Name and Location

The Phare de la Falaise des Fonds, also known as the Phare du Butin, is a coastal lighthouse located in Normandy, France. Its address is 75, Route de Trouville (D513A), 14600 Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy, and its coordinates are 49°25′28.18″ N, 0°12′51.62″ E (WGS 84).

Construction and History

The exact date of construction is unknown, but the tower appears to have been built in the mid-20th century, replacing earlier daymarks used by local pilots. The lighthouse stands atop a low cliff, guiding vessels through the shallow "fonds" (underwater ledges) of the Seine estuary.

Architecture and Materials

The tower is a slender cylindrical shape rising from a single-storey base, with a cylindrical shaft supporting a small lantern. The exact construction materials are believed to be reinforced concrete for the tower and cast-iron for the lantern room.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse is currently automated and has no resident keeper since the late 20th century. Its function is still active as a minor coastal light, maintaining a fixed or occulting white beam. The range of the light is unknown, but it is likely under 10 nautical miles, given its coastal-approach role.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse itself is not open to the public, but visitors can access the cliff edge immediately below, which offers one of the best panoramas over the Honfleur-Trouville bay, the Seine's estuary, and on a clear day the spires of Le Havre across the water. A small parking area on the D513A and a footpath lead visitors down to the pebble beach ("Plage de la Falaise des Fonds"), popular in summer for its tranquility and tide-pool exploration.

Notable Views and Landscape

The cliff edge offers stunning views of the Honfleur-Trouville bay, the Seine's estuary, and on a clear day the spires of Le Havre across the water. The pebble beach is also worth visiting, popular in summer for its tranquility and tide-pool exploration.

Anecdotes and Folklore

None available at this time.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse was inscribed as a Monuments Historiques (level 3) on December 12, 2003. Its official name is Phare de la Falaise des Fonds, and its managing authority is the French "Service des phares et balises" (Lights and Beacons Service, Direction interrégionale de la mer).

Further Information

The lighthouse is charted on French official nautical charts (SHOM) for the Seine estuary approaches. For further information, consult the Base Mérimée (MHS inventory), IA14003801; SHOM Nautical Chart No. 7270 (Estuaire de la Seine); or Service des phares et balises publications.