Name and Location

Porquerolles Minor Light, also known as Phare de Porquerolles or Petite Balise de Porquerolles, is an unstaffed sea mark located off the northeast coast of Porquerolles Island in the Gulf of Lion, southern France.

Construction and History

The construction era and year built of Porquerolles Minor Light are not recorded. It is a minor coastal light that aids small craft navigating between Porquerolles, Port-Cros, and Hyères mainland harbors.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse has a cylindrical masonry post mounted on a low concrete platform, standing 8 meters above its base and 8 meters above sea level. The structure is made of unpainted concrete, with the light apparatus at the top.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse exhibits an occulting characteristic (Oc) with three white flashes followed by one red flash per cycle, lasting six seconds. It has a visible range of 13 miles in the white sector (150°-230°) and 10 miles in the red sector (230°-150°).

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse tower and lamp room are closed to the public. Accessible only by private boat, visitors can land on the rocky shoreline under calm-sea conditions, but there is no formal dock. Nearby facilities include anchoring possibilities at nearby lanchialét beaches.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse stands on a rocky promontory fringed by maquis scrub and pine woods, overlooking deep-blue Mediterranean waters. The surrounding area is within the Port-Cros National Park marine reserve, with designated paths for landing restricted to those areas.

Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local lore, mariners recount that on moonless nights, the light's alternating white and red occultations helped fishermen align their nets in silhouette against the headland.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is fully automated with no keeper's quarters. It is managed by the Service des Phares et Balises (French Lighthouse Service) and has a standard rotating occulting lens, but no radar or AIS transponder installed.

Further Information

United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Pub. 113 "List of Lights, Radio Aids and Fog Signals" - entry E 0752; French Service des Phares et Balises website (in French); OpenStreetMap feature ID way/203976349; Port-Cros National Park visitor guide (English/French).