Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Canche Lighthouse, also known as the Touquet Lighthouse, was built between 1948 and 1952 to replace two twin lighthouses of 1852, destroyed in 1944 by the Germans during their retirement. The project is entrusted to local architect Louis Quételart, assisted by engineers Biquel and Danel. The choice is based on a central location, between the remains of the old lighthouses, with an octagonal tower of 57.60 m in bricks and concrete, equipped with a lantern accessible by 309 steps. The works, led by the engineer Caridroit, began in March 1948, but Quételart died before completion, leaving his son Pierre to finalize the work.

The lighthouse was commissioned in September 1951, although the finishes (gardens, gate) were only completed in 1956. Its lantern, equipped with Fresnel lenses and 3,000 W lamps, was automated in 2001. Ranked a historic monument in 2011, it symbolizes post-war reconstruction and adaptation to modern technologies. The auxiliary buildings (guardian's building, service) and the garden have been registered since 2010. The lighthouse ceased to be inhabited in 1992, but reopened to the public in 2010 after years of closure due to the 1993 floods.

Prior to 1944, two twin lighthouses of 1852, 58 m high, guided the ships at the mouth of the Canche, dangerous because of its sand banks. Designed by the engineer Pigault de Beaupré, they operated on rapeseed oil and then oil, before switching to electricity in 1884. The southern lighthouse, transformed into a flashlight in 1900, was the only one operational until its destruction. Their history reflects technical progress and maritime challenges from the 19th to the 20th century, in an area marked by many shipwrecks.

A semaphore, built in 1839 near the Bay of La Canche, completed this device. Displaced in 1893 to improve visibility, he played a key role during the two world wars, serving as a surveillance post before being destroyed in 1982. Its location, on the boulevard de la Mer, became a popular place to walk, illustrating the tourist evolution of the Touquet-Paris-Plage.

The lighthouses of 1852 were built after a series of shipwrecks in the 1840s, pushing the authorities to act. Their construction, led by Pigault de Beaupré, used bricks and marble from Belgium, with fixed lights visible 33 miles away. Their destruction in 1944 marked the end of an era, but their legacy continues through the current lighthouse, a witness to local engineering and maritime history.

Future

Visits have been possible since 18 September 20102. This monument was built in concrete and brick.

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