Lighthouses of Southern France Part 1

We begin in Marseilles and move on to Montpellier, then leave the Mediterranean for Carcassonne, and meet the Atlantic in Biarritz, followed by Arcachon, Royan, La Rochelle, and finally a train to Paris.

I’m in Marseilles a couple days early and do some sketches ofATONs as well as some non lighthouse sketches. I enjoy a prosecco, a bruschetta, and a fantastic chef made cupcake with lemon filling at the Capucin which is adjacent to the hotel.

Day 1 The crowd of 15 arrives, plus the leaders Marge and Wanda, and Alex, our French guide. These folks are all what I’d call lighthouse nuts—I’m one myself. But they’ve all been on numerous lighthouse tours and they all know one other. Chad and I are the only newcomers in the group.

Jim, Chad, Jose, Wanda, Leann, Stacy, Richard, Darlene, Tom, Mary, Bob,Jeremy, Carolyn, Airdrie, Marge, Shelly, Heather.

Day 2 We spend the next day boating around the Marseille harbor and archipelago.Then we cruise east of Marseille to the Calanques, steep cliffs which plungeinto the Mediterranean like the fjords of Norway. Some of the more hardy jumpin for a swim—Marge, Wanda, Alex and Chad. I stay dry and sketch tenlighthouses and other ATONs. Dinner on our own, so I try some great bouillabaisse,a Marseille specialty, at La Palais.

When you eat alone you get a chancefor some people watching. What I notice is lots of different skin colors frompure white to pure black and in between. A Caucasian is certainly in theminority here.

Lots of tattoos, especially on women’slegs. Lots of wrist watches, especially on women’s wrists. Maybe I was mainly looking at women; who knows?

#1 The **Phare** (*lighthouse*) **de Sainte Marie** was built in 1855 to mark the harbor of Marseille. The 70-foot limestone tower sits on the breakwater next to its little red friend. It’s been replaced by the 42-foot tripod Digue (*dike*) Sainte Marie light located at the end of the breakwater.

**#2 Digue Sainte Marie** replaced the Phare de Sainte Marie as an active ATON.

**#3 Feu vert du bassin de la Joliette** (*green light from the Joliette basin*) a companion to Pharede Sainte Marie’s little red friend.

#4 The 1881 **Pointe de la Désirade** (*double*) is an active light marking the south side of Marseille’s harbor. It’s situated just offshore and is connected to land by a footbridge about halfway up the tower.

#5 An ATON in Marseillesharbor near Fort Saint Jean.

#6 The original lighthouse at **Château d’If** **Lighthouse** was first lit in 1863 but destroyed by the German Army during World War II. The56 foot lighthouse we see today was built in 1948 and is an ATON marking the south entrance to the harbor at Marseille. Château d’If is a castle built on the island in the 1520s and used for many years as a prison. It was made famous by *The Count of Monte Cristo* by Alexandre Dumas.

#7 The tiny Ile du Planier is part of an extensive system of reefs that endangers ships bound for Marseille. The first **Le Planier Lighthouse** was built in 1320 followed by five more towers. Six lighthouses have been built here since 1320. The 1881 203 foot tower was bombed by German troops during the First World War and replaced in 1959 with the present 216 foot edifice. It is said to be one of the tallest on the Mediterranean Sea and thirteenth tallest in the world.

#8 & #9 The 62 foot **Feu** (*fire* or light) **de Sourdaras** ATON marks the Banc de Sourdaras shoal in the south approach to Marseilles harbor. Its neighbor, and twin, the **Tourelle le** **Canoubier**, on the left, never had a light system—it was a daymark only.

**#10** A cute little harbor light at Marseilles.

Day 3 On the way to Montpellier we drive through the Camargue, a rather mysterious region west of Marseilles. It’s famous for its salt, wild white horses, black bulls, pink flamingos, and 400 other species of birds in its marshes. It’s also the Rhône River Estuary, the largest river delta in Western Europe. We didn’t see any horses or bulls, but plenty of pink flamingos.

