Louët Island
The lighthouse of Île Louët house stands at the entrance to Morlaix Bay, close to the old offshore prison of Château du Taureau and Île Noire lighthouse. Its beams first lit up the skies in 1860, although the lighthouse has not been staffed since 1962. In 2004, Carantec council restored the lighthouse and its outbuildings, carefully respecting the original spirit of the place. Since 2008, the island has been open to the public and this remote former lighthouse keeper’s house is now available to rent for unusual breaks where you really do get away from it all!
Île Noire lighthouse
Standing on a tiny, isolated rocky island, Île Noire lighthouse in Plouezoc’h has reigned for over 180 years. It is inaccessible most of the time, except during high tides, and its only neighbours are the Château du Taureau and Louët Island. Given the growing commercial activity in Morlaix Port at the time, local captains asked for the lighthouse to be built because the seas in this area are so treacherous. It is perched on a tiny rock that is completely submerged at high tide. When the author of the Tintin comics Hergé came to stay in Locquénolé, this lighthouse is said to have inspired his comic strip volume ‘L’Île Noire’.
The lighthouse of Batz Island
Built in 1838 at the request of the merchant navy, the lighthouse on the Île de Batz bears a striking resemblance to the lighthouses at Eckmühl and Sein, which are also made of granite. Reaching 44 metres into the sky, it offers fantastic views of the island and its surroundings, including Île Vierge, Morlaix Bay and the Arrée Mountains. From up there, you can also see the broken coastline, gorse dunes and farmed fields forming a multicoloured pattern of squares. Listed as an Historic Monument, the lighthouse has a museographic area retracing its history and that of the island itself.
Pontusval lighthouse
Perched on Pointe de Beg-Pol at the top of a cliff, Pontusval lighthouse overlooks a small beach and has a wonderful view of the coast. Built in 1869, it served as a relay between the Île Vierge lighthouse and the Île de Batz lighthouse, required because there were so many shipwrecks on this rocky coast. Listed as an Historic Monument, the lighthouse house cannot be visited but it is, however, the ideal starting point for a walk along the GR®34 coastal path.
Île Vierge lighthouse
Standing on the tiny island known as Île Vierg’, this lighthouse stands 82.5 metres tall, making it the highest granite lighthouse in Europe and the highest cut-stone lighthouse in the entire world. Built in 1902 and connected to electricity in 1956, it has not been staffed since 2010. To get there, you can take a shuttle bus or at high tide you can even walk across to it. From the top of its 397 steps, you can admire the islands of the Lilia Archipelago and Aber Wrac’h. You can also book a holiday staying in the lighthouse-keeper’s house, which offers quirky accommodation and an unforgettable experience.
The Pointe de Saint-Mathieu lighthouse
Standing 37 metres tall, this lighthouse watches over the ruins of a former 11th-century Benedictine monastery that was itself built on the ruins of the Abbey of Saint-Mathieu de Fine Terre from the 6th century. In those days, the monks used to light a fire at the top of a tower to show sailors the way into the narrow waters of the Goulet de Brest. Officially inaugurated in 1835, it has been listed as an Historic Monument since 2011. From the top of the tower, you are rewarded with a panoramic view of the Goulet de Brest, Crozon Peninsula, the Pointe du Raz, the islands of Béniguet, Molène and Ouessant, Kermorvan Peninsula and Le Conquet with its fishing port. The site is also home to a National Memorial to Sailors Lost at Sea and a spectacular monumental sculpture by the artist René Quillivic, erected in 1927.
Le Four lighthouse
Off Porspoder, Le Four lighthouse stands on a rocky outcrop in the open sea, in a channel known to be particularly treacherous. Its challenging location meant that it took 11 years to build, and was finally inaugurated in 1869. Legend has it that the locals used to light fires on the coast to mislead ships and deliberately divert them towards the rocks, because in those days, ‘right of breakage’, meant that the ownership of a ship’s cargo went to the lord of the land wherever the ship ran aground. On stormy days, the waves are so strong that they encircle the lighthouse despite it being 31 metres tall.
