Chausey Lighthouse (Phare des Îles Chausey)
About Chausey Lighthouse (Phare des Îles Chausey)
The Chausey Lighthouse is a 19th-century granite tower located on the southeast point of Grande Île, the main island of the Chausey archipelago. Built between 1846-1847 and first lit on May 27, 1848, the lighthouse was designed by Léonce Reynaud, director of France's lighthouse service. The 41.5-meter square tower was constructed using blue-gray granite quarried locally on Chausey. Its light has a range of 23 nautical miles (42 km) and flashes white every 5 seconds, guiding ships through the treacherous waters where the archipelago's island count changes dramatically between tides - from 365 at low tide to just 52 at high tide. The lighthouse was partially destroyed by German bombardment in March 1945 during WWII and was repaired and relit in 1950. Listed as a French Historical Monument since 2009, the lighthouse became fully automated in 2007 when the last keepers departed. Visitors can only view the lighthouse from the outside as interior visits are not permitted. The lighthouse is part of an 8 km walking trail that circles Grande Île, accessible via a 45-minute ferry from Granville.
Interesting Facts
The lighthouse was built entirely from granite quarried on Chausey itself — the same stone used to construct the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey, the fortifications of Saint-Malo, and paving stones for Parisian streets. The local quarries were so productive that Chausey granite became one of Normandy's most exported building materials in the 19th century.
The original 1847 lighting system used a unique pattern: a white light varied by red flashes every 4 minutes, followed by short eclipses. This distinctive signal helped ships distinguish it from other lighthouses along the Norman coast before the current simpler white flash every 5 seconds was adopted in 1959.
During WWII, the lighthouse keeper and his family continued to live in the tower throughout the German occupation of the Channel Islands. When German forces bombed the lighthouse in March 1945, just weeks before liberation, the keeper's quarters were destroyed but the tower structure survived, allowing restoration and relighting by 1950.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
Grande Île, Archipel des Îles Chausey, 50400 Granville, Manche, Normandy, France
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