Phare de l'île de Batz, Lighthouse on Île-de-Batz, France.
The Phare de l'île de Batz is a granite lighthouse on the western high point of Île de Batz, its round tower rising from a square base that once housed the keepers. The tower has a hollow core with a spiral staircase and a lantern reached by a cast-iron stair. The light stands 68 metres above high tide.
A lighthouse was planned here from the early 18th century, and in 1825 the lighthouse commission specified a first-order light for the island. Designed by engineer Jean-Sébastien Goury on the model of Penmarc'h, it was built from 1834 by the Brest firm Martin and lit on 10 October 1836. It was electrified in 1937 and automated in July 1995.
The lighthouse's square base once held the keepers' quarters and storage rooms around the central tower. Eight rooms of the base now house a museum exhibition devoted to the wind. The tower is built of granite cut from a quarry opened on the island itself.
Climbing the lighthouse requires steady footing and the internal stairs are narrow and steep as you go up. The best time to visit is during calm weather and daylight so you can see the views from the top over the island and sea.
The main white light shows four grouped flashes every 25 seconds, with a range of 23 nautical miles (about 42.5 km). A fixed red auxiliary light was added below it in 1962. The rotating optic has a focal length of 0.30 m and a 70-watt lamp.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,535 contributors worldwide.
