Name and Location

The Île-de-Batz Lighthouse, also known as Phare de l’Île de Batz or "Tour Tan" in Breton, is an active aid to navigation located on the island of Île-de-Batz, off the coast of Roscoff commune, Finistère department, Brittany, France. Its official address is Route du Phare (Rte du Phare), 29253 Île-de-Batz.

Construction and History

The current tower was erected in the late 19th century and first lit in 1893-94. The original light on Île de Batz was established in 1847 as a small coastal lantern. The lighthouse was designed and built by the French Lighthouse Service engineers in a typical tapering granite-masonry style.

Architecture and Materials

The Île-de-Batz Lighthouse is a Neo-classical tapered cylindrical tower with a gallery and lantern room, constructed from locally quarried granite with an iron lantern and cast-iron balcony. The height of the tower is 44 meters from base to top of lantern, with an internal staircase featuring 198 granite steps rising to the lantern gallery.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation, managed by the French Lighthouse Authority (Service des phares et balises). Its characteristic, range, and focal height are currently unavailable. The beacon is charted for GPS/AIS overlay, but there is no permanent radar installation.

Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can access the lighthouse from April to September, with guided-tour only access to preserve the granite stairway. Admission involves a modest entrance fee. On-site facilities include a small interpretive display on lighthouse history, a gift-shop corner, and restrooms at the base.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the lighthouse, visitors can enjoy panoramic 360° views of the English Channel, Pointe de l’Arcouest, Roscoff skyline, and the coast of Léon. The surrounding landscape features rocky heathland and coastal gorse, with adjacent attractions like Jardin Georges Delaselle (botanical garden) on the island’s southern side.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local legend tells of lighthouse keepers spotting smuggler's lights off the coast in the 19th century. A reputed ghostly apparition of a former keeper is said to appear on stormy nights in the lantern room (unverified).

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse was automated in the late 20th century, no longer staffed by resident keepers.

Further Information

For more information, visit the official tourist site at http://www.iledebatz.com/découvrir/visite-du-phare or consult French Wikipedia at https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phare_de_l%27Île_de_Batz.