Trézien lighthouse
Built in 1894, Trézien lighthouse stands 500 metres from the shore in the market town of Plouarzel. Standing 37.2 metres tall, it watches over the entrance of the Chenal du Four, which divides the Atlantic Ocean from the English Channel. It narrowly escaped destruction by the Germans during the war, and a shell is said to have been buried at its base. From the top of its 182 steps, you can enjoy a fabulous view of Saint-Mathieu lighthouse and Le Four lighthouse.
The five lighthouses of Ouessant
The island of Ouessant (also known as Ushant) is known as the guardian island, and is surrounded by five lighthouses: Créac’h, Nividic, Jument, Stiff and Kéréon. That’s a high number for an island that’s only 15 km², but if you’ve ever sailed nearby, you’ll know that the surrounding rocky reefs more than justify such precautions! At the foot of Le Créac’h lighthouse, you’ll also find the Musée des Phares et Balises, a museum that traces the history of maritime lighthouses and beacons.
Kermorvan lighthouse
Kermorvan is one of the few lighthouses spared during World War Two, as the occupying German troops destroyed nearly all the lighting systems on the French coast as a precaution against an Allied approach. German engineer Wiedemann decided to pre-empt the Allies by dismantling the lighting systems and in doing so, preventing them from being completely destroyed. Built in 1849 and lining up with the lighthouses at Lochrist, Trézien and Saint-Mathieu, Kermorvan watches over the maritime channels of La Helle and Le Four. When you visit the lighthouse, you can see the caretaker’s bedroom, which has recently been restored, and if you climb the 20 metres to the top, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views over the seemingly endless Iroise Sea.
Petit Minou lighthouse
Built to align with Portzic lighthouse, Petit Minou lighthouse marks the entrance to the waters known as the Rade de Brest. Although you can only visit it in summer and during Heritage Days, its location alone is well worth the photo opportunity! As soon as you arrive, a postcard landscape unfolds before your eyes: the sea spanning out 180°, a rocky point jutting out into the blue, and a bridge winding its way up to this spectacular lighthouse that reaches up into the blue sky.
Toulinguet lighthouse
Standing on a Napoleonic site on Pointe de Toulinguet, this is the most westerly lighthouse on the Crozon Peninsula. Although you can’t go inside, the lighthouse is well worth a visit for its exceptional setting, as it offers a unique view of the immense limestone cliffs battered by the waves, the Pointe de Pen-Hir and the Tas de Pois rocks. On a clear day, you’ll have no trouble making out Cap de la Chèvre and the Pointe du Raz, as well as Pointe de Saint-Mathieu, Ouessant and Molène to the north.
The lighthouse on the Île de Sein
This island lighthouse was built on the north-western tip of the Île de Sein in 1951, replacing a lighthouse that had been destroyed during the war. Also known as Goulénez lighthouse, it has been listed as an Historic Monument since 2015, when the last lighthouse keepers stopped working there. Considered one of the most modern lighthouses on the French coast, it houses a power station that supplies electricity to the whole island, as well as a seawater desalination plant. You can visit the lighthouse on weekends in May and every day in the summer season.
Tévennec lighthouse keeper’s cottage
The turbulent waters of the Raz de Sein are known for their reefs and violent tidal currents. Within these waters, on a tiny, inhospitable island off the coast of the Pointe du Raz, you’ll see Tévennec lighthouse and its cottage. Now a listed building, Tévennec dates back to 1878, and sitting as it does at the mercy of the elements, it is said to have witnessed many unexplained phenomena, fuelling the legends that surround this mysterious place. One of the lighthouse keepers was driven almost mad by the voices of shipwrecked sailors echoing through the house, although it is now believed that these ghostly voices were created by the water and wind rushing through an underwater cave below. Over the past 35 years, no fewer than 23 guardians have worked there, which is a record! All agreed that the solitude of Tévennec was unbearable.
