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Studying the shells discovered during the archaeological excavations of Versailles have made it possible to identify two forms of these marine molluscs’ arrival during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The first one is the living animal, while the second is the shell devoid of the animal’s flesh. Analysis of the flat oysters of the Gate of Honour testifies to their arriving in Versailles alive, in order to be consumed. Examination of their surfaces show that the shells were most likely cleaned before being transported to Versailles. The encrusted fauna also enables the description of the environmental characteristics of their point of origin. Other shells, for their part, were sought for their aesthetics and not for their nutritional virtues. They were discovered in the current Queen’s Grove and the Green Ring Grove. Analysis of them shows that mother-of-pearl was a material much in demand. Thanks to their appearance and their multiple origins, these shells reflect the prestige of the site. They were integral to the fashion for rockery, an architectural practice mixing natural materials (stone, pebbles, shells...).