0199. France - Point of Penmarc'h Lighthouse Permanent PostMark

The Point of Penmarc'h is a small peninsula in Finistere in Brittany in North-Western France and is the Northern limit of the Bay of Biscay.  It house(s) three Lighthouse(s) which were established in three different period(s).  The Lighthouse(s) were located in Saint-Pierre, on the point of Penmarc'h, South-West of the town of Penmarc'h.

Penmarc'h Lighthouse (1) :

The first Penmarc'h Lighthouse was built in 1831.  Its a 15 meter high SQUARE stone tower with castellated top.  This Lighthouse town, is said to have been used to display an open fire during the 15th and 16th centuries.  Today, a French Navy Signal Station stands next to the old tower.  The Lighthouse was in-active from 1835 onwards.

Penmarc'h Lighthouse (2) :

The second Penmarc'h Lighthouse was established in 1835.  Its a 40 meter high ROUND stone tower rising from a 2-storey keeper's house.  The tower is unpainted and the Lighthouse was a twin of the Ile-de-Batz Light in Northern Finistere.  Since 1897, the Lighthouse was in-active and it now house(s) the Maritime Museum.

Penmarc'h Lighthouse (3) :

The third Penmarc'h Lighthouse was established in 1897.  Its a 65 meter high SQUARE granite tower with lantern, Octagonal