First project validated 1794 (≈ 1794)
Order of the Public Salvation Committee for a Lighthouse.
1798
Construction interrupted
Construction interrupted 1798 (≈ 1798)
Lightning destroys the tower under construction.
1829
New approved project
New approved project 1829 (≈ 1829)
Lighthouse Commission validates a building.
1835
Amended plan
Amended plan 1835 (≈ 1835)
Fully square tower adopted.
1836-1839
Construction and commissioning
Construction and commissioning 1836-1839 (≈ 1838)
Current built and operational Phare.
1949
Electricity
Electricity 1949 (≈ 1949)
Modernisation of the lighting system.
31 décembre 2015
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 31 décembre 2015 (≈ 2015)
Protection of the lighthouse and its annexes.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The Pen-Men Lighthouse, located on the island of Groix, in full as well as the enclosures, facades and roofs of the attached buildings, including the building of the mist siren (Box ZA 1, 170): inscription by order of 31 December 2015
Key figures
Thévenard - Minister of Marine
Proposes the first lighthouse in 1794.
Léonor Fresnel - Engineer
Designs the current lighthouse in the 19th century.
Alexandre Potel - Engineer
Collaborate in the construction of the lighthouse.
Origin and history
The Pen-Men Lighthouse is a flagship house located on Groix Island, Morbihan, southeast of Pen-Men Point. Built in 1836 and put into service in 1839, it replaces a first project aborted in 1798, destroyed by lightning. This lighthouse, the most powerful of Morbihan with a range of 54 km, is characterized by a square tower overtaking a rectangular building housing rooms and technical rooms.
In 1794, a decree of the Public Salvation Committee validates a first lighthouse on the proposal of the minister of Marine Thévenard. The construction, begun in 1798, was abandoned after the collapse of the cylindrical tower due to unstable soil. In 1829, a new project was approved 200 m from the ruins of the first. The original plan of 1835, providing for a hybrid tower (circular base square), was modified for a fully square tower to distinguish it from the Belle-Île lighthouse. The lighthouse was electrified in 1949.
The site, listed as a historic monument in 2015, includes the lighthouse, its enclosure, and related buildings such as the mist mermaid. The Point of Pen-Men, where it stands, is part of a protected nature reserve, managed by the Conservatoire du littoral. It is home to a rare bird fauna, nestling in cliffs. The lighthouse, although automated, remains guarded and plays a key role in the area's maritime signage.
Architects Léonor Fresnel and Alexandre Potel contributed to its design. The lighthouse illustrates the technical evolution of maritime signage in the 19th century, combining functionality and integration into a preserved ecosystem. Its history also reflects the technical and natural challenges encountered during its construction, from climatic hazards to geological constraints.
Today, the Pen-Men lighthouse remains a symbol of Breton maritime heritage, combining industrial history, characteristic architecture and environmental protection. Its automation did not remove the human presence, stressing its strategic importance for navigation in the Atlantic.
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