La Palmyre Lighthouse
Location & Light Range
About La Palmyre Lighthouse
Also known as: La Palmyre (Terre-Nègre feu postérieur)
This unpainted, cylindrical concrete tower stands 36 meters tall and was built in 1960. Its semi-elliptical design features a round front and a square rear, topped by a platform and a communications antenna. The lighthouse emits three red flashes every 12 seconds from a focal height of 57 meters, visible for approximately 19.7 nautical miles. Originally established in 1870, the station saw its first tower destroyed by German troops in 1944. The current structure was adapted to mark the shifting deepwater channel of the Gironde estuary. The site is open to the public, but the tower itself is closed.
Why it matters: The lighthouse marks the deepwater channel of the Gironde estuary, a waterway known for its dynamic nature. Its function is particularly important along the Duc d'Albe range line.
Light & Optic
- Flash Type
- Occulting
- Light Color
- Red
- Flash Count
- 3 flashes
- Interval
- 12s
- Raw Code
- Oc(3) R 12s
- Focal Height
- 57m
- Geographic Range
- 19.7NM
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1960
Significant events: Station established 1870, inactive 1895-1932, original cast iron tripod tower destroyed by German troops in 1944, current tower built 1960, light intensified on Duc d'Albe range line, required drastic changes due to shifts in Gironde deepwater channel
Visiting
- Open to public
- Site open, tower closed
Nearby Vessels
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 36m
- Tower Shape
- cylindrical
- Tower Color
- unpainted
- Material
- concrete
Structure: semi-elliptical concrete tower (round on the front, sqaure on the rear), unpainted, topped by a platform and a large communications antenna
Location
- City
- Saint-Palais-sur-Mer
- Country
- 🇫🇷France
- Region
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Sea Region
- Located on the north bank of the Gironde estuary, just west of St.-Palais-sur-Mer, within the Parc de Loisirs. It marks the deepwater channel of the Gironde, situated about 6.5 km west of La Palmyre and 5 km northwest of Saint-Palais-sur-Mer.
- Latitude
- 45.6619°
- Longitude
- -1.1208°
References & Identifiers
- Nearest Port
- Royan(4.8 km)
- Admiralty No.
- D1294
- NGA No.
- 113-1496
- ARLHS No.
- FRA-381
- Wikidata
- Q3378294 →
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