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Cancale,
a small fishing port in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, is known for
its oysters, flat or hollow. In fact La Houle - Cancale's port -
is not built on earth but on the limestone brought by the sea; in
a way, the oysters carry La Houle!
In his anthology of poems "Le parti pris des choses",
the French poet Francis Ponge wrote texts about objects, animals
and plants so as to find their depth, colour and essence. Here is
the translation of his poem about oysters:
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"Although
the size of an average pebble, the oyster looks rougher, its
colour is plainer and sparklingly whitish. It is an obstinately
closed world. Still you can open it: hold it in the hollow
of a cloth, use a nicked and unsharpened knife, and try again
and again. The curious fingers cut themselves and break their
nails; it is harsh work. The strikes you give it make white
circles, like halos, on its shell.
Inside it is a world of food and drink; under the pearly firmament
(strictly speaking), the skies from above sink into the skies
from below and form a pool, a thick and greenish bag, fringed
with black lace that flows back and forth to the nose and
to the eyes.
Sometimes, rarely, a pearl comes out on its side and gives
one the chance to embellish oneself."
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Cancale on the web :
 An
inviting bilingual
website about the town with 360° views of the port and the
town, and information about its local history, tourism and events.
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