Not far from the Ville Close, facing the open sea and the Glénan archipelago, the Station Marine de Concarneau is the oldest marine station in the world still in operation. Dedicated to the breeding of marine animals, it quickly became a very active scientific center, fulfilling all the missions of the Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle: research on the marine environment, teaching, expertise, dissemination of knowledge and collections. A place to visit during your weekend or week in Concarneau at our campsite in Concarneau Le Cabellou-Plage!
History of the Concarneau Marine Station
Founded in 1859 by Victor Coste, professor at the Collège de France and physician to Empress Eugénie, the Station Marine de Concarneau is the oldest marine station in the world still in operation. It preceded its counterparts in Naples, Kiel and Plymouth, and originally specialized in the breeding of marine animals such as oysters, lobsters and fish. The station soon became an active scientific and intellectual center. Indeed, flatfish rearing techniques were perfected here at the end of the 19th century, as were the experiments on which experimental embryology was based in 1887 by Chabry. Comparative biochemistry then took off in Concarneau with Forkin and Roche.
Then, under the impetus of Yves Le Gal, director of the station from 1986 to 2005, marine biotechnology research developed at the station, and since then research has diversified. Today, 100% managed by the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, the station became part of the Muséum’s Marine Station Service in 2013.
Renovation of the Concarneau Marine Station
The station was renovated in 2 phases, the first from 1999 to 2002 and the second from 2014 to 2017. This work enabled us to refurbish the fish tanks, create new experimental rooms, animal reserves and a quarantine room. But it also enabled the acquisition of scientific equipment such as a field-effect scanning electron microscope (SEM/FEG) and a high-throughput sequencer.
The initial aim of the work was to restore the fishponds to their original 1859 configuration.
The Marinarium to understand marine life
The Marinarium de Concarneau was created in 1972 and is an area open to the public hosting permanent and temporary exhibitions. It is considered the showcase for the research carried out at the Marine Station. The Marinarium covers all aspects of marine life, with a special focus on local flora and fauna. The Marinarium’s motto is ” Knowing and understanding the sea, to better respect it “. Numerous themes are developed to help visitors discover the importance of the oceans and their extraordinary biodiversity. Animations are also regularly offered in the educational room. You can also discover local fauna and flora such as sea bass, pollack, gilthead bream and various crustaceans and molluscs in the aquariums and the 120,000-liter tank.
Practical information for visiting the Concarneau Marine Station
The Concarneau Marine Station is open to the public every day from February to December, from 2pm to 6pm in February, March, October, November and December, from 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm in April, May, June and September, and from 10am to 7pm in July and August. It’s the ideal visit to make when it’s raining in Concarneau. Admission is 7 euros for adults and 5 euros for children aged 3 to 12. Reduced rates and season tickets are also available. If you’d like to visit the Marinarium as part of a group, there are a number of discovery options available. What’s more, you’ll find plenty of souvenirs in the Station boutique.
