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Origin and history

The La Roque lighthouse is a flagship house built in the 2nd quarter of the 19th century on the tip of the Roque, in Saint-Samson-de-la-Roque (Eure), to secure navigation in the Seine estuary. Designed by architect Léonce Reynaud, this innovative model incorporated a lantern into a home for the guardian and his family, allowing a permanent presence on site. The building, built in 1849 and commissioned in 1850, peaks at more than 50 meters above the estuary, with a white fixed light initially fed by traditional means.

In 1900, the lighthouse was upgraded by electrification via a petrol generator, but it was permanently extinguished as early as 1909 (or 1910 depending on the sources), marking the end of its operational use. Its optics are then dismantled, although the brass lantern and its staircase remain. The site offers a panoramic view of Le Havre, Honfleur, and the bridges of Normandy and Tancarville, highlighting its strategic role in the regional maritime landscape.

Ranked as a Historic Monument since September 15, 2011, the lighthouse — owned by the Eure department — retains remarkable elements such as its exterior sidewalk and its original structure. Its early decommissioning and its location between the Risle and the Marais-Vernier make it a rare testimony of the 19th century terrestrial lighthouses, mixing architectural heritage and history of techniques.

The project is part of a broader lighting plan launched in 1837 and refined in 1847, providing four lighthouses for the estuary. La Roque's flagship house thus illustrates a pivotal period in which maritime safety is becoming more professional, while reflecting the logistical challenges of the era (isolation of guards, maintenance of fires).

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