Eerie Travel Secrets

Lighthouses in France stand as wonderful testaments to the nation’s nautical heritage. Although many are now sadly abandoned, their design and historical importance make them a must-see for anyone visiting France. French lighthouses are hidden historical treasures that hark back to a largely forgotten era of French adventure . Guarding the French shoreline, the lighthouses – or phare as they are called in France – have endured the worst that the Channel and the Atlantic Ocean hurl at them for hundreds of years. These awe-inspiring buildings punctuate the skyline around the shore, forming a majestic network of beacons originally designed to secure the lives of French seamen and ensure the integrity of French shipping lanes. Some of the most spectacular lighthouses can be found in Brittany, and on the tiny Île D’Ouessant just off the mainland. A rocky, weather-beaten area of land is only 5km by 8km long, the island is home to a number of truly spectacular historical lighthouses, both onshore and off. Fenced in by intense currents and treacherous outcrops of hidden rocks, the island has claimed many lives over the decades, making its lighthouses of essential practical importance for shipping navigation through this dangerous area. The lighthouses on the island are some of the most spectacular to be found anywhere in France. From the short, square Phare de Kermorvan with its rugged stone balustrades to the simple yet robust elegance of the Phare du Petit Minou, the Île D’Ouessant showcases some truly remarkable feats of engineering and practical architecture. The lighthouses are even more magnificant when one considers that most were built in the early years of the nineteenth century, when building techniques were nowhere near as advanced as they are today. The fact that these structures are still standing in the face of such severe weather conditions is a credit to the skill and tenacity of the men who built them. Reaching the Île D’Ouessant is quick and easy – just catch a Caen channel ferry to France and make your way to Brest in Brittany, where the twice daily ferry will ship you over to the island for a very modest fee. Once there, you can explore the island on foot or by bike, taking in the unique sights of these commanding silent sentinels.

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