Lighthouses of France: Calvados

France (officially the French Republic, République française) has coasts facing south on the Mediterranean Sea, west on the open Atlantic Ocean, and north on the English Channel (La Manche in French). Long a leader in lighthouse design, France has scores of famous and historic lighthouses. And it was a French engineer and physicist, Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788-1837), who invented the powerful and beautiful lenses used in lighthouses around the world.

Normandy is a former duchy in the northwest of France, named for the Vikings ("Northmen") who invaded and settled it in the 9th century. William, Duke of Normandy, conquered England in 1066 and through the end of the 12th century the dukes of Normandy were also kings of England.

Metropolitan (European) France is divided into 13 administrative regions (régions) and the regions are divided into departments (départements). In 2016 the former administrative regions of Basse-Normandie and Haute-Normandie were combined to form a unified Normandie region. This page lists lighthouses of the Calvados Department in Basse-Normandie

This is the Normandy of the D-Day invasion of 6 June 1944, and the entire region saw some of the fiercest fighting of World War II in Western Europe. Very few of the lighthouses in the area escaped damage and many were destroyed.

The French word for a lighthouse, phare, is often reserved for the larger coastal lighthouses; a smaller light or harbor light is called a feu (literally "fire," but here meaning "light") or a balise (beacon). The front light of a range (alignement) is the feu antérieur and the rear light is the feu postérieur. In French île is an island, cap is a cape, pointe is a promontory or point of land, roche is a rock, récife is a reef, baie is a bay, estuaire is an estuary or inlet, détroit is a strait, rivière is a river, and havre is a harbor.

Aids to navigation in France are maintained by the Bureau des Phares et Balises, an agency of the Direction des Affaires Maritimes (Directorate of Maritime Affairs). The Directorate has four regional offices (called Directions Interrégionale de la Mer, or DIRM) at Le Havre, Nantes, Bordeaux, and Marseille. Lights in Normandie are managed by the DIRM Nord-Atlantique Manche Est - Mer du Nord (DIRM-MEMN) at Le Havre.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. FR numbers are from the French light list Feux et signaux de brume, where known. Admiralty numbers are from volume A of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 114.

General Sources
Phares de la DIRM MEMN
Lighthouse information from the DIRM regional office.
Les Sentinelles des Mers - France Nord
Photos and information posted by Guy Detienne.
Le Phare à travers le Monde
A large, well known site maintained by Alain Guyomard and Robert Carceller.
Online List of Lights - France - North Coast West Part and East Part
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Many photos for France are by Capt. Peter Mosselberger ("Capt. Peter").
Phareland, le Site des Phares de France
This comprehensive site has good photos and information about the major lighthouses.
Leuchttürme.net - Frankreich
Photos and notes by Malte Werning.
France Lighthouses
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses in Normandie
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Société Nationale pour le Patrimoine des Phares et Balises (S.N.P.B.)
The French national lighthouse preservation organization.
Französische Leuchttürme
Historic photos and postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
GPSNautical Charts
Navigation chart for Normandy.


Ouistreham Light, Ouistreham, August 2023
Instagram photo by Philippe Boisroux

The Département du Calvados includes the long beach between the base of the Cotentin peninsula and the mouth of the Seine. This is the beach of the famous Normandy landings (D-Day), where Allied troops stormed ashore on 6 June 1944 in the largest seaborne invasion in history.

Grandcamp-Maisy and Port-en-Bessin-Huppain Lighthouses
* Grandcamp-Maisy Jetée Est (1)
1925. Originally an 8 m (26 ft) round cast iron tower, the lighthouse was largely destroyed during the D-Day fighting. A 3 m (10 ft) stump of the tower can still be seen on the jetty, as seen in A. Yannick's photo and Google's satellite view. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo of the modern light (focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red light, occulting twice every 6 s), shown from a steel post off the end of the jetty. Midway on the jetty is the front light of the Grandcamp-Maisy Range. Google has a street view. Accessible by walking the east jetty at Grandcamp-Maisy. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-678; Admiralty A1408; NGA 8504.
* La Maresquerie
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); white light, 3 s on, 1 s off. 12 m (39 ft) white concrete post attached to a 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Trabas has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on a hilltop off the Rue du Petit Maisy about 250 m (820 ft) south of the Grandcamp-Maisy harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-676; Admiralty A1410; NGA 8492.
* [Port-en-Bessin Antérieur (2)]
1905 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white light, occulting three times every 12 s, synchronized with the rear light. 8 m (26 ft) post. A 1-story round fog signal building, standing beside the light, is topped by a siren on a short mast. The siren sounds continuously while rotating through 180°. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Guyomard and Carceller have a photo (bottom of the page), and Google has a satellite view and a closeup street view. Located atop a bluff overlooking the harbor entrance, about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Bayeux. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-605; Admiralty A1400; NGA 8516.
* Port-en-Bessin Postérieur (2)
Date unknown (station established 1854). Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white light, occulting three times every 12 s, synchronized with the front light. 12 m (40 ft) stone keeper's house. The lantern is in the center of the end of the house facing the sea; that end is covered with concrete, painted white. There is a statue of the Virgin at the peak of the house, above the lantern. Trabas has a photo by Thomas Philipp, Guyomard and Carceller have a photo, Werning has a view from the side of the building, Huelse has a historic postcard view (showing the house without the statue), Google has the 2025 street view, at right, and the building is centered in a Google satellite view. The original lighthouse was still present in the 1930s; it was bombed and largely destroyed during the D-Day battles. In 2016 the present lighthouse was purchased by the Diocese of Bayeux. Located on the Rue du Phare overlooking the harbor entrance at Port-en-Bessin, about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Bayeux. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Diocèse de Bayeux et Lisieux. ARLHS FRA-406; Admiralty A1400.1; NGA 8520.
 

