Name and Location

The Phare du Stiff (Tour-tan ar Stif) is a historic lighthouse located at the northeastern tip of the island of Ouessant, Finistère, Brittany, France. Its official name is Phare du Stiff, and it has a Breton name, Tour-tan ar Stif. The coordinates are 48°28′28.4″ N, 5°03′24.1″ W.

Construction and History

The first light on the Pointe du Stiff dates back to the late 17th century, as part of the "colbertine 'leading lights'". The present granite tower was constructed between 1847 and 1848 as part of the modernization of lighthouses in the 19th century. Its purpose is to warn ships entering the western approaches to the English Channel and mark the strong currents around Ouessant.

Architecture and Materials

The Phare du Stiff has a mid-19th-century utilitarian maritime architecture style, with a cylindrical tower made of locally quarried granite for both the tower and base. The lantern room is constructed from cast iron. The tower height is 32.5 meters above the base, with a pronounced batter (taper) and a gallery.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse's focal plane is approximately 80 meters above mean sea level, and its light source is a modern electric lamp that replaced the original oil/acetylene lighting. The range of the light is about 20 nautical miles (circa 37 km), with a characteristic pattern of two white flashes every 10 seconds.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse can be reached by car or cycle via the island's ring road, followed by a short coastal path on foot. However, the tower interior is generally closed to the public, although occasional guided visits are organized by the Maison du Littoral or local heritage associations (seasonal, booking required).

Notable Views and Landscape

The Phare du Stiff offers panoramic sea-views south across the Raz de Sein, west toward Pointe de Pern, and north over Ouessant's rugged coast. The surrounding terrain is an exposed granite headland overlooking the open Atlantic, with windswept gorse and maritime heath.

Anecdotes and Folklore

The name "Stiff" is reputedly derived from the Breton word for "platform" or from a local saint invoked by mariners in stormy seas. Keeper's narratives recall shipwrecks on nearby reefs and frequent gale-driven roller-coasters of coal and kerosene ascents up the tight spiral stair.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is an active aid to navigation, with automated operation since the 1990s and unmanned station. It does not have a radar reflector or AIS beacon on the tower itself (although an AIS AtoN may be broadcast from a nearby platform). The light sector is 360 degrees, with two white flashes every 10 seconds.

Further Information

For further information, please refer to:

• Base Mérimée: http://patrimoine.region-bretagne.fr/sdx/sribzh/main.xsp?execute=show_document&id=MERIMEEIA29001799
• SHOM Notices to Mariners (for characteristic and sector updates)
• Office de Tourisme d'Ouessant: https://www.ouessant-tourisme.bzh
• fr:Phare du Stiff (French Wikipedia)