Feu métallique du môle, Lighthouse at the harbor of Port-Vendres, France
The feu métallique du môle is a metal lighthouse at the tip of the pier in the port of Port-Vendres, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department of southern France. It stands on a hexagonal masonry base into which six cast-iron columns are anchored, supporting an octagonal platform with a wooden watch room and, above it, the lantern. The structure rises 18 metres above the water.
The lighthouse was built in 1885 to guide vessels entering and leaving the port of Port-Vendres. Its original spiral staircase was removed after storm damage, and in 1906 the lighting apparatus was replaced with a more modern system.
The lighthouse takes its name from its position at the end of the môle, the port's jetty. Its lantern, with a range of 8 nautical miles, still serves as a navigation aid for vessels entering Port-Vendres. The structure has been listed as a monument historique since 2011 and is owned by the State.
The lighthouse stands at the far end of the harbor pier and is clearly visible from the quayside walkway. It cannot be entered, but walking along the pier brings you close enough to take in the structure from all sides.
During a winter storm in 1887 to 1888, stone blocks torn from the parapet were thrown all the way up to the lantern gallery, some 18 meters above the water, yet the tower itself held. The structure was listed as a monument historique in 2011.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,473 contributors worldwide.