmhouse black pudding and lobster tofu tartlet.
On his menu, Maxime Nouail, chef at the Domaine de Rochevilaine near La Roche-Bernard, includes “Le homard bleu dans tous ses états” (Blue lobster in all its glory), where the crustacean is served in accordance with four recipes: salad, carpaccio, Thermidor, and with churned butter and coral sauce.
Due to his liking for simplicity and fresh produce, Julien Corderoch serves lobsters straight from the sea off Groix at his restaurant, Louise, in Lorient.
Lobster with cocoa was one of Olivier Roellinger’s great signature dishes. At Le Coquillage, facing Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, his son Hugo continues to tell delicious “Lobster Stories”.