Pointe des Corbeaux Lighthouse

The Pointe des Corbeaux Lighthouse is a French lighthouse, located on the eponymous point on the Île d'Yeu. Located at the extreme southwestern end of the island,[3] it was constructed in 1950 to replace an earlier tower destroyed during World War II.[4] Along with the Île d'Yeu lighthouse, it is one of two lighthouses on the island to have been designed by Maurice Durand; construction of both was completed in the same year.[4]

Pointe des Corbeaux Lighthouse
The lighthouse in 2011
Pointe des Corbeaux Lighthouse
France
LocationÎle d'Yeu
Vendée
France
Coordinates46°41′25″N 2°17′05″W
Year first constructed1862 (first)
Year first lit1950 (current)
Automated1990
Constructionconcrete tower
Tower shapeoctagonal tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / patternwhite tower, red lantern
Tower height19.2 metres (63 ft) (current)
11.6 metres (38 ft) (first)
Focal height25.9 metres (85 ft) (current)
Range18.5 nautical miles (34.3 km; 21.3 mi)[1]
CharacteristicFl (3) R 15s.
Admiralty numberD1186
NGA number1148
ARLHS numberFRA-249[2]
Heritageregistered historic monument 

Design

The Pointe des Corbeaux Lighthouse is 62 feet tall, and is an octagonal prism concrete structure with lantern and gallery attached to one-storey keeper's dwelling. The tower and gallery are white, while the lantern is red. The lighthouse shows a series of three red flashes, in a two-one pattern, every fifteen seconds. Attached to the tower is a keeper's dwelling, which with several other annexes completes the station.

History

The first lighthouse on the point was lit on 1 September 1862. A small tourelle encased in masonry, it stood 38 feet tall, and was based on plans provided by the state. Its life was very uneventful; it was converted to different sorts of power on numerous occasions, at various times running on vegetable and mineral oil and petrol.[1] This lighthouse lasted until being destroyed by retreating German troops on 25 August 1944. Reconstruction of the tower was completed in 1950 to Durand's design. This lighthouse was automated in 1990,[1] and remains an active aid to navigation; it currently shows a halogen-powered signal.[3]

Today the lighthouse is controlled from the station at the Île d'Yeu lighthouse; it can be seen both from land and from water, but cannot be visited by the public.[3] Another, smaller aid to navigation, a post light attached to a short stone base, is also located on the point.[3]

See also

References
  1. Base Mérimée: Phare des Corbeaux, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
  2. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of France: La Vendée". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  3. "Le phare à travers le monde". phares.du.monde.free.fr. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  4. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of France: Loire-Atlantique". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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