Hourtin lighthouse, Historic lighthouse in Hourtin, France.
The Hourtin lighthouse consists of two square brick towers standing 27 meters high, built on stone foundations and positioned 200 meters apart along a north-south axis in the coastal dunes of Gironde.
Construction of these twin lighthouses was completed between 1860 and 1863 to provide maritime signaling in the previously unlit zone between Pointe de Grave and Cap Ferret along the Atlantic coast.
Designated as a monument historique inscrit in 2009, these brick towers represent important examples of 19th-century French lighthouse architecture and maritime heritage in the Gironde region.
The northern tower remains active with a 650-watt halogen lamp providing a range of 21.5 nautical miles, while access is via a regulated forest road through the 10,000-hectare Hourtin state forest.
The southern tower uniquely houses a DGA telemetry antenna for military communications and missile testing, demonstrating the dual civilian and defense applications of these coastal structures.
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