In the lagoons of the Mediterranean sea where there is no tide, oysters and mussels are cultivated in suspension on “tables” built up from the sea bed. The photo shows one of this table in a small lagoon near Montpellier. 
The river Seudre in the village of La Tremblade near the bay of Marennes Oleron. Oyster boats are returning from the sea carrying oyster bags to the processing units all along the river. 
On bottom culture of Crassostrea gigas in the Marennes Oleron Bay. Oysters are reared directly on the intertidal bottom on leasing grounds called “parcs”. The level of these parcs is situated so that the oysters stay usually out of water during 1 to 3 hours at each tide. During this time it is possible to inspect the oysters on foot and make the maintenance work. 
Off-bottom culture of Crassostrea gigas in plastic mesh bags in the intertidal sandy zone in the Normandie region in the north west of France. Maintenance is achieved at low tide. Here people are turning the bags in order get rid of fouling algae. At the same time the bags are beaten with a wooden rod to eliminate barnacles. The bags are also shaken for breaking the oyster shell ridges in order to reduce the length growth with the consequence of hardening the shells and increasing their thickness. Finally the oysters are spread equally in the bags to favour filtration. 
Suspended culture of the cupped oysters Crassostrea gigas in the Mediterranean lagoons. Standardised rearing “tables” in Thau lagoon in the south of France. Tables are composed of a frame supported on rails dug in the ground. 50 poles 12 m long support ropes whose length varies from 2.5 to 10 m according to depth. Oysters are stuck on rope by cement. 
Refining (“Affinage”) of the cupped oyster Crassostrea gigas in Claires in the region of Marennes Oleron. Claires are ancient salt marshes communicating with the sea. Oysters stay in the claires to improve their quality and their commercial value. According to the duration of immersion, density and index of fattening, oysters are classified in “Fines de claires”, “Speciales de claires” and the top level quality of the “Pousse en claire”. 
The large sandy beaches of the bay of Marennes Oleron are very favourable for rearing cupped oysters Crassotrea gigas. Here we can see at low tide ” parcs ” for on bottom culture (to the bottom left) and off bottom culture in plastic mesh bags (to the bottom right).
Photos:IFREMER