La Ponetere - Charron

To tell the truth we forgot to bring our cool lunch bag out and left it with our food in the kitchen. We had seen this place before when walking the dog but had not tried it until now. Fantastic! Best Moules fruit had all summer including the ones we make. Simply done but beautiful taste we had them with chorizo and peppers) . Didn't,t have a wine we were cycling later and it was very hot I fully recommend this place as staff are very friendly and the location is just where you want it on the side of the estuary. Thanks!

Situated by an eel shed at the edge of the little port with the mussel boats moored nearby it has an informal atmosphere and very good mussels indeed as well as some good local white wine. Relax and enjoy the situation and go for a wander afterwards along the river and canal banks.

The fish at this unpretentious restaurant was fantastic. The wine was excellent. The position is extraordinary. The staff are very friendly and understand very bad French. Anyone in the area who does not eat there is missing a treat.

Just a simple meal.. to celebrate a family meeting; but the famous Charron mussels were not there yet!

I have eaten at this restaurant twice in less than 2 weeks that must say something! Admittedly I was living on board in the boatyard next door, but this convenience factor should really be discounted. This secret restaurant is situated in little more than a hut and a couple of tents on the south bank of the river Sevre Niortaise in the Vendee region of France but this is part of its charm. On a perfect evening, the location is fabulous and the cooking is a reflection of the cook 's knowledge of the local seafood chiefly, but not exclusively, mussels and eels. There is a plate of starter 'tapas ' to die for and the local Charentais white wine is unlabelled and excellent. Everything is freshly cooked, and the proprietors are friendly. Parking aplenty to find this gem, head for the village of Charron and follow the signs to Port Corps de Garde. Well worth a diversion on your way to or from La Rochelle. Opening hours may be erratic so phone first. Spelling of the name may vary also Ponetere. (Means small lunch basket men would take into the fields.