Construction of lighthouse 1834-1837 (≈ 1836)
Directed by engineer Jules Dufresne.
1906
Installation of Fresnel lens
Installation of Fresnel lens 1906 (≈ 1906)
Increased luminous power in the Mediterranean.
1944
Rescue by Joseph Pellegrino
Rescue by Joseph Pellegrino 1944 (≈ 1944)
Avoid destruction during the war.
13 septembre 2012
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 13 septembre 2012 (≈ 2012)
Official protection of the lighthouse and its base.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Jules Dufresne - Engineer
Directed the construction of the lighthouse (1834-1837).
Joseph Pellegrino - Lightkeeper
Saved the lighthouse in 1944, decorated.
Origin and history
The lighthouse of Cap d'Arme is located on the southern tip of the island of Porquerolles, dependent on the town of Hyères in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Built between 1834 and 1837 under the direction of engineer Jules Dufresne, it is distinguished by a structure with two superimposed square levels, built of exposed stones. Its lantern, surmounted by a cornice, offers a luminous range of 54 km, reinforced in 1906 by a lens of Fresnel, making it one of the most powerful lighthouses in the Mediterranean.
In 1944, guard Joseph Pellegrino saved the lighthouse of destruction during the Second World War, an act of bravery that earned him the Legion of Honour. The monument, electrified in 1952 and automated in 1971, was classified as historical monuments in 2012 for its architecture and heritage role. It overlooks a central terrace and offers an exceptional panorama of the island, the hyères and the Maures mountains.
The lighthouse embodies both a technical heritage, with its suspended stone staircase and its historic lens, and a symbol of resistance, linked to the commitment of its guardian. Its strategic location on the island of Porquerolles, now protected, makes it an emblematic place of Mediterranean maritime heritage.
