Name and Location

The Pen-Men Lighthouse, also known as Phare de Pen-Men or Tour-tan Penn Maen, is located on Île de Groix, in the Morbihan department of Brittany, France. The exact address is Phare de Pen-Men, Pen Men, 56590 Groix, France, with coordinates 47°38′50.676″ N, 3°30′33.534″ W (47.6474101, –3.5093175).

Construction and History

The Pen-Men Lighthouse was erected in 1849 to replace earlier primitive beacons, as part of a major expansion of French coastal lights under the Direction des Phares et Balises. This granite tower was built to guide shipping off the northeastern coast of Île de Groix.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse is constructed from local granite masonry, with a cylindrical shape featuring a balcony and lantern. The tower stands 28 meters above its base and has a focal height of 60 meters above mean sea level.

Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is a group of four white flashes every 25 seconds (Fl (4) W 25 s), with a nominal range of 29 nautical miles. The light source and optics are modern electric lamps, using a conventional Fresnel optic.

Accessibility and Visiting

The tower itself is closed to visitors, but the surrounding site is freely accessible on foot. Visitors can follow the departmental road around Pointe de Pen-Men, park at the trailhead, and then walk along the coastal footpath (GR 34) to reach the lighthouse. There are no on-site facilities; nearest services can be found in Port-Lay and Groix town.

Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding area offers panoramic views of the Quiberon peninsula, the Atlantic horizon, and neighboring islets at sunset. The coastal geology features dramatic granite cliffs, typical of Groix's "cabocher" rock formations. Visitors can also spot seabirds, seals on offshore rocks, and seasonal wildflowers on the cliffs.

Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local tradition, the Breton name "Penn Maen" means "stone headland." It is said that wrecked vessels' crews once lit signal fires on this promontory to warn others of the shoals. Stories also tell of 19th-century keepers who were often isolated for weeks, facing fierce storms and shipwreck survivors rescued on the rocky shores.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation and is managed by the Service des Phares et Balises (under the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition). Periodic upkeep is performed by the Navy's lighthouse service, with monitoring coordinated via ANFR. The lighthouse has been classified as a Monument historique since 2015, owing to its architectural quality and role in maritime safety.

Further Information

For further reading, please refer to French Wikipedia (fr:Phare de Pen-Men), Wikidata (Q1262928), US NGA Pub. 113 "List of Lights" (2010-10-22), ANFR coastal station record (Aug. 2019), and the Ministère de la Culture database, Monuments historiques (inscription 2015).