Pornic Lighthouse
Location & Light Range
About Pornic Lighthouse
Also known as: Pornic (Pointe de la Noëveillard)
Pornic Lighthouse, built of stone, stands 15 meters tall on the west side of the entrance to Pornic harbor, near a large marina on the Baie de Bourgneuf. The cylindrical tower, painted white with a green lantern, was first lit in 1846. It was extended in 1882, and the attached 1-1/2 story keeper's house was expanded in 1886. The lighthouse emits four occulting white, red, or green flashes every 12 seconds, with a focal height of 23 meters, providing a geographic range of 13.8 nautical miles. The site is open to the public, though the tower itself remains closed.
Why it matters: This lighthouse is essential for vessels entering and exiting Pornic harbor and the adjacent marina. Its directional light system, which changes color to indicate safe passage, helps prevent groundings.
Light & Optic
- Flash Type
- Occulting
- Light Color
- White/Red/Green
- Flash Count
- 4 flashes
- Interval
- 12s
- Raw Code
- Oc(4) WRG 12s
- Focal Height
- 23m
- Geographic Range
- 13.8NM
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1846
Significant events: Tower extended in 1882, keeper's house expanded in 1886
Visiting
- Open to public
- Site open, tower closed
Nearby Vessels
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 15m
- Tower Shape
- cylindrical
- Tower Color
- white, lantern green
- Material
- stone
Structure: square cylindrical limestone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 1-1/2 story keeper's house
Location
- City
- Pornic
- Country
- 🇫🇷France
- Region
- Pays de la Loire
- Sea Region
- near a large marina on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Pornic, on the Baie de Bourgneuf about 30 km south of Saint-Nazaire
- Latitude
- 47.1103°
- Longitude
- -2.1154°
References & Identifiers
- Nearest Port
- Pornic(0.3 km)
- ARLHS No.
- FRA-372
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