Name and Location

The Old Lighthouse of Île Vierge, also known as Tour-tan Kozh Enez Werc'h ("Old Tower of Île Vierge"), is located at coordinates 48°38′21″ N, 4°34′04″ W, off the commune of Plouguerneau (29880), Finistère, Brittany, France. The lighthouse's official name is Vieux phare de l’Île Vierge.

Construction and History

The Old Lighthouse of Île Vierge was constructed between 1844 and 1845. It was first lit in mid-1845 under the direction of the French Lighthouse Service (Service des phares et balises). The purpose of the lighthouse was to mark the entrance to Aber Wrac’h and the approaches to Brest. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1902 upon the commissioning of the new Île Vierge Lighthouse.

Architecture and Materials

The Old Lighthouse of Île Vierge is a classical mid-19th-century tower with a sturdy form and minimal ornamentation. It is constructed using local granite masonry (core and exterior ashlar).

Light and Navigation

The original optics of the lighthouse featured a six-lamp Argand apparatus with parabolic reflectors, producing a fixed white light (F W) with a nominal range of approximately 9 nautical miles.

Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can access the lighthouse by foot at low tide via a causeway across tidal flats or by small boat at high tide. Guided tours are available from June to September, organized by the commune, and advance booking is recommended. The interior features 96 granite steps leading to a crenellated gallery, but there is no lift.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse offers a 360° panorama over Aber Wrac’h, île de Térénez, Pointe de Corsen, and, on clear days, the Armorican massif. The surrounding landscape features salt marsh bird sanctuaries, tidal flats, and estuaries.

Anecdotes and Folklore

A statue of the Virgin Mary erected on the island in 1850 gave "Île Vierge" its name. Local fisher families still leave flowers at her feet. Keeper Armand Le Goff (1882–1902) reputedly rescued crew from the fishing vessel Marianne during a gale in 1897; his journal is held in Brest archives.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse was not automated, as it was decommissioned in 1902. There are no current charts or AIS/radar installed on the old tower. Local pilots use the new taller lighthouse for visual reference and the old tower serves as a secondary landmark at dawn/dusk.

Further Information

For further information, please refer to "Les Phares de Bretagne," Phares et Balises (French Lighthouse Service) brochure, 2019; "Phare de l’Île Vierge," fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phare_de_l’Île_Vierge; Base Mérimée: IM29000582 (Monument historique listing); and Conservatoire du littoral: https://www.conservatoire-littoral.fr/.