Lighthouses of France: Marseille Area

La Ciotat and Cassis Lighthouses

* La Ciotat (Môle Bérouard)

1840. Reactivated (?); focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green light 2 s on, 2 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern green. Trabas has a fine closeup by Boxus, Damien Dalby has another closeup photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on the mole on the north side of the old harbor at La Ciotat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-196; Admiralty E0694; NGA 6708.

* La Ciotat Jetée

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) round metal tower with a flared top and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with red trim at the top. A photo and a distant view are available, Trabas has Siering's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a mole projecting from the main quay at La Ciotat. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-110; Admiralty E0693; NGA 6716.

* La Ciotat Digue Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three red flashes every 12 s. 19 m (62 ft) round metal tower with a flared top and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with red trim at the top. Trabas has Siering's view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a jetty on the east side of the main quay at La Ciotat, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Cassis. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-110; Admiralty E0693.3; NGA 6712. Cassidaigne 1834 (unlit until 1935). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 24 m (79 ft) round tapered stone tower with gallery; the light is displayed from a cylindrical gas cylinder at the top. Tower painted white with a black vertical stripe, gas cylinder black with one red horizontal band. A photo is available, and Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo. This beacon marks the Banc de la Cassidaigne, a shoal 8 km (5 mi) south of Cassis. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS FRA-179; Admiralty E0690; NGA 6704. * Cassis 1946 (station established 1880). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light occulting twice every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern green. This light replaced a cast iron tourelle, which was destroyed during World War II. A photo is at right, Trabas has a photo by Boxus, Sandie Besso has a 2008 photo, Huelse has an interesting postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the mole sheltering the harbor of Cassis, about 20 km (13 mi) east of Marseille. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-081; Admiralty E0686; NGA 6700.

Phare du Cassis, May 2010 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo copyright Superbass / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Marseille Lighthouses

Le Planier (6) 1959 (station established 1320). Active; focal plane 68 m (223 ft); white flash every 5 s. 66 m (216 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted, and the lantern is painted red. 1-story stone crew quarters. Pierre Cresson's photo is at right, a fine 2007 photo is available, Louis Ange has a view from the sea, Trabas has Siering's distant view, Marinas.com has good aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is one of the greatest lighthouses of the Mediterranean. The tiny Île du Planier is part of an extensive system of reefs that endangers all ships bound for Marseille. Robert d'Anjou built the first light tower here in 1320. In 1774 a 20 m (66 ft) tower was built and equipped with oil lamps. An 1839 lighthouse, 36 m (118 ft) tall, was replaced in 1881 by a soaring 62 m (203 ft) stone tower seen in a historic postcard view posted by Huelse. That classic lighthouse was destroyed by German troops during World War II and replaced by a temporary light until the present tower was built. Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo and also postcard views of the 1881 and 1774 towers. Located about 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Marseille. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS FRA-399; Admiralty E0680; NGA 6688. [Canoubier] 1833. Daybeacon, never lit. Approx. 18 m (60 ft) round tapered stone tower, painted yellow with one black horizontal band. The top of the tower is rounded and carries a black double-diamond daymark on a short mast. Henri Escojido has a photo, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This beacon, the Tourelle de Canoubier, is the oldest French beacon to be built at sea on an underwater foundation. It is located about 180 m (600 ft) southwest of the Feu de Sourdaras, off the Pointe d'Endoume; Huelse has a postcard view showing the relationship of the two historic towers. Accessible only by boat; there should be fairly good views from many locations onshore. Site and tower closed. Sourdaras Date unknown (unlit until 1912). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); nine quick white flashes every 15 s. 19 m (62 ft) round stone tower with gallery but no lantern, painted yellow with one black horizontal band. Trabas has a foggy photo by Boxus, and Google has a satellite view. The tower was somewhat expanded and enlarged in 1906 to accommodate a lantern, which was finally added in 1912. The lantern can be seen in a distant postcard view posted by Huelse. This historic beacon marks a shoal, the Banc de Sourdaras, roughly halfway between the Château d'If and the mainland at Pointe d'Endoume. Located about 600 m (0.4 mi) west of the Pointe d'Endoume. Accessible only by boat; there should be fairly good views from many locations onshore. Site and tower closed. Admiralty E0674; NGA 6656.

