Name and Location

Phare de Port-Navalo, also known as Tour-tan Porzh Noaloù in Breton, is an active coastal lighthouse located on a rocky promontory at the tip of the Presqu’île de Rhuys, Brittany, France. The address is 9 Rue du Phare, 56640 Arzon, Morbihan, and its coordinates are 47°32′52.6″ N, 2°55′05.8″ W (decimal 47.5479322, −2.9182919). You can find the lighthouse on OpenStreetMap: https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=47.54793&mlon=-2.91829#map=17/47.54793/-2.91829.

2. Construction and History

Phare de Port-Navalo was constructed in the mid-19th century, replacing an earlier daymark that guided coastal traffic through the narrow approach to the Gulf of Morbihan. The lighthouse was officially commissioned by the French Lighthouse Service and first lit in the early 1850s.

3. Architecture and Materials

The tower is cylindrical, tapered stone (local granite), rendered white. The lantern and gallery are cast-iron balcony supporting a typical 19th-century lantern room. The height of the tower rises approximately 12 meters above its base. The style is functional mid-19th-century maritime architecture with minimal ornamentation and a clean, whitewashed finish to maximize daytime visibility.

4. Light and Navigation

Phare de Port-Navalo is a major coastal light with a characteristic three white flashes every 15 seconds (Fl (3) W 15 s). The range of the lighthouse is approximately 17 nautical miles under clear conditions. The light is fully automated and monitored remotely by the French Service des phares et balises.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The site is freely accessible on foot via Rue du Phare. However, the tower interior is closed to the public, and there are no regular guided climbs. The best viewing points are a small parking area at the end of Rue du Phare and a coastal footpath (“Sentier des Douaniers”) that offers panoramic views. There are benches and interpretive panels but no onsite café or restrooms. Nearby attractions include beaches in Port-Navalo, Pointe du Bil, sailing clubs in Arzon, and boat tours of the Gulf of Morbihan.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse stands on a low, rocky headland fringed by heath and granite outcrops. From southward lies the wide expanse of the Bay of Quiberon, while from northward are narrow tidal channels leading into the Gulf of Morbihan. At low tide, tidal flats and scattered islets are visible.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Former keepers’ quarters (now private residences) lie just inland along Rue du Phare. Local sailors tell of a phantom bell that sounds on stormy nights—likely the echo of waves in nearby caverns. Occasional art and photography exhibitions are staged on the promontory during the summer season.

8. Technical and Operational Details

Phare de Port-Navalo is still in operation as part of France’s national network of lighthouses, managed by the Direction des Phares et Balises (Ministry of Transport/Ministry of Environment). The nautical chart reference is French SHOM chart 7140 (entrée du golfe du Morbihan).

9. Further Information

For further reading and references, please visit: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phare_de_Port-Navalo; OpenStreetMap feature: way/171076270; Wikidata entry: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46015; SHOM nautical chart 7140 (Gulf of Morbihan); “France’s Coastal Lighthouses,” Jean-Claude Gransard, éditions Ouest-France, 2010.