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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Planier Lighthouse is a high seas lighthouse located on the island of Planier, off Marseille. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages, with a first tower built in 1320 under Robert d'Anjou. Over the centuries, several lighthouses have succeeded each other on this strategic site, marked by many shipwrecks due to the surrounding reefs.

In 1774, a 9-metre-high cylindrical tower was erected, equipped with a lamp lamp. In 1829, a new 36-metre lighthouse was built, followed in 1881 by a 59-metre tower, electrified and equipped with an advanced optical system. The latter was destroyed in 1944 by German troops, requiring reconstruction.

The current lighthouse, designed by architects Arbus and Crillon, was lit in 1959. It is 66.37 metres high and is automated in 1986. Its ancillary buildings, organised around a central courtyard, once housed housing and technical premises. Ranked a historic monument in 2012, the site remains a symbol of Marseille maritime heritage.

Several rehabilitation projects (inn, educational centre, scientific station) have been envisaged since its automation, but no successful projects have been completed. The lighthouse, with its three-horned siren and modern optics, continues to guide ships in this area with high maritime traffic.

The island of Planier, classified with the lighthouse and its annexes, is a place full of history, reflecting the evolution of the techniques of maritime lighting and the functional architecture of the twentieth century. Its eclectic style and its isolated position at sea make it a unique monument in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

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