Name and Location

The Phare de Terre-Nègre is a historic lighthouse tower located in Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, France, overlooking the Bay of Royan on the Atlantic coast. Its official name is Phare de Terre-Nègre, and it holds the classification of Monument historique with a heritage category III (mhs).

Construction and History

The Phare de Terre-Nègre was built in the 18th century (circa 1700-1800) as a private coastal signal to guide local fishing boats and small craft into Royan Bay. Although it never served as a major seagoing beacon, it played an important role as a landmark for local navigation. The lighthouse has been decommissioned since the 19th or early 20th century (specific dates unrecorded), and its light has not been maintained for navigation purposes.

Architecture and Materials

The Phare de Terre-Nègre is a vernacular coastal architecture structure with a slender square or slightly tapering stone tower rising from a residential pavilion. The building materials are local limestone or rubble stone with lime mortar, traditional slate or tile roofing on attached living quarters, and an estimated height of 8-12 meters above its base.

Light and Navigation

The Phare de Terre-Nègre no longer serves as an active aid to navigation, as it is not maintained for light transmission. Historical specifications regarding the focal height, light range, and characteristic are also unavailable.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse tower is part of a private estate and is not open to the public. Visitors can view the structure from the adjacent coastal path (GR4 footpath) and public roadway (Rue du Brick).

Notable Views and Landscape

From its location on limestone cliffs above the Atlantic, the Phare de Terre-Nègre offers sweeping panoramic views of Royan Bay, Pointe de la Coubre in the distance, and the Plage du Platin to the south. The surrounding environment is characterized by pine-and-oak woodland typical of the Royan peninsula.

Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local tradition, a small oil-lamp on the tower once guided lobster-fishing boats home on foggy nights. However, no archival records confirm an official signal license for this purpose (this remains a local legend).

Technical and Operational Details

The Phare de Terre-Nègre is privately owned and managed under the supervision of the French Ministry of Culture for heritage matters. It is not automated or operational for navigation purposes.

Further Information

For further information, refer to Base Mérimée (Ministère de la Culture) PA17000094 “Phare de Terre-N��gre,” French Wikipedia https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phare_de_Terre-N%C3%A8gre, data.gouv.fr – Cadastre-DGI “way/74111387,” and SHOM nautical chart 6141 Royan – La Tremblade.