Desert island food

To celebrate the signing of the contract with our builders we picked up my 80 year old mum and headed of southwards to the Etang de Thau.

This is where the oyster growers have a lagoon full of beds stretching for miles. It is the most glorious spot for having a good lunch. The growers not only supply the markets and restaurants of Paris and the rest of France. Many of them also have their own restaurants where you can feast on the freshest of crustaceans.

We tried a different one today - La Ferme Marine just outside Marseillan. Its unique selling point is a huge help-yourself buffet piled high with the freshest of shellfish, both hot and cold. We feasted - and this photo shows our starters.

I'm hoping that we can celebrate every stage of the build of our new house by visiting this wonderful place. Perhaps weekly.