Phare des Baleines, Maritime museum and lighthouse complex in Saint-Clément-des-Baleines, France.
Phare des Baleines is a lighthouse complex with two stone towers on a French Atlantic island. The newer tower was built in the mid-19th century, while the older one from the late 17th century now functions as a museum.
The older tower was built in the 17th century as part of a royal coastal defense system. A second tower was added in 1854 to provide better guidance for ships using newer navigation methods.
The place reflects how lighthouses shaped French maritime safety for centuries. Walking around the two towers, you can sense the importance these structures had in guiding ships through dangerous waters.
Visitors can climb both towers to see the surroundings and learn how a lighthouse works from the inside. There are also paths around the buildings that are easy to walk.
The name comes from whales that once stranded regularly on this beach. Today the name reminds visitors of a time when large sea animals shaped the coastal life.
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