Phare du Planier, May 2010 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Pierre Cresson

* Château d'If (2) 1948 (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. A photo is at right, Trabas has a great closeup photo by Hendrik Martin Porath, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse, only 9 m (30 ft) tall, was destroyed in 1944, during World War II. Lighthouse Explorer has postcard view of the 1863 tower and a historic photo of the 1948 tower that also shows what may be a temporary light used in 1945-48. Huelse also has a postcard view of the 1863 tower. The Château d'If is a castle built in the 1520s, located on a small island off Marseille. Used for many years as a prison for state prisoners, the château was made famous by the Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo. Tours of the island are available. Located at the eastern tip of the island, marking the entry to Marseille from the south, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) southwest of the Pointe de la Désirade. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-237; Admiralty E0676; NGA 6660. La Désirade (Le Pharo) 1881. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse stands just offshore and is connected to land by a footbridge about halfway up the tower. Lighthouse painted white, lantern green. Trabas has a great closeup photo by Hendrik Martin Porath, another good photo is available, Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The name Pharo does not refer to the lighthouse but to the nearby Palais du Pharo, a palace built by Napoléon III for his wife Eugénie and now used as a university building. Located on the Pointe de la Désirade, also called the Pointe du Pharo, on the south side of the harbor entrance of Marseille. Site and tower closed; there may be a view from the end of the Rue des Catalans but most photos seem to be taken from the water. ARLHS FRA-260; Admiralty E0660; NGA 6628. * Fort Saint-Jean (1) (Tour du Fanal) 1644. Inactive at least since 1837. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) round masonry tower, unpainted. Dominique Pipet has an excellent 2007 photo, another good photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The Fort Saint-Jean was begun in the 12th century by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. Ordered by Louis XIV as a watch tower, the Tour du Fanal (Beacon Tower) came to be used also as a lighthouse, with fires at the top to guide ships into the harbor. In 1837 a small lighthouse was built at the base of the tower; this light was in use at least until the 1950s, but it has since disappeared. Huelse has a postcard view in which the small lighthouse is seen below the tower. Located on the quay south of the Passe de la Joliette. Site open, tower status unknown.

Phare d'If, Marseilles, July 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Marionzetta

* Digue du Fort Saint-Jean (Feu vert de la traverse de la Major)

1882. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); green light occulting three times every 12 s. 7 m (23 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted green. Trabas has a photo by Boxus, Larry Myhre has a 2007 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. This is the other light of the pair guiding ships through the Passe de la Joliette into the Bassin de la Grande Joliette. Located at the end of the breakwater extending from Fort Saint-Jean. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-554; Admiralty E0662; NGA 6636.

