Sémaphore de la Pointe du Raz, Semaphore tower in Plogoff, Brittany, France

The Sémaphore de la Pointe du Raz is a signal station built on a granite promontory on the Breton coast with views across the Atlantic Ocean and the Raz de Sein strait. It serves to monitor maritime traffic and assist in rescue operations in the Atlantic approaches.

The tower was built in 1838 as the Bec du Raz lighthouse, and its first-order white light was lit on 15 May 1839. When the Phare de la Vieille entered service on 15 September 1887, the lighthouse was shut down. The tower was then converted into a semaphore, which began operating in October 1892.

The tower's original name, Bec du Raz, survives in the semaphore's identity as a landmark of the Raz de Sein. The French Navy still mans the station around the clock with a crew of nine, and guided tours are occasionally offered by prior arrangement. The observation room sits 80 metres above the sea, reached by 84 steps.

The tower stands about 700 metres inland from the tip of the Pointe du Raz, in the commune of Plogoff. The observation room lies 80 metres above sea level and is reached by 84 steps. Tours are only sometimes offered, and only with advance booking.

During Storm Ciarán in November 2023, the station recorded wind speeds around 207 kilometers per hour while maintaining its watch over the sea. This event shows how robust this infrastructure must be to function under extreme conditions.