Lighthouses of Southern France Part 2

Day 13 The day we’ve all been waiting for! Morning boat to Phare de Cordouan —301 steps which I climb and live to talk about it. We’d been warned of a wet landing and departure, but this isn’t the case. In the afternoon Phare de Terre Nègre (black earth) and Pointe de Vallieres. While everyone marches off for a closer look at Pointe de Vallieres, I sit on a rock and sketch alone, and a skewed sketch at that. Fortunately, they pick me up on the way back.That evening, I watch Alex taking a long swim in the ocean.

**#33** No collection of the world’s lighthouses would be complete without the 221 foot **Phare de Cordouan** located at the mouth of the Gironde Estuary. Built of dressed limestone in the late 1500s, it was designed by Louis de Foix and renovated by Joseph Teulère in the late 1700s in order to increase the focal plane to 198 feet. It is considered a Renaissance masterpiece. The oldest in France, the lighthouse even contains a charming chapel within its walls. The first Fresnel lens was installed here in 1823. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an active light.

**#34** Some say the **Phare de Terre Nègre** (*black earth*) was built in 1772, others say 1807. But there’s agreement that it was raised in height and a fourth order Fresnel lens installed in 1838. The present tower was built in 1856. The 89 foot masonry tower is painted white with a vertical red stripe on the upper third of the tower facing the range line. From 1852 to 1902 this was a rear range light. Since 1960 it has served as a front range light with the rear light on the Palmyre tower.

**#35 Pointe de Vallieres.** This station was originally established in 1860 as part of a pair of range lights to guide ships into the port of Royan. These 2 lights proved to be too low so a new lighthouse was built on the nearby Valliére cliff. This classic, square granite tower 95 foot was put into service in late 1901. The lighthouse was damaged in WorldWar II, the scars still visible on the north face.

Day 14 Baggage is loaded on the bus for our ride to La Rochelle.Pointe de la Coubre Lighthouse and Chassiron Lighthouse are onthe way. We arrive at the elegant Hôtel Mercure La Rochelle Vieux-Port in time for supper.

**#36** At the entrance to the Gironde Estuary, sits the1905 **Pointe de la Coubre** **Lighthouse**. It has replaced two earlier lights destroyed by beach erosion. Standing 213 feet, the round reinforced concrete tower is painted in a red and white checkerboard pattern at the lowest story, then the lower two thirds in white, the gallery and upper third in red. 300 steps to the top.

**#37** The **Chassiron Lighthouse** is located at the northern tip of the island Oléron. The first lighthouse was built in 1685 to mark a dangerous ledge of rocks and the entrance to the channel of the Antioche Pertuis (*passage*). The present 151 foot lighthouse was lit in 1836. Originally entirely white, its day mark was changed in 1926 to the present horizontal black and white stripes to increase its visibility distance and limit the confusion with its neighbor the Les Baleines (whales) Lighthouse. In the background is a signal tower. A lovely hedge lines the walkway to the lighthouse.

On the way back to our bus, I stop for a refreshing lemonade and make a sketch of the charming cylinder out on a spit of land. Yellow is my favorite color.