Port-en-Bessin Postérieur Light, Port-en-Bessin, September 2025
Google Maps street view

Ver-sur-Mer Lighthouse
 
* Ver-sur-Mer (Pointe de Ver, Juno Beach) (3)
1908 (rebuilt 1950; station established 1808). Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); three white flashes, separated by 2.8 s, every 15 s. 16 m (53 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from 1-story keeper's house complex. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is unpainted gray metal. Nicolas Guerin's 2019 photo is at right, Werning has a good photo,Trabas has a closeup by Arno Siering, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This lighthouse stood on the heights above Juno Beach during the initial D-Day assault by Canadian and other Allied forces. Though the Canadians captured the lighthouse quickly it was heavily damaged in the fighting and had to be rebuilt extensively after the end of the war. Located on the Rue du Pavillon just off the Avenue du 6 Juin in Ver-sur-Mer, about 20 km (13 mi) northwest of Caen. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS FRA-532; FR-439000; Admiralty A1396; NGA 8532.

Ouistreham Lighthouses *
Ouistreham Feu Postérieur (2)
1845 (station established 1828). Inactive since 1888. 23 m (75 ft) square Norman Gothic stone tower of the Église de Saint-Samson. B. and J. Hericourt have a 2022 photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The light was replaced by the Feu des Écluses, a lighthouse that was demolished after the range was deactivated in 1905. Located near the center of Ouistreham. Site open, church open, tower status unknown. ARLHS FRA-687.
*** Ouistreham
1905. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 1 s off. 38 m (125 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery. The lantern, gallery, and watch room are painted red and the rest of the tower white, except the 1-story base is unpainted gray stone. 2-story stone keeper's house. A 2023 photo by Philippe Boisroux is at right, Werning has a fine photo, Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup photo, Nel de Jong Vlaardingen has another good photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a street view and a fine satellite view. This lighthouse stood at the eastern end of the beaches invaded by Allied troops on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Captured by British forces in the initial assault, it escaped destruction by the Germans. The 100th anniversary of the lighthouse was celebrated in June 2005. The lighthouse stands beside the lock at the entrance to the Canal de Caen à la Mer, which allows vessels to reach the city of Caen, 14 km (9 mi) to the south. Note: Ouistreham is pronounced "Weesstrum." Located on the Quai Georges Thierry in Ouistreham, at the mouth of the Orne River. Site open, tower open on weekends in July and August. . Site manager: Le Phare de Ouistreham. ARLHS FRA-377; FR-435000; Admiralty A1377; NGA 8552.

Pointe de Ver Light, Ver-sur-Mer, May 2019
Google Maps photo by Nicolas Guerin
* Ouistreham Jetée de l'Est Feu Postérieur (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); red light occulting four times every 12 s. 25 m (82 ft) triangular cylindrical skeletal tower. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. NGA describes the tower as a "tripod." This is the entrance range for Ouistreham and the Canal de Caen à la Mer. The front light is on a post on the east jetty. Located across the street from the Ouistreham lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty A1381.1; NGA 8572.