* Passe de la Jolliette (2) (Feu rouge de la traverse de la Major) 1882. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red light occulting three times every 12 s. 7 m (23 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. The light is seen at the lower left of the photo at right, Trabas has a photo by Hendrik Martin Porath, Larry Myhre has an excellent photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This light is one of a pair of lights guiding ships through the Passe de la Joliette into the Bassin de la Grande Joliette. The lighthouses are typical late 19th century prefabricated tourelles. Originally they were farther north, but after World War II the Bassin was expanded southward and the two lights were relocated accordingly, so that this light now stands at the foot of the Phare de Sainte-Marie. Accessible via the Quay Jean Charcot. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-488; Admiralty E0657; NGA 6632. * Sainte-Marie (Passe de la Joliette (1)) 1855. Inactive (although the lantern is floodlit at night). 21.3 m (70 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted white stone, and the lantern is weathered green metallic. Aurelien Tabard's photo is at right, Trabas has an excellent photo by Hendrik Martin Porath, Dominique Pipet also has a good photo, Jan Drewes has a nice evening photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The harbor of Marseille is a series of bassins separated by dikes and quays. This lighthouse, a familiar landmark of the waterfront, stands at the south entrance to the bassins on the Digue Sainte-Marie; the entrance is called the Passe de la Joliette and it leads to the southernmost bassin, the Bassin de la Grande Joliette. The lighthouse has been deactivated in favor of the Digue Sainte-Marie light (previous entry) at the end of a new breakwater extending southwest from the Digue Sainte-Marie. Accessible via the Quay Jean Charcot. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-842. Digue Sainte-Marie (Marseille) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); quick red double flashes. Approx. 13 m (42 ft) tripod tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. Trabas has a closeup photo by Hendrik Martin Porath, Larry Myhre has a photo, a view from the sea is available, and Google has a satellite view although only the square base under the light is seen clearly. Located at the end of the southwestward extension of the Digue Sainte-Marie, the main breakwater of Marseilles harbor, about 500 m (0.3 mi) southwest of the historic lighthouse (next entry). Site and tower closed. ARLHS FRA-122; Admiralty E0656; NGA 6624. Marseille Nord (Digue Extérieure) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) lantern and gallery on a tripod mounted atop a 1-story concrete building. Tripod painted white, lantern and gallery green. A good photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse is similar in design to the Digue Sainte-Marie light (previous entry). Located at the northwest end of the outer breakwater of Marseille, where it marks the north entrance to the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty E0634; NGA 6572.

Phare de Sainte-Marie and Feu Rouge, August 2006 Creative Commons photo by Aurelien Tabard Note: Sourdaras and Canoubier beacons at upper left; on the horizon: Planier (left) and Cap Couronne (right)

* Mourepiane

1930. Inactive since the 1960s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted gray. A good photo is available, Köhler has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This poorly-known and seldom-visited lighthouse was owned by the Département des Bouches du Rhône and used as a residence (possibly for an official, or as a rental property). It was for sale in April 2007, but we don't know if it was sold. Located at the end of the Traverse du Phare, on a bluff overlooking the north entrance to Marseille harbor. Site and tower closed, but it should be possible to view the lighthouse from nearby. ARLHS FRA-844.

Port de la Lave Mole

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower, painted white with a red band at the top. Trabas has Siering's photo, a very distant view is available (click on the photo to enlarge it), and Google has a satellite view. Port de la Lave is a small craft harbor on the west side of Marseille. Located at the end of the breakwater mole. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-414; Admiralty E0628; NGA 6560.

Côte Bleue (Cap Couronne Area) Lighthouses

* Sausset-les-Pins Date unknown (1950s?). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red light occulting three times every 12 s. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with gallery and a small lantern. Lighthouse is white, lantern red. Dominique Pipet has an October 2007 photo, Trabas has Siering's photo, Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. Cedric Motte's photo from earlier in 2007 shows the lighthouse being renovated. Located on the west jetty at Sausset-les-Pins, a small boat harbor about 25 km (15 mi) west of Marseille. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-468; Admiralty E0624; NGA 6548. * Cap Couronne (2) 1959 (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); red flash every 3 s. 31 m (102 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising through the center of a 1-story keeper's house. Upper 1/3 of the lighthouse painted red, lower 2/3 white. A photo is at right, Trabas has Siering's photo (also seen at right), Jacques Oliver has another photo, and Google has a satellite view. Fichou has a photo showing this lighthouse with its predecessor, a much shorter tower. Huelse has a postcard view of the older lighthouse, which was unfortunately demolished; Lighthouse Explorer also has a historic photo showing both towers. This lighthouses marks the eastern entrance to the Golfe de Fos and shows a red light for ships bound westward to Marseille. Located at the end of the Chemin du Phare in La Couronne, about 30 km (19 mi) west of Marseille. The scarcity of photos suggests that the station is not open to the public. Site status unknown, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-090; Admiralty E0622; NGA 6544. Golfe de Fos Lighthouses * Port-de-Bouc (Fort de Bouc) (2) 1840 (station established in the mid 1700s). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 6 s. Lantern on a short light tower mounted atop the historic Fort de Bouc, which dates from the 13th century. André Corella has a photo, Trabas has Siering's photo, Phareland.com has several photos, Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. At the right edge of Corella's photo is a secondary light on the extreme point of the land; this light (Admiralty E0607.2; NGA 6472) displays strobe-like white flashes at a focal plane of 8 m (26 ft). Located on the south side of the entrance to Port-de-Bouc and the Chenal de Caronte, the channel leading to the large Étang (sound) de Berre. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-288; Admiralty E0607; NGA 6468.

