Les Oursinades in Provence & French Riviera 2025

Back in the 1950s, some fishermen in Carry-le-Rouet made fake scales to treat the mayor to his weight in sea urchins. Later the first Sunday of February was declared the "Sea Urchin Day." Soon a day became a month and a big Sunday feast with seafood became a regular thing in the port of Carry-le-Rouet in February. Today, the number of urchins has severely declined but the "Oursinades" are still going on. It's because the urchins are hand-picked only by professional divers that follow certain rules and, of course, the number of urchins they fish out is regulated. The restrictions and keeping the fishing on a small scale helps to maintain the tradition of the Oursinades. Today both tourists and locals come to the port on the Sundays of February to taste and buy some of these spiny creatures, to listen to some music, as well as buy some crafts and just hav​e fun.