La Vieille lighthouse
Built in 1887, La Vieille lighthouse stands in the open sea on Gorlebella rock, off the coast of Plogoff and the Pointe du Raz. These extremely dangerous waters and their powerful currents are still feared by sailors today, so the lighthouse beams are vital for safe passage. The recognisable silhouette of this particular lighthouse is reminiscent of a medieval building, with a square tower that widens towards the base. It was one of the very last lighthouses to be automated and connected to electricity, in 1995.
Ar-Men lighthouse
Ar-Men lighthouse is located in the open seas on the rock of the same name, off the Île de Sein. Commissioned in 1881, it took an incredible 34 years to build due to its distance from the coast and the particularly difficult sailing conditions here. Known to be an extremely difficult place to work for any lighthouse keeper, it was nicknamed the ‘Inferno of the Infernos’ and it wasn’t unusual for crews to be relieved every fortnight in heavy weather as the pounding of the great swell during storms could shake the whole building.
Eckmühl lighthouse
A listed historic monument, this 60-metre guardian reigns over the Pointe de Saint-Pierre in Penmarc’h. Inside, it has elegant walls lined with pearlescent opaline stone, and 307 steps leading to a breathtaking view of Audierne Bay, the Île de Sein and the Glénan islands. Every year, this impressive stone guardian hosts the ‘Montée du phare d’Eckmühl’, a race where runners try to beat the clock and get to the top in the shortest possible time.
Île Tristan lighthouse
Strangely close yet inaccessible, the tiny island of Île Tristan can only be accessed during very low tides when a submerged pathway is magically revealed. On the island itself, a small grey-and-white lighthouse is hidden in a lush wooded setting, rising 12 metres into the sky. Even from the foot of the lighthouse, the view over Douarnenez Bay is fabulous. The island itself is protected by the French Coastal Conservation Society and can only be explored on foot, offering a walk unlike any other!
For details on how and when to visit Île Tristan, check the Douarnenez Tourist Office website.
The Glénan lighthouses
In 1879, sailors asked for the Île aux Moutons lighthouse house to be built because of the many dangerous reefs in the surrounding waters.
Built in 1938, Penfret lighthouse is located at the north-east end of the Glénan Archipelago and has been unoccupied since 1993. Since 2012, the Plein Phare sur Penfret association has been in charge of its upkeep and is helping to restore the building as well as organising occasional tours of the lighthouse and the surrounding fort.
La Tourelle des Perdrix
Located at the entrance to the ports of Loctudy and Île-Tudy, this is a truly unique lighthouse that’s instantly recognisable thanks to its black-and-white chequered pattern. Its role as a guardian has been replaced by green and red beacons, so in 2000 there were discussions about dismantling the tower, but the local people objected fiercely as they are still very attached to their iconic guardian, which is why it remains standing to this day.
Langoz lighthouse
Erected in 1863 following a number of shipwrecks, Langoz lighthouse had a vital role signalling to sailors the entrance to the river at Pont-l’Abbé and the large rocky mass there. Occupied and destroyed by the Germans in 1944, it was rebuilt after the war. At the foot of the lighthouse is the small caretaker’s cottage, which has been uninhabited since 2004.
Bénodet’s two lighthouses
Bénodet has two lighthouses, both signalling sailors about the mouth of the River Odet. The Pyramid lighthouse owes its name to a stone pyramid that guides sailors and can be seen from the Glénan Archipelago, more than 20 km away. Aligned with this is Le Coq lighthouse, named after an ancient rock in the shape of a rooster, which has long since disappeared. You can admire it as you walk along the estuary coast, enjoying the view over Bénodet cove and the ballet of various boats coming and going.
The lighthouses of Doëlan
Doëlan also has two lighthouses, and they face each other: the upstream lighthouse is red and the downstream lighthouse is green. Both mark the entrance to this picture-perfect little port nestling at the end of the narrow inlet, and while they were both built in 1861, they were raised higher in 1934 because of the growing number of tiered houses perched on both shores.
