Name and Location

The Phare de Gatteville, also known as the Gatteville Lighthouse or "Phare de la Pointe de Barfleur", is a historic lighthouse located on the Pointe de Barfleur, overlooking the English Channel in Normandy, France. Its official address is 25c Route du Phare, 50760 Gatteville-le-Phare, Manche.

2. Construction and History

The original tower was built between 1774 and 1775 to guide shipping off the Barfleur headland. The current tower was completed in 1835, replacing an earlier structure. The lighthouse has been fully automated since 1994, with keepers withdrawn thereafter. During World War II, the lantern room was camouflaged.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Phare de Gatteville is a neoclassical-style tower constructed from locally quarried granite bonded with lime mortar. It stands at an impressive height of 75 meters (246 feet) from base to lantern roof, making it one of Europe's tallest traditional lighthouses.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse features a first-order Fresnel lens (originally) and later upgraded with prismatic panels. Its light characteristic is a group-flashing pattern, consisting of three white flashes every 15 seconds. The nominal range is approximately 28 nautical miles (52 km).

5. Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can access the lighthouse between Monday to Sunday, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM (check website for winter closures). The entrance fee is approximately €5 per adult, with reduced rates for children and groups. Children under six years old enter free.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

From the lantern gallery, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree panorama over the Channel, Cap de la Hague coastline, and Alderney on clear days. The surrounding landscape features rolling dunes, salt-marsh estuaries to the south, and traditional Norman bocage.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Legend has it that a former keeper once saved the crew of a wrecked schooner in a winter gale. In the 19th century, keepers' families lived on-site in adjacent lodgings, isolated by tides and storms.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is still active as a coastal aid to navigation. It features remote monitoring but no on-site radar or AIS relay. Chart reference: SHOM 6162 "Pointe de Barfleur".

9. Further Information

For more information, visit the official website at https://www.phare-de-gatteville.fr/, or consult references such as Wikidata (Q964781), French Wikipedia (fr:Phare de Gatteville), and the Ministère de la Culture's Base Mérimée (PA50000065).