Phare de Cap Couronne, La Couronne photo copyright Arno Siering; used by permission

* [Port de Bouc Jetée Nord]

Date unknown (station established 1842). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); very quick red flashes in groups of two. 9 m (30 ft) white tower with a red top. Trabas has a photo by Boxus, Nicole Chayne-Salini has a photo, Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo also showing the 1842 tower, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater jetty on the north side of the entrance to Port de Bouc. Accessible by walking the jetty. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-411; Admiralty E0608; NGA 6480.

* Saint-Gervais (Fos)

1980. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); seven very quick (strobe-like) flashes every 12 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 45 m (148 ft) oval-shaped cylindrical dark gray reinforced concrete tower with lantern; a very unusual modern design. Trabas has an excellent photo by Hendrik Martin Porath, Köhler has a photo, Jackie Gomez-Blasco has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo that also shows an older tower next to the present one. The lighthouse guides ships into the Golfe de Fos, a sheltered bay on the east side of the Camargue about 30 km (25 mi) west of Marseille. Located adjacent to the yacht harbor of Fos-sur-Mer. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-478; Admiralty E0606.8; NGA 6456.

Port de Fos Entrance Range Rear Date unknown. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); quick-flashing white light, intensified on the range line and synchronized with the front light. 28 m (92 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower carrying two square red daymarks. Trabas has a photo by Capt. Peter Mosselberger, and Google has a satellite view. The front light is on a much shorter skeletal tower. Located beside a basin on the west side of the harbor. Site status unknown. Admiralty E0604.1; NGA 6396. Lighthouses of the Camargue Note: The Camargue, one of Europe's most famous natural areas, is a large triangular wetland surrounding the delta of the Rhône River. The Grand Rhône, the principal channel of the river, is on the east side of the Camargue, and the Petit Rhône flows through the western part of the wetland. * Canal de Saint-Louis (3) Date unknown (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); quick flashing white light. 13 m (43 ft) round hourglass shaped metal tower mounted on a square 1-story equipment shelter. Trabas has a photo by Boxus, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This modern light replaced a tower constructed after World War II and presumably stands on the same foundation. The original light was an interesting cast iron lighthouse shown on Huelse's postcard view; Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo of the second light, a more typical cast iron tourelle. The present light stands on the base built for the second light. The Canal de Saint-Louis is a short channel connecting the Grande Rhône, the principal branch of the river, to the Golfe de Fos to the east. Located at the end of the long south jetty at the east entrance to the canal. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-549; Admiralty E0602; NGA 6408. *** Port Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (Tour Saint-Louis) Date unknown (tower built 1737, station established in the 1700s). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); quick-flashing white light, intensified along the line of the Canal de Saint-Louis. 21 m (69 ft) square masonry tower crowned by a cylindrical watchtower. Arnet Gurvan's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo by Christophe Boxus, Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo, and Google has a good satellite view. We do not know where on the building the modern light is mounted. The Tour Saint-Louis, built in 1737, is the symbol of the town of Port-St.-Louis-du-Rhône. It houses the local tourist office and a museum; the first floor has exhibits on the birds of the Camargue and the upper floors have visiting art exhibits. Located in the center of St.-Louis-du-Rhône, the town closest to the mouth of the Grande Rhône, on the east side of the Camargue. Site open, museum open Monday through Friday at a small admission fee. ARLHS FRA-485; Admiralty E0603; NGA 6404.

