Name and Location

Petit Phare de Soumard is a small, unmanned minor lighthouse located at the tip of a low headland overlooking the Bay of Aix, in front of the fortress island of Île d'Aix and not far from the famous Fort Boyard. The address is Fouras, Route Sans Nom, 17450 Fouras, Charente-Maritime, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, with coordinates 45°57′57.7″ N, 1°04��21.9″ W (45.9660329, –1.072759).

Construction and History

The Petit Phare de Soumard was built unknown, likely late 19th or early 20th century. The architect and style are not documented, but it is typical of minor French coastal lights��simple cylindrical/masonry or concrete structure painted white.

Architecture and Materials

The tower stands at a height of 8 m (light above ground), with a focal plane estimated to be around 10 m above mean sea level. The appearance is that of a white cylindrical post with red lantern housing.

Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is a quick flashing red light (“Q R”) with a flash rate of 60 flashes per minute, visible up to 19 nautical miles (intensified visibility conditions). The sector covered by the red light is bearings 113°–117° T, warning vessels of shoals south of the point.

Accessibility and Visiting

The tower itself is closed to public access. However, the headland is reachable on foot via a coastal path from Fouras-Plage (free entry). To reach the site, follow the “Route Sans Nom” westward along the tip of the peninsula from the centre of Fouras.

Notable Views and Landscape

The headland offers panoramic views over the Bay of Biscay, Fort Énet, Fort Vauban (Fouras), Île d'Aix, and Fort Boyard to the north-west. The landscape is a rocky promontory fringed by tidal flats and salt marshes, popular with walkers and birdwatchers.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local fishermen sometimes refer to this light informally as the ��Sentinelle de Soumard,” crediting it with guiding small fishing craft safely past hidden shoals—though no specific legends are documented.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is fully automated and unmanned. The range of the light is 19 nautical miles, and the sector covered by the red light is bearings 113°–117° T.

Further Information

French National Geographical Institute (IGN) regulatory charts, 2010 edition; Service des Phares et Balises official website: https://www.marine-marchande.gouv.fr; SHOM chart D 35 “Côte de la Charente-Maritime”; OpenStreetMap feature ID: way/92530451.