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Origin and history

The Cape Ferret lighthouse, located on the eponymous peninsula between the Arcachon Basin and the Atlantic Ocean, was originally built in 1840 as a 47.7 m high truncated tower, with an elevation of 51 m. Considered in 1792, its realization was delayed and entrusted to the entrepreneur Escarraguel in 1836, despite technical and financial difficulties (exceeding 72% of the initial budget). The lighthouse was electrified in 1929, but destroyed in August 1944 by the Germans when they retired.

Reconstructed between 1946 and 1948 according to plans similar to the original, the new lighthouse was inaugurated in 1949. With a height of 52.1 m (62 m elevation), it takes over the dodecagonal structure painted in white and red, with a red flashing light every five seconds. Its entrance is decorated with a pediment bearing the dates 1840 and 1947, framing a bas-relief maritime, while the lobby houses a mosaic of Auguste Labouret and busts of Beautemps-Beaupré and Augustin Fresnel.

Automatized in 1995, the lighthouse has been listed as a historic monument since 2009. Open to the public, it offers a staircase of 258 steps leading to a panorama of the Arcachon basin and the ocean. An accompanying exhibition traces the topographical history of the region, while a blockhouse of the Occupation, still visible, recalls its tormented past.

The first lighthouse, built by the entrepreneur Escarraguel, experienced major cost overruns (72%) due to problems of stone extraction and foundations deeper than expected. Despite his repeated claims for compensation, they were systematically rejected by engineer Deschamps, responsible for the project. These financial difficulties led the contractor to bankruptcy after the construction site was completed.

The current headlight, with its metal lantern and 0.70 m focal lens, uses a mercury tank and a 1000W halogen lamp, offering a range of 22.5 miles. Its architecture combines smooth masonry, apparent stone crowning and modern technical elements, such as the elevator installed in the adjacent building housing machines and staff quarters.

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