Name and Location

Phare Saint-Louis, also known locally as the Phare du Môle Saint-Louis, stands at the seaward tip of the Môle Saint-Louis, the historic eastern breakwater of Port de Sète. Its location is 43°23′48.1″ N, 3°42′06.2″ E, and it can be accessed via the eastern quay of Port de Sète.

Construction and History

The exact date of construction is not precisely documented, but architectural style and records suggest an early-20th-century origin. Originally manned by resident keepers, the light was automated in the late 20th century and has since been remotely monitored. The lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation under French administration.

Architecture and Materials

The Phare Saint-Louis is a cylindrical masonry tower with an external spiral staircase, attached to a one-storey keeper's house (now closed to the public). The tower height is 30 meters above the base, and the focal height is 34 meters above mean sea level. It is constructed of painted white masonry or concrete.

Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is a group-flash of four red flashes every 15 seconds (Fl (4) R 15 s). The light range is 7 nautical miles, making it an important aid to navigation for mariners entering the Gulf of Lion. The lighthouse is shown on SHOM charts covering the Gulf of Lion and Port de Sète.

Accessibility and Visiting

The Môle Saint-Louis is accessible on foot via the eastern quay of Port de Sète. The exterior of the lighthouse can be approached at low tide, but entry into the tower is prohibited.

Notable Views and Landscape

• The Phare Saint-Louis stands against the backdrop of the Thau Lagoon on one side and the open Mediterranean on the other. Visitors photographing from the quay often include fishing boats and the channel's red-green entrance lights in the foreground.
• The area is also known for its sea birds and small pleasure craft.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local mariners sometimes call it "le petit gardien de la passe" ("little guardian of the channel"). Stories persist of an old keeper who reputedly played a wooden flute at dusk to signal shift changes—though no written record confirms this anecdote.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is fully automated, electrified, and controlled remotely by the regional lighthouse service. It remains under the administration of the Service des phares et balises (French Lighthouse and Beacons Service), under the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs.

Further Information

OpenStreetMap feature: way/135812154 (“Môle Saint-Louis Lighthouse”); ANFR (Agence nationale des fréquences) data, August 2019; French Wikipedia (fr): “Phare du môle Saint-Louis”; SHOM nautical charts covering Sète approaches.