Le Chay Lighthouse
Location & Light Range
About Le Chay Lighthouse
Also known as: Le Chay (feu antérieur)
Constructed in 1960, the Le Chay lighthouse is a 15-meter cylindrical tower painted white with a red lantern and gallery. Its focal plane reaches 33 meters, casting a quick-flashing red light with a geographic range of 15.9 nautical miles. The lighthouse is situated in Royan and guides vessels into the Gironde estuary via the Passe du Sud channel. The current structure replaced a lighthouse destroyed during World War II. While the site is open to visitors, the tower itself is closed to the public.
Why it matters: This lighthouse is essential for guiding fishing boats and smaller craft through the Passe du Sud channel into the Gironde estuary. Its history of reconstruction following channel changes and wartime destruction highlights its long-standing importance for maritime safety in the area.
Light & Optic
- Flash Type
- Quick
- Light Color
- Red
- Raw Code
- Q R
- Focal Height
- 33m
- Geographic Range
- 15.9NM
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1960
Significant events: Unlit tower built 1772, 1873 lighthouse abandoned 1897 due to channel change, damaged by German troops and destroyed by British air raid during WWII
Visiting
- Open to public
- Site open, tower closed
Nearby Vessels
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 15m
- Tower Shape
- cylindrical
- Tower Color
- white with a red lantern and gallery
Structure: round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery; the light is displayed through a square window of the lantern room
Location
- City
- Royan
- Country
- 🇫🇷France
- Region
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Sea Region
- Located in Royan on the Rue du Phare du Chay, it guides ships into the Gironde estuary through the Passe du Sud channel, primarily serving fishing boats and smaller vessels.
- Latitude
- 45.6215°
- Longitude
- -1.0406°
References & Identifiers
- Nearest Port
- Royan(0.7 km)
- Admiralty No.
- D1312
- NGA No.
- 1508
- ARLHS No.
- FRA-582
اعثر على منارة Le Chay على الخريطة البحرية المباشرة
خطّط رحلاتك قرب France، وشاهد السفن المجاورة في الوقت الفعلي، واستكشف أكثر من 14,900 معلَم ملاحي في التطبيق.