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Origin and history

The Vallières Lighthouse, also known as the Port Lighthouse, is a maritime building built between 1898 and 1902 on the cliff of Vallières, in Saint-Georges-de-Didonne (Charente-Maritime). Designed by the sub-engineer of the Bridges and Chaussées Émile Gabaud and realized by the entrepreneur Simon Brunet, it replaces a beacon deemed insufficient to guide the ships to the Gironde estuary. Its architecture, combining size stones and granite, is inspired by a classic vocabulary with a 29-metre square tower topped by a 7-metre lantern.

At the end of the 19th century, the Gironde estuary was a strategic maritime crossroads, but dangerous because of its sand banks. The lighthouse is part of a marking system including the Suzac and Terre Nègre lights, designed to secure access to the port. Its alignment with Suzac allowed ships to avoid shoals, a major innovation for the time.

The lighthouse underwent modifications after its construction, including electrification in 1947 to modernize its lighting system. During World War II, it was damaged by shells during the fighting for the release of Royan's pocket in 1945, requiring partial reconstruction. These stigmas, visible on its northern facade, testify to its role in local history.

Disused in 1969 after the construction of the Verdon oil port, which moves the passes northward, the lighthouse loses its primary function. However, it is recognized for its architectural and historical heritage, benefiting from an inscription in 2011 for its outbuildings and a ranking in 2012 for historical monuments. Today, the Vallières Lighthouse is open to the public from June to September, offering a panoramic view of the beauty coast and the Médoc.

A symbol of the maritime heritage of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, it attracts visitors for its history, architecture and exceptional panorama. Its protection ensures the preservation of this testimony of the navigation techniques of the early twentieth century.

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