Dives-sur-Mer and Trouville-sur-Mer Lighthouses
* Dives-sur-Mer (2)
1937 (station established 1866). Inactive since 2013. 5 m (16 ft) square brick building with a pronounced A-frame roof; the light is shown through a window. Google has a street view, and the tiny lighthouse is centered in a Google satellite view. Located beside the Rue des Bains (D513) at the mouth of the Dives estuary at Dives-sur-Mer, about 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Caen. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-675; ex-Admiralty A1374; ex-NGA 8580.
* Trouville (Deauville) Jetée de l'Ouest
1875. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); quick-flashing green light. 10 m (33 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern, gallery, and six ribs. Tower painted white, lantern green. This is a rare surviving nineteenth century cast iron tourelle. Fred Leloir's photo of the jetty lights is at right, Werning has a photo, Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup, a 2022 photo is available, Andrey Leonov has a street view, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This light is in the commune of Deauville; the east jetty is in Trouville. Located at the end of the jetty on the southwest side of the entrance to Trouville-sur-Mer harbor; accessible by walking the jetty. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-528; Admiralty A1284; NGA 8584.
* Trouville Jetée de l'Est (Pointe de la Cahotte feu antérieur) (3)
About 1952 (station established 1860). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red light occulting once every 4 s, synchronized with the rear light. 10 m (33 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern, gallery, and six ribs. Tower painted white, lantern red. Fred Leloir's photo of the jetty lights is at right, Werning has a good photo, Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup, Bonin Loic has a street view, a closeup 2024 street view is available, and Google has a satellite view. The 1875 lighthouse, a sibling of the west jetty light, was destroyed during World War II and replaced by a copy of the original. The jetty has been extended by a submerged rock breakwater and a new light has been placed at its end. The historic light is retained as the front light of the entrance range. Located at the end of the jetty on the northeast side of the entrance to Trouville-sur-Mer harbor; accessible by walking the jetty. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-527; Admiralty A1283; NGA 8600.

West (left) and East Jetty Lights, Trouville-sur-Mer, August 2016
Google Maps photo by Fred Leloir
* Pointe de la Cahotte (Deauville) feu postérieur (3)
1971 (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red light occulting once every 4 s, synchronized with the front light. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal mast, mounted on a square equipment shelter. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The original lighthouse here was a square masonry tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. The lighthouse was replaced by a 14 m (46 ft) metal pylon in 1909, and the historic building was destroyed by German troops following the D-Day invasion. Located on the Quai Albert Ier at the foot of the east jetty. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-754; Admiralty A1283.1; NGA 8604.

Honfleur Lighthouses
Honfleur is a historic port on the south side of the mouth of the River Seine, directly across from Le Havre. For lighthouses of Le Havre, see the Haute-Normandie page.

* Falaise des Fonds (Le Butin)
1908. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three flashes every 12 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. Werning has a good photo, Trabas has a closeup, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a 2022 street view (seen at right) and a satellite view. The lighthouse appears to be only about 9 m (30 ft) tall but half its original height is now buried below ground level. The lantern and Fresnel lens were transferred from the L'Hôpital lighthouse (next entry) when that light was deactivated in 1908. Falaise is a cliff or bluff. Located on the D513 highway on the south side of the entrance to the Seine estuary about 1.5 km (1 mi) west of Honfleur. There is parking adjacent to the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-280; FR-423000; Admiralty A1290; NGA 8616.

Falaise des Fonds Light, Honfleur, July 2022
Google Maps street view
* Honfleur (Feu de l'Hôpital) (2)
1857 (station established 1792). Inactive since 1908. 25 m (82 ft) unpainted round masonry tower with gallery; lantern removed. Werning has a photo, a 2021 photo is available, Christophe Lauer has another photo, Guyomard and Carceller have several photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view of the lighthouse with its lantern, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Built at the edge of the estuary near the hospital, the lighthouse now stands some distance from the shore, apparently because land has been filled since it was built. It was replaced by the Falaise des Fonds lighthouse in 1908. In 1886 the lighthouse was the subject of a well-known pointillist painting by Georges Seurat. Located on the D513 highway at the northwest edge of Honfleur. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS FRA-682.
* Honfleur Jetée de l'Est (3)
1876 (station established early 1800s). Inactive since 2016. 12 m (40 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a stone base. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo of the active light (red flashing light) on a short post. Werning has a photo, Alban Thiery has a photo, Trabas also has a good photo, another closeup is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The present lighthouse replaced an 1843 masonry tower, which is believed to have replaced an earlier light. Located at the point of the jetty, marking the entrance to the Avant Port in the old city section of Honfleur. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS FRA-103; ex-Admiralty A1294. Active light: Admiralty A1294.5.

Honfleur Light (Feu de l'Hôpital), Honfleur. September 2021
Google Maps photo by L. D.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Haute-Normandie | West: Manche

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted July 6, 2006. Checked and revised December 29, 2024. Lighthouses: 14. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.