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Origin and history

The Grand-Charpentier lighthouse, located 1.3 miles off the point of Chemoulin in Saint-Nazaire, was built between 1884 and 1887 to mark the navigation channel of the Loire estuary. This 27.60-metre high lighthouse at sea is a truncated tower in granite masonry topped by a green lantern. It replaces a series of beacons and turrets destroyed by storms between 1826 and 1887. Its access, difficult, is only through a 56-metre pier, practical before the low sea.

In 1808, architect Mathurin Crucy proposed a pyramidal lighthouse project inspired by the Egyptian countryside, as part of a vast plan to develop the port of Saint-Nazaire presented to Napoleon I. Although the idea has been retained, the project remains in the drawing state. The current construction, decided in 1883, was carried out by entrepreneur Renaud at a cost of 300,000 francs gold. The lighthouse was first lit on 16 January 1888, equipped with a 5 seconds regular flashing light.

During World War II, the lighthouse was extinguished and re-lit only in August 1945. Between 1954 and 1967, he underwent several modernisations: installation of an aerogenator in 1954, electrification in 1966, and automation in 1967, although the guards remained until 1972. A helicopter platform, added in 1967, was dismantled in 1987. The lighthouse is listed for historical monuments on November 22, 2011.

On 17 June 1940, near the lighthouse, the shipwreck of the RMS Lancastria, torn by the Germans, marked a tragic episode of World War II. Today, the lighthouse is not visiting and remains a key element of the estuary's marine signalling system, alongside other lighthouses such as the Banche or Pillar.

The current Batz-sur-mer granite structure includes a cylindrical tower with a helical cast iron staircase, three interior levels (store, kitchen, guard rooms), and a lantern modified in 1967. Its sparkling fire, with white, red and green areas, has a range of 14 miles. The access pier, made of stone, allows a limited landing, reflecting the logistical constraints of this lighthouse at sea.

The lighthouse of the Grand-Charpentier illustrates the evolution of maritime signalling techniques, from the 19th century iron beacons to modern automation, while at the same time testifying to the port and military history of Saint-Nazaire and the Loire estuary.

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