History of the lighthouse
Lost in the middle of the sand dunes and recognisable thanks to its original square shape and its black colour visible from the sea, the Espiguette lighthouse has been lighting up our coastline and guiding sailors for over 150 years. Let's discover together the history of a unique place with an exceptional natural heritage.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGH POINT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DUNES
The lighthouse commission of 17 April 1860 prescribed the construction of a lighthouse at the tip of Espiguette to replace the old lighthouse at the entrance to Grau du Roi, which had been rendered ineffective by the silting up of the gulf. It was the contractor Charles Dupuy who obtained the construction of the lighthouse by tender and the engineer Charles Lenthéric who drew up the project in 1861, approved in 1865.
The building of the Espiguette lighthouse marked the beginning of the development of the Gard coastline.
DIFFICULT CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS
The construction site was considerably delayed due to high winds, storms and silting, which led to changes in the project during construction. The tower's scaffolding was moved, some of the roofs were blown off and the transport of materials by rail 8 kilometres along the beach had to be replaced by horse-drawn jigs. In August 1866, illnesses caused by the excessive heat and above all by the lack of fresh water on the tip of Espiguette disrupted the work and made it difficult to complete.
THE GUIDE'S ANECDOTE
Charles Lenthéric, the engineer in charge of supervising the work, fell in love with Elaïs, the daughter of the contractor Charles Dupuy. The relationship was contested by the young woman's family because of her Protestant faith, and the engineer did everything possible to slow down the work in order to stay as long as possible with his beloved. Another cause of delay, but romantic this time...
The building site had proved so difficult and painful that Charles Dupuy and his workers had nicknamed the Pointe de l'Espiguette, the cursed point.
In October 1868, the building was ready to receive the lighting elements that arrived from Paris. The lighthouse was finally lit on 1 January 1869.
A LIGHTHOUSE THAT HAS DOMINATED THE POINTE DE L'ESPIGUETTE FOR 150 YEARS
Recognisable thanks to its square shape and its black colour visible from the sea, the Espiguette lighthouse has been lighting up our coast and guiding sailors for more than 150 years, with its 24-mile (45km) range and its rotating light with 3 white flashes grouped every 15 seconds.
Assigned to the Conservatoire du littoral, the lighthouse was automated in 1980 thanks to its Fresnel lens, which celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2023, and is no longer inhabited by the keepers. It has been classified as a historical monument since 9 October 2012.
A LANDMARK AND MONUMENT LOST IN THE IMMENSITY OF THE SAND DUNES
Over time, as the waves and the coastline silted up, the lighthouse, originally 155 metres from the sea, is now 700 metres from the shore. A marble plaque stating the distance of the Tower from the low water shore is sealed against one of the lighthouse's facades. This marker, which has become invaluable, allows future generations to determine the rate of beach advancement accurately.
A precious part of the maritime heritage of Grau du Roi, the Espiguette lighthouse is located in the heart of a natural area that benefits from numerous environmental protections classified as a Natura 2000 zone, Petite Camargue gardoise, Petite Camargue laguno-marine and Bancs sableux de l'Espiguette.
AND ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE ?
The lighthouse was built on the model of the Grave lighthouse in the Gironde, built in 1859, from which it takes the main features in terms of organisation and architecture. It is organised as follows:
A first courtyard, partly paved and surrounded by low walls, facing the sea, provides access to the accommodation and the lighthouse.
The lighthouse itself, consisting of a central tower 27m high with a square cross-section, is flanked on either side by two wings designed to house the keepers and their families who succeeded one another until the automation of the lantern in 1980 and the abolition of the post in 2000. On the upper part of the tower, painted black, a neo-medieval style corbel supports stone balustrades with an entablature composed of twenty brackets forming small arches.
A second inner courtyard, paved and enclosed by high walls, is accessible from the lighthouse and the accommodation. In the centre of this courtyard is the well, and a building used as annexes (initially a courtyard with toilets in the centre with the engineers' accommodation on either side), occupies the eastern end of the courtyard.