Tour Saint-Louis, Port-St-Louis-du-Rhône, July 2005 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Arnet Gurvan

* Faraman (3) 1892 (station established 1830). Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 43 m (141 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. 2-story masonry keeper's house. Wikimedia has the photo at right and a more distant view by Josélito Tirados, another good photo is available, Trabas has Siering's distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic aerial photo as well as a postcard view, and Google has a fine satellite view. This lighthouse marks the southernmost extension of the Camargue. It stands about 500 m (0.4 mi) from the surf, in an area of large lagoons famous for their huge flocks of flamingos. Ecotours of this area are available. The lighthouse was damaged during World War II and repaired between 1947 and 1950. The original lighthouse was a 15 m (49 ft) wood tower; it was replaced in 1840 by a 37 m (121 ft) stone tower attached to a keeper's house. The present lighthouse was built 1200 m (3/4 mi) away, using many stones from the 1840 lighthouse. Located about 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of Salin-de-Giraud. Accessible by a unpaved park road, the Route du Sémaphore, which crosses the wetlands on a series of dikes and causeways. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue. ARLHS FRA-098; Admiralty E0600; NGA 6356. Beauduc (Pointe du Sablon) 1903 (daybeacon established 1865). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 27 m (89 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted white stone; the lantern appears black with a white roof. 2-story masonry keeper's house. A 2009 photo is available, Huelse has a historic aerial photo, and Google has a good satellite view. This lighthouse stands on a sweeping curve of the narrow barrier island at the southern end of the Camargue; the area is quite remote and not easy to reach. Located about 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. Accessible only by boat or by a long hike on the beach. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue. ARLHS FRA-188; Admiralty E0594; NGA 6344. ** La Gacholle 1884. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); flash every 4 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 16 m (56 ft) square concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of the front of a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; the lantern is black with a white dome. Trabas has Siering's photo (also seen at the top of this page), Joe Yeager has a fine 2007 photo, Andrea Allasio has a good photo, Phareland.com has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. This lighthouse is located deep in the Camargue, far from any port, and it does not mark any cape. Its purpose was to guide ships into the Baie de Beauduc, a scallop in the coast that provides protection from easterly gales and thus served as a harbor of refuge from storms. In modern times it has become a relatively minor aid to navigation. The lighthouse was damaged during World War II, but it was repaired and returned to service in 1947. The keeper's house is now used as a park ranger station. The Réserve National Camargue has a page with visitor information (in French). Located about 11 km (7 mi) east of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the one town on the Camargue coast. Accessible by a walk of about 2 km (1.2 mi) from a parking area, which is accessible by unpaved park roads from Salin de Giraud on the east side of the Camargue. Site open, tower open on weekends and school holidays (according to a sign shown in one of Phareland's photos). Site manager: Réserve National Camargue. ARLHS FRA-297; Admiralty E0592; NGA 6348.

Phare de Faraman, June 2009 Wikipedia Creative Commons photo by Jlucnet

Adjoining pages: East: Côte d'Azur | West: Languedoc-Roussillon

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Carry-le-Rouet Mole (?-?), Carry-le-Rouet
• Cassis Main (1840-1960s?), Cassis. ARLHS FRA-840. Huelse has a historic postcard view.
• Frioul (1871-?), Marseilles. ARLHS FRA-296.
• La Ciotat Môle Neuf (1858-?), La Ciotat. ARLHS FRA-841.
• Saut de Marrot (1900-1930), Marseilles. ARLHS FRA-845.
• Tête de More (1837-?), Marseilles. ARLHS FRA-846.

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted April 3, 2006. Checked and revised April 26, 2012. Lighthouses: 27. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.