Phare d'Eckmühl - Point Penmarch Lighthouse

Rising proudly 60 meters above the sea at the tip of Cornouaille, the Phare d’Eckmühl lighthouse stands on one of the most dangerous points along the Breton coast. It is one of the tallest lighthouses in Europe and a well-known landmark of Finistère.

A climb worth the effort

Visitors must climb a total of 307 steps to reach the top of the lighthouse. But the strenuous ascent via the spiral staircase is rewarded with a stunning panoramic view. From the Phare d’Eckmühl, you can enjoy sweeping vistas of the Glénan Islands, Île de Sein, the coastline, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Around the Phare d’Eckmühl

At the base of the lighthouse, you’ll find a small marine center with exhibitions. Numerous street cafés nearby invite you to sit back, watch the local bustle, and enjoy some food and drinks. The area around the lighthouse also features beautiful beaches perfect for swimming and relaxing. The five-kilometer-long Steïr Beach and La Joie Beach are ideal for family outings. For a wilder atmosphere, Pors-Carn Beach is a favorite spot among surfers.

Also worth visiting is the small seaside chapel, with its bell tower flanked by two little turrets. Here, sailors who dared to venture near the treacherous Penmarc’h headland prayed to the Holy Virgin. Inside, you can admire numerous votive plaques left by thankful mariners.

On the treacherous coast near the village of Saint-Pierre in the French Finistère department, sailors were already being warned by two lighthouses before the construction of the Phare d’Eckmühl: an optical telegraph, later called the "Vieille Tour", and the Tour de Penmarc’h, which became operational in 1835. In 1882, the French state passed a law mandating the modernization of coastal light signals and the connection of key lighthouses to electricity—including the Phare de Penmarc’h. The 40-meter-high tower would have needed to be extended to 60 meters to accommodate the new lighting system, but this proved technically impossible. As a result, the authorities decided in 1890 to construct a new 54.2-meter-tall lighthouse.

An Unexpected Windfall

Unexpectedly, the project received financial support in 1892: Marquise Adélaïde-Louise d’Eckmühl de Blocqueville passed away and bequeathed 300,000 francs in her will for the construction of a lighthouse on the Breton coast. This was intended as a memorial to her father, Marshal Louis Nicolas Davout, Duke of Auerstädt and Prince of Eckmühl. To honor the donor's wishes, the Parisian architect involved in the lighthouse project was also commissioned to design the ornamental features—a first in modern lighthouse history.

The Eckmühl Lighthouse

A total of 600,000 francs was ultimately available for the construction of the lighthouse, which was to be built approximately 120 meters east of the Phare de Penmarc’h. Construction began in September 1893 and lasted until 1897. The walls of the Phare d’Eckmühl were built entirely of Kersanton granite, and the windows were crafted from oiled French oak. The interior features elements made of mahogany, opaline glass, and bronze. The last two lighthouse keepers retired in 2007, and today, the tower is fully automated.

By Car:

From Quimper, it’s about 35 kilometers to Saint-Pierre. Follow the D785 past Pont-l’Abbé, through Plomeur and Penmarch, directly to the lighthouse.