The lighthouse of Chassiron, inaugurated in 1836, is at the extreme west of the Ile d’Oléron. However it was not the first construction on the site. Already in 1685, a first tower 22 metres high was in operation that worked right up to the construction of the new lighthouse. The light of the present lighthouse can be seen from 52km.
The Lighthouse
The Chassiron Lighthouse is a cylindrical tower 46 metres high originally painted white. Greyed by time one can hardly distinguish it from the phare des Baleines (Lighthouse of the Whales) and from the Ile de Ré. This led to several accidents. In 1926 it was decided to paint three horizontal black stripes around the lighthouse, which gave it the appearance which we still know today.
What a View!
The 224 steps of the building lead you to the circular balcony where you can contemplate a superb view over the east coast of the island beyond which the famous Fort Boyard, then the Iles de Ré, Aix, Madame, the Pertuis d’Antioche straits between Ré and Oléron, to the open sea… The Chassiron lighthouse is open to visitors every day of the year.
The Lighthouse