We also take a boat to Fort de Bouc (goat) and get an escorted tour. In fact, at most of the lighthouses, we have a local guide. After a picnic lunch at Phare de Saint Gervais, we arrive back at our hotel in time for dinner.

With the exception of me, everyone climbs to the top of the lighthouses and counts the steps. The trip total is 2,499. I just sit back peacefully on a bench or chair and sketch. By this time, I’ve learned the protocols and who to sit next to or not next to at dinner.

**#12 Fort de Bouc** (*goat*) **Lighthouse** Fort de Bouc stands on a rock island, surmounted by a medieval square tower with a lighthouse at the top. The tower has its origins in the 12th century. The light station was established on the tower in the mid 1700s; the current light station dates from 1840. The tower on which the light stands was used as a prison. Prisoners were locked up by order of the king usually without trial and they almost never left alive.

**#13** The **Fort de Bouc Secondary Light** sits near the waterline outside the walls of the fort on the south side. It is an ATON.

**#11** The impressive 153 foot **Phare de Saint Gervais** is located at the end of a residential street high above the Plage (*beach*) du Phare Saint Gervais. The green ‘strings’ are actually the back of an impressive green tile ‘bonnet’ facing the other way.

Day 4 It’s off to the picturesque resort town of Grau du Roi to visit the lighthouse of the same name as well as the east and west breakwater lights. Nearby is the Phare de L’Espiquette which guards a beach of the same name. Tables and chairs are set up in the grass—very convenient for a sketcher. Just up the road is the Tour de Constance whereI soak up a lemonade while sketching—small price to pay for a table and chair. Then I walk the ramparts, and I’m so slow I nearly miss the bus.

**#14 Maison du Phare** or **le Grau du Roi** (*the king's godsend*) **Light** represents the town of Grau du Roi. It was first illuminated in 1828 but was replaced in 1869 by the Espiguette Lighthouse. the tower is well preserved and the ground floor is now an interactive museum.

**#15** & **#16 Le Grau-du-Roi Jetée de l’Est** andLe Grau-du-Roi Jetée de l’Ouest. These jetty lights mark the entrance to the Chenal Maritime leading to Aigues-Mortes. They were put in service in the 1800sand are still active today.

**#18** The 88 foot **Phare de L’Espiquette** was constructed in the late 1800s to replace the light at Grau du Roi. It’s surrounded by sand dunes. Building took four years—it was allegedly delayed because the design engineer fell in love with the contractor’s daughter but marriage was not possible for religious reasons—so he dragged his feet and slowed down construction.

**#17** Built between 1240 and 1250, the 100 foot **Tour de Constance** was part of the fortifications of Aigues-Mortes (*dead water*). In 1703 19-year-old MarieDurand was imprisoned here because she was a Protestant. Refusing to renounce her faith, she spent 38 years in the tour.

Day 5 We drive to Carcassonne and take a look at Phare de Sète Môle St Louis. My sketch is a bit skewed—either too much or not enough coffee. But I do put in some lighthouse nuts in front. Phare du Mont Saint Clair is a bonus. After lunch, a boat tour of a couple breakwater lights and also Fort Brescou.

**#20** The 98 foot **Sète Môle** (*breakwater*) **Saint Louis** was established in 1684, and the current tower—which replaced five previous towers—was built in 1948. It’s an active ATON. The port of Sète dates from the late 1600s as the Mediterranean entrance of the Canal du Midi.

**#21 Agda Port du Cap D’agde Breakwater [West].** This ATON protects the Port de Cap d’Agde.

**#22 Agda Port du Cap D’agde Breakwater [East].** This ATON also protects the Port de Cap d’Agde.

**#23** Perched atop Mont Saint Clair in Sète, the **Phare du Mont Saint Clair** has guided sailors since 1903. Standing 72 feet, this octagonal stone tower became ahistorical monument in 2011.

