Roches-Douvres Light
Roches-Douvres Light is an active lighthouse in Côtes-d'Armor, France. At a height of 213 feet (65 m) it is the eleventh-tallest "traditional lighthouse" in the world.[4]
 Roches-Douvres Light, 2009 | |
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| Location | Côtes-d'Armor, France |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 49°6′18″N 2°48′50″W |
| Year first constructed | 1868 |
| Year first lit | 1954 |
| Automated | 2000[1] |
| Foundation | 5-story elliptical stone dwelling |
| Construction | stone |
| Tower shape | round |
| Markings / pattern | pink unpainted tower, green lantern |
| Tower height | 213 feet (65 m)[2] |
| Focal height | 197 feet (60 m)[3] |
| Range | 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 5s |
| Admiralty number | A1734 |
| NGA number | 114-7848 |
| ARLHS number | FRA-457 |
| Heritage | monument historique classé  |
It is located on the Roches-Douvres, a very dangerous reef, completely covered at high tide but exposed at low tide, between the islands of Brehat and Guernsey in the English Channel. It is claimed to be the waveswept lighthouse farthest from mainland in Europe, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) off the French coast. The location is accessible only by boat in very rough seas. Both the site and the tower are closed to the public.
History
The original 1868 lighthouse was a cast iron tower, 190 feet (58 m) tall, tapering to a mere 13 feet (4 m) in diameter at the top. It was a twin to Amédée Lighthouse. The tower was constructed from elements which were built by Rigolet in Paris. The tower was constructed for the first time in 1866 on Champ de Mars, Paris, for the Exposition Universelle of 1867. It was then disassembled and the parts were transferred to Brehat. The light was first lit on 15 December 1868 during the construction, with a characteristic of white flash every 4s. Actual construction was only completed in August 1869.
On 18 June 1903 the fuel was changed to petroleum.
The lighthouse was destroyed in 1944 during World War II by German troops.
In April 1950 a temporary light was mounted on a 17 metres (56 ft) pylon.
In April 1952 a light was mounted on the tower under construction. The construction was completed on 19 June 1954 and the light to the current specification. In July 1971 the light was electrified, where electricity comes from two wind turbines on towers of concrete and a generator. In October 2000 the lighthouse was automated.
Notes
- "History of Roches-Douvres Lighthouse". phares-de-france.pagesperso-orange.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- According to the List of Lights. 213 feet (65 m) according to The Lighthouse Directory. 58 m according to phares-de-france.pagesperso-orange.fr.
- List of Lights, Pub. 114: British Isles, English Channel and North Sea (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2010. p. 122.
- Rowlett, Russ. "The Tallest Lighthouses". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
References
- Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of France: Brittany's North Coast". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- List of Lights, Pub. 114: British Isles, English Channel and North Sea (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2010. p. 122.
External links
- Roches-Douvres Light in Lighthouse Digest's Lighthouse Explorer Database
Media related to Roches-Douvres Lighthouse at Wikimedia Commons