Name and Location

The Phare du Grouin du Cou is an active coastal lighthouse located at the western tip of La Tranche-sur-Mer in the Vendée department of the Pays de la Loire region, France. Its official address is 170 Rue du Phare, 85360 La Tranche-sur-Mer, France.

2. Construction and History

The exact date of construction for the Phare du Grouin du Cou is not recorded in available sources, but it is believed to have been built during the 19th or early 20th century. The lighthouse is made of masonry materials with a traditional stone and cement render.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Phare du Grouin du Cou has a cylindrical tower rising from a one-story keeper's house at ground level, painted white with minimal trim. The structure height from base to lantern roof is 16.33 meters.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse is an active aid to navigation, fully automated. Its light characteristic is not specified in public cadastral records, but visitors can consult the French maritime authorities or SHOM for current information on its range and pattern.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The tower is closed to general visitors, but the site can be viewed from the outside. Visitors can reach the lighthouse by car or bicycle via Rue du Phare, with parking available on adjacent streets. A coastal path links to nearby beaches and dunes.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

From the vantage point of the lighthouse, visitors can enjoy panoramic seaward views at sunrise, with the Vendée marshes visible on clear days. The surrounding landscape features low rocky promontories, sand dunes, and maritime pines.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

The name "Grouin du Cou" refers to the rocky spur ("grouin") at the neck ("cou") of the coastal dune system. Local oral histories note a family-run station up until automation in the 1970s, although archival keeper-logbooks have not been digitized.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is managed by the French "Service des Phares et Balises" (Subdivision Vendée). It does not have any publicly listed marine radar installations or on-site visitor center or museum.