**#24** Fort Brescou was built in 1586 on a volcanic island off the coast of Cap d’Agde. Phare Du Fort Brescou was erected shortly thereafter. The fort became a prison for criminals convicted as a libertinage (*person who had fallen into debt as a result of gambling, drinking, dueling and womanizing).* The 46 foot tower was raised to its present height in 1901. An earlier tower can be seen in the background.

Day 6 No lighthouses, but a chance to tour the Medieval Château Comtal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of us take a ride in a horse drawn wagon between the two sets of ramparts. We also tour the torture museum as well as the church with its magnificent rose windows.

Château Comtal has more pointy roofed towers than most fortresses.

Day 7 We leave Carcassonne and motor to Biarritz, a resort town where, back in the early 1900s, everyone who was anyone enjoyed the surf, sun and sand. Dinner at Le Royalty. Bread plates and butter seem to be a scarcity, but Stacy and I persist.

Day 8 Since we have an extra day in Biarritz, several of us take a taxi over to San Sebastion in the Basque region of Spain so we could take a look at the Santa Klara Uharteko Faroa (lighthouse). And we enjoy some of San Sebastion’s signature cheesecake.

Back in Biarritz, I dine with James and his son Leo, fellow sketchers from back home in the TwinCities. I choose Le Royalty since it was pretty good yesterday. We share buratta and brioche, sea bass fillet, and squid with bellota chorizo risotto. James and Leo are about to begin the trek to Santiago de Compostelo—500 miles—and it turns out they were successful!

Day 9 We take a day trip to the quaint little town of SaintJean de Luz (light) which has two range lights: Tour de Ciboure and Tour de Saint Jean de Luz. After lunch I sketch them. Then a visit to Pharede Biarritz which is actually white not yellow, sorry.

**#27** The first Ciboure light was lit in 1870, a greenlight on 26 foot high wooden scaffolding. In 1872 it was replaced with a 46foot square tower. André Pavlovsky was the Russianeducated departmental architect of the Basses-Pyrénées for the district ofBayonne. In 1936 he designed the unique 89 foot Rear Range **Tour de Ciboure** which we see today in Saint Jean de Luz.

**#28** André Pavlovsky also designed the Front Range **Tour de Saint Jean de Luz**.

**#26** Designed by the lighthouse and beacon service commission, the **Pharede Biarritz** has been guiding navigators since 1834. This 147 foot conical tower stands at the end of Saint Martin Point. There are 256 steps to the top.

I have grilled pink shrimps marinated with lemongrass andginger to go with my prosecco at the noisy Rooftop Olatua Biarritz. Jeremyjoins me and we walk out to see the statue of Mary and the Kid while watchingthe sun sink into the Atlantic. The sun takes longer to set near the equatorbecause it has to travel farther.

Day 10 On the way to Arcachon we stop at Phare de Contis longe enough for the group to climb. A challenge to sketch because it’s surrounded by a grove of trees.

**#29** The 1863 **Phare de Contis** was built by order of Napolean III in Saint Julien en Born. Its unique black and white daymark spirals around the 138 foot tower. The lantern was destroyed during World War II, but the tower came out unscathed.

In the evening, Carolyn and I ride one of the ubiquitous merry-go-rounds.

Day 11 We ferry to Phare du Cap Ferret, 258 steps for the hardy and another sketch for me. The lighthouse sits on a point opposite the harbor and has a great bookstore and museum. I purchase Histoires de Phares, filled with wonderful water color drawings of each lighthouse in France. It also shows relative heights. Phare de Île Vierge (Virgin Island lighthouse) out does Cordouan by 15 meters. Unfortunately, the book is in French.

**#30** The 171 foot **Phare du Cap Ferret** was established in 1840,but it was dynamited by German troops in 1944. Three years later it wasreplaced by an exact copy with an elevator, yet. An excellent bookstore andmuseum occupies the main floor.

Day 12 We’re off to Royan, home of the world famous Cordouan Lighthouse. On the way we stop by Point de Richard Lighthouse and Pointe de Grave Light Station. In my fascination with the huge buoy in the foreground, I forget to sketch the right-hand side of the main building—ah well. But wait, that’s where the magnificent museum is located.