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Origin and history

The Goulphar Lighthouse, also known as the Great Lighthouse of Kervilahouen, is located in the commune of Bangor, in Belle-Île-en-Mer (Morbihan, Brittany). Built between 1826 and 1835 on the plans of Augustin Fresnel, it replaces the ruins of the 1st Fortin Fouquet. Launched in January 1836, this granite landing light peaks at 52.25 metres (92 metres above sea level) and houses a Fresnel lens with a 50 km range, one of the most powerful in Brittany. Its optical system, initially operated by a manually raised counterweight, was modernized in 1953 by a mercury engine and tank.

In 1882 a fog horn connected to the lighthouse by a compressed air pipe was installed near Goulphar's manse. The site, including the lighthouse, its technical buildings and the mermaid, was listed as a historic monument in 1995, then listed in 2011. Electrified in 1992 and automated in 2000, the lighthouse now houses a remote control centre for the Morbihan lighthouses and a differential GPS station. His permanent exhibition traces the history of lighthouses, public service beacons and aids to navigation.

Open to the public, the lighthouse offers an ascent of 247 steps leading to a panoramic balcony 43 metres high. The engine room, which is still active, houses current motors and electrical systems. Although the lens and the watchroom (containing mercury) are inaccessible, five museum rooms on the ground floor present the technical and historical evolution of the site. The lighthouse remains a major symbol of Breton maritime heritage, combining 19th century innovation and modern technologies.

The original plans, preserved at the National Archives, date from 1831 to 1900 and bear witness to Fresnel's pioneering engineering. The lighthouse mechanism was also exposed at the Universal Exhibition of 1855 in Paris. Today, the site combines heritage preservation and operational function, illustrating the adaptation of lighthouses to contemporary navigation needs.

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