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The original lighthouse was built in 1775 to protect the dangerous waters around Pointe de Barfleur, which were known for numerous shipping disasters, including the sinking of the "White Ship" in 1120. Since the first tower did not meet the requirements of the 1825 national coastal lighting program, construction began on a new, larger tower in 1829. Completed in 1835 under the direction of architect Charles-Félix Morice de la Rue, it replaced the old tower, which was then used as an optical telegraph. The new tower is made of approximately 11,000 granite blocks and has 365 steps—symbolizing the days of a year. It also has 52 windows (representing the weeks) and 12 floors (representing the months).

The old granite harbor is the heart of Barfleur and is still used by small fishing boats.

A beautiful little fishing village that is worth a visit.

Impressive lighthouse, possibility to climb and have a spectacular view

Impressive building

Interesting point

Nowadays, they are hardly ever used for their original purpose, but are merely technical and historical monuments to a long tradition of craftsmanship: the heavy millstones inside were moved using the power of the wind as the driving force, for example to grind grain into flour (so-called grain mills) or to press oil from fruits (e.g. olives) (so-called oil mills). These old windmills are therefore the best proof that people were clever enough to harness the power of the wind a number of centuries ago - long before the discovery of electricity and the inventions that followed.

On the tip of Barfleur, we discover this immense lighthouse as well as a semaphore, located a little further away. The two structures do not have the same functions, but are complementary. While one reports, the other informs. The lighthouse has a powerful light at its top which is used to guide ships at night. The semaphore is a kind of optical telegraph which is used to communicate the positions of the different boats coming from the open sea. It provides them with various indications which prove extremely useful to sailors.