Phare du Stiff - Ouessant, Finistère, FRA
N 48° 28.474 W 005° 03.403
30U E 347994 N 5371091
Phare du Stiff is the name of a lighthouse built in 1695 on the island of Ouessant in the Atlantic Ocean near the western coast of Brittany in the Finistère department.
Waymark Code: WM13DT4
Location: Bretagne, France
Date Posted: 11/18/2020
Views: 1
The lighthouse has been listed as a historic monument of France since July 12, 2011.
In 1699, Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban decided to build a lighthouse on the Stiff headland - the highest point on the island of Ouessant. For better identification from the sea, the tower was implemented as a double tower. Stiff is the second longest-serving lighthouse in France after Cordouan. It has a range of around 24 nautical miles (about 44.5 km).
Since the 13th century, various lookout points have been maintained on Ouessant in order to detect and thwart attacks by the British navy in good time.
At the end of the 17th century, Admiral Tourville requested a base to protect the military port of Brest. Vauban decided to build a twin tower on Stiff Bay to provide refuge for ships in distress.
In 1695 the implementation of the plans and the construction of the first lighthouse on Ouessant began. The beacon was only operated with wood and coal on dark autumn and winter nights. In 1780 the first oil lamps were installed, which significantly increased the range. During the gradual expansion and modernization of the system, a Fresnel lens with mirrors was installed in 1831. In 1884 the outbuildings to accommodate the crew followed. The beacon was electrified in 1957 and operation has been automated since 1993.
A telegraphy experiment carried out by Camille Tissot at the lighthouse in 1902 showed a range of 80 km. In 1911, Blondel built the first radio tower next to Stiff. He transmitted with the callsign O --- (the radio tower on the Île de Sein used S •••). Both transmitted on a wavelength of 150 meters (2 MHz) using the pop-spark transmitter method. Two other radio towers stood in the port of Le Havre.
Stiff consists of two towers, one of which carries the beacon, access is via the second tower. The building ensemble is complemented by two symmetrical residential buildings on around 4000 m². The lighthouse is 32.4 m high, its fire height is 91.8 m.
Since 1978, a new radar tower (architect J.-M. Jacquin, designer Jean Prouvé) has been part of the complex, which monitors the entry into the English Channel.
The tower can be visited during the French school holidays. After climbing 104 stairs, the view over the Iroise can be enjoyed. However, due to the poor condition, not all areas of the tower can be visited.
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