Lou Penequet

Had a solid Lloyd Christmas moment here; I’d gotten used to a mussel bisque with a puff pastry tasty thing these past couple weeks, and I asked if they had that here and sadly, they said: «Nuuh. Mussel biiisque en Croute!» Well, that sounded ok to me, too! And amazingly, it was just as grand.

When at 1pm in the afternoon I find a parking place right across from the beach in Stes Maries de la Mer, I know it’s a good day.
Then, as we wander around the city center, we find a menu offering moules frites as their specialty, I know it’s a fabulous day.

Sitting across from the beach at the major city center roundabout of this resort town, it was delightful. Then they brought us each a large pot of mussels, along with a large plate of French fries to share. We’ve died and gone to heaven. I’d skipped mussels in Rome, waiting for mussels somewhere near Marseilles. It was worth the wait. Delicious mussels, dozens of them, in a salty broth, with onions so good I thought they’d smuggled sweet Maui onions into France. Best I’ve had since Café de Bruxelles closed in NY.
A nap on the beach did make this a perfect day. But the mussels alone would rate the five stars.