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Origin and history

The Chappe du Buat tower is an optical telegraph station built in Saint-Michel-Tubeuf, Orne, Normandy. Built in 1798, it belonged to the Paris-Brest line, which came into service in 1799, and was one of 58 relays spread over 800 km. This network, designed by Claude Chappe, used visual signals transmitted by distant stations from 10 to 12 km. The tower, 19 meters high, was made of flint and pink bricks, with a signalling mechanism now gone.

The Buat tower communicated with the nearby stations of La Lande (Eure) and Saint-Symphorien (Orne). It ceased operations in 1852, with the gradual abandonment of the Chappe system in favour of the electric telegraph. Of the 60 initial relays of the line, only six remains, including this tower. It was listed as a historical monument on 20 November 1992 for its role in the history of telecommunications.

The Chappe telegraph network, operated from 1793 to 1855, met military and civilian needs. The Paris-Brest line, commanded by the Navy, crossed Lower Normandy with 14 stations in the Orne. Stations, positioned at the top of the towers, manually relayed messages via articulated arms. The Buat Tower illustrates this revolutionary technology, a precursor of modern telecommunications, before its decline in the face of electrical innovations.

Today, the tower stands without its original roof, but retains its structure in flint and bricks. Its state of conservation makes it a rare testimony of 18th century engineering. Local events, such as Chappe Telegraph Day, highlight this heritage, highlighting its historical and educational importance.

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