Phare de l'Espiguette

Phare de l'Espiguette
	Phare de l'Espiguette
	France
Location	Le Grau-du-Roi, Gard; Languedoc-Roussillon; France.
Coordinates	43°29′15.8″N 4°8′30.2″E
Year first constructed	1869
Automated	1980
Construction	masonry tower
Tower shape	square tower with balcony and lantern attached to 1-story keeper's house
Markings / pattern	white tower with a large horizontal band in the upper part, white lantern dome
Tower height	27.40 metres (89.9 ft)[1]
Focal height	26.85 metres (88.1 ft)
Intensity	1000 W halogen lamp
Range	24 nautical miles (44 km)[1]
Characteristic	Fl (3) W 15s
Admiralty number	E0586
NGA number	6320
ARLHS number	FRA-276
France number	FR-1321[2]
Heritage	registered historic monument, monument historique classé

The Phare de l'Espiguette (Espiguette Lighthouse) is a 27-metre (89 ft)-high square tower. Built in 1869, the lighthouse is found on the Pointe de l'Espiguette, near to Le Grau-du-Roi on the Gulf of Lion in Occitanie, France.

Geography

L'Espiguette appears on some of the oldest maps: on the Barentzoom map of 1593 it is called Lapiquete and was an island. The channels in the Rhône delta are constantly changing, it was in 1570 that the Grau de Roi opened up, and the subsequent channelling of this watercourse and the silting of the land alongside it led to the fishing village of Le Grau-du-Roi, and the silting made a land bridge through to L'Espiguette. To the south of L'Espiguette is the Mediterranean sea and to the north the Lagune de la Sicarex, which in itself is a protected breeding ground for endangered avian species. The point consists of 197 ha of sand dunes, and is a protected nature reserve. The beaches are popular with tourists, and host a large naturist beach.

History

The square tower was built in 1869, 150 metres (490 ft) from the mean high tide mark, the silting has continues and it is now situated in sand dunes more than 700 metres (2,300 ft) from the water.

Technical details

A 1000W Halogen lamp throws its beam 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) south. It throws 3 white flashes four times a minute.

References

Phare de l'Espiguette, fiche de recensement Ministère de la Culture (in French)
Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of France: Languedoc-Roussillon". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved January 25, 2016.

External links

Photos
Pointe de l'Espiguette - Conservatoire du littoral (in French)
Base Mérimée: Phare de l'Espiguette, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)

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[fiche-1] Phare de l'Espiguette, fiche de recensement Ministère de la Culture (in French)

[2] Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of France: Languedoc-Roussillon". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved January 25, 2016.