Name and Location

The Sémaphore de la pointe du Raz is a coastal signal station located at 321 La Pointe du Raz, 29770 Plogoff, Finistère, Brittany, France. Its official coordinates are 48°02′19.8″ N, 4°43′54.3″ W.

Construction and History

Commissioned in 1886 and completed late that year, the Sémaphore de la pointe du Raz was built as part of France's 19th-century chain of semaphore stations. It has been monitoring maritime traffic, weather, and sea conditions along one of Europe's most treacherous shorelines since the late 1800s.

Architecture and Materials

The station is a typical late-19th-century Breton semaphore house, featuring two-storey living quarters with an attached lookout tower (cloche-like observation room). It was constructed using locally quarried granite masonry with a slate roof.

Light and Navigation

Although the Sémaphore de la pointe du Raz does not have an optical apparatus or lantern, it uses X-band coastal radar, AIS receiver/transponder, and VHF marine radio for communication. Until mid-20th century, signal flags and an optical shutter system were used to communicate with neighboring stations.

Accessibility and Visiting

The station itself is closed to visitors, but the rocky promontory and its immediate grounds are open year-round free of charge. A well-waymarked pedestrian path (GR 34) leads from the car park at Pointe du Raz to the semaphore in about 10 minutes on rocky terrain; stout footwear recommended.

Notable Views and Landscape

The site offers a panoramic seascape, with Île de Sein to the west, Raz de Sein currents below, and on clear days, the lights of Ushant (Ouessant) to the north.

Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local legend, the semaphore's old kerosene lantern would glow without fuel on stormy nights, warning of shipwrecks to come. During WWII, the station was briefly occupied by German coastal forces; some internal modifications date back to that era (air-raid shelter).

Technical and Operational Details

The Sémaphore de la pointe du Raz is managed by Préfecture maritime de l'Atlantique (French Navy) / Direction interrégionale de la mer Nord-Atlantique – Manche Ouest. It continues to relay vessel positions, weather data, and sea-state observations; it plays a key role in regional SAR coordination.

Further Information

For further information, please consult the Service des phares et balises leaflet "Les sémaphores de Bretagne," SHOM chart no. 6878, French Wikipedia (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sémaphore_de_la_pointe_du_Raz), and regional tourism site (Pays Bigouden – Cap Sizun).