Phare des Baleines

Phare des Baleines
	Phare des Baleines
Place:	Saint-Clément-des-Baleines , France
Location:	Charente-Maritime , Nouvelle-Aquitaine , France
Geographical location:	46 ° 14 '39 " N , 1 ° 33' 44" W Coordinates: 46 ° 14 '39 " N , 1 ° 33' 44" W.
Fire carrier height :	57 m
Scope knows:	21 nm (38.9 km )
Operating mode:	Halogen 250 W
Function:	Orientation fire
Construction time:	1849-1854
Operating time:	1854

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Phare des Baleines (German: lighthouse of the whales ) is the name of a lighthouse built between 1849 and 1854 on the Atlantic island of Île de Ré . It belongs to the municipality of Saint-Clément-des-Baleines and replaces an existing lighthouse of the same name that Vauban had built. It owes its name to the fact that in the past whales were often stranded at this point.

Description and history

The lighthouse, designed by the architect Léonce Reynaud, went into operation in 1854. At 57 meters, it is twice as high as the maritime Phare des Baleineaux , built on a rock three kilometers from the island . Access to the platform is via a 257-step spiral staircase. The lighting system of the new tower was completely restored in winter 2010.

In 2001 the private company Patrimoine Océan was awarded the contract to develop the complex for tourism. As a result, the old 29 meter high massive tower from 1682 was restored in 2006/2007 and a newly built museum was added. The permanent exhibition is under the motto "Lighthouses are not witchcraft". The facility is visited by around 160,000 people each year, and guided tours are also offered. The lighting with a range of about 50 kilometers is still in operation.

The old lighthouse has been listed as a historic monument of France since June 22, 1904, the new one since April 15, 2011 .