Mussel culture has been praticed in france since the 13th century but mussel beds date back to roman times. The story goes that an Irish traveller, Patrick Walton, was shipwrecked in the region of La Rochelle in 1290 and the settled in the district. One day he noticed that the posts hung with nets which he set up in the sea to catch birds were covered with mussels. this gave him the idea of increasing the number of posts, placing them closer together and joining them with bundles of branches (bousches). This is the origin of bouchot, the modern French word for the wooden hurdles on which mussels are bred. Today the hurdles are stocked with young mussels taken from lines for catching seed oysters. Mussel culture in France is practiced mainly on the west coast, from Cotentin to the mouth of the Charente and produces mussels which are small but full of flavour and very fleshy.

Two other methods of rearing mussels are used: rearing à plat, which is similar to oyster farming and originated in Croisic, where the hurdles were nor successful; and rearing sur cordes, which is a method peculiar to the Mediterranean. As French mussel bredding is not sufficient to meet the demand, mussels are also imported, mostly from the Netherlands and Portugal.

Mussels are sold by the litre (pint or quart) or by weight (1 letre = 700 to 800 g; 1 pint = 14 oz. to 1 Lbs.) Mussels are also sold preserved in oil or sauce, used for garnishing rice timbales or mixed salads. Mussels bought live must be firmly closed and cooked within three days of being caught (mussels with half opened shells which do not close when they are tapped must be thrown away). The mussels must be completely cleaned of any filaments and parasites which may be attached to them before they are used. This is done by brushing and scraping under running water. If the mussels are consumed raw, they must be eaten the same day that they are bought. Cooked mussels may be kept for 48 hours in the refrigerator.