Name and Location

Phare de l'Ilette is a small coastal lighthouse located on the southern shore of the Cap d'Antibes in the Alpes-Maritimes department of southeastern France. It marks a low-lying point near the entrance to several small mooring basins south of the town of Antibes and assists vessels navigating the sheltered waters of Port de la Salis and adjacent anchorages.

2. Construction and History

The exact date of construction for Phare de l'Ilette is unavailable. However, it may have been built in the early 20th century when numerous minor lights were erected along the Côte d'Azur to serve growing pleasure-craft traffic. The lighthouse has no formal heritage designation, but it is recognized as a man-made structure by Wikidata.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Phare de l'Ilette is a small square tower, often described in maritime listings as a "post light" or "harbor light". It likely consists of reinforced concrete or masonry, painted white with a contrasting lantern top. The height of the structure is not published, but the focal plane is estimated to be approximately 8-12 meters above mean sea level.

4. Light and Navigation

The characteristic of the Phare de l'Ilette's light is not officially published in French Aids to Navigation lists accessible online. It may have a green sector or fixed green light, which is common for minor harbor beacons marking port sides. The range is estimated to be 3-5 nautical miles. The lighthouse is presumed fully automated and remotely monitored by the French Phares et Balises network.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse stands at the end of a narrow private road (Chemin de la Mosquée) and appears to be on fenced or locked property; no public tours are offered. There are no visitor facilities, museum or interpretive panels. The closest public vantage point is the coastal path toward Cap d'Antibes, from which the lighthouse can be photographed at a distance.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The Phare de l'Ilette overlooks the Baie des Milliardaires to the east and the small bays south of Antibes to the west. It provides a modest viewpoint of the coastal skyline - Antibes old town to the northeast, Cap d'Antibes peninsula to the west. The foothills behind are wooded with Mediterranean scrub (garrigue) and scattered villas.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

There are no widely reported legends or keeper stories about Phare de l'Ilette. Given its small size and automated status, it has not figured prominently in maritime lore.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is managed by the Service des Phares et Balises under the French Ministry of the Sea. It appears on SHOM chart 7642 (Côte d'Azur) and corresponding Admiralty chart. There is no known AIS transmitter or radar facility installed on site.

9. Further Information

• https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/129571623">OpenStreetMap: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/129571623
• https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33246342">Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q33246342
• https://www.shom.fr">SHOM catalogue of nautical charts: https://www.shom.fr