Lighthouse of the Caravelle, located at the tip of the Caravelle

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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The lighthouse of the Caravelle, located at the east end of Martinique on the peninsula of the Caravelle, was built between 1860 and 1861 under Napoleon III. Built at the top of a basaltic peak, it peaks at 162.55 meters above the sea, making it the highest lighthouse in France despite its modest size (a square turret made of stone and stone). It was commissioned in 1862 and initially operated by oil steam, before being automated in 1970 under the control of the lighthouses and beacons of Fort-de-France.

Little modified since its construction, the lighthouse illustrates 19th century techniques combining traditional stone and metal structure, a singularity in Martinique. His story is marked by the isolation of his guards, working in teams of two for six consecutive days. The caretakers' house, located below, today preserves accounts of their daily life and the technical functioning of the lighthouse, including its energy evolutions: gas (1970), wind turbine (1982-1992), generator group (1992), and solar panels (1996).

The site offers an exceptional 360° panorama, including the bays of the Trésor and Galion, the village of Tartane, and in clear weather, the island of Dominica. Close to the ruins of Dubuc Castle, the lighthouse has been listed as a historic monument since December 16, 2013. It remains the oldest of the four lighthouses still active in Martinique and symbolizes the adaptation of marine infrastructures to island constraints. His image was taken up in 2020 by La Poste in a series of stamps dedicated to the Repères de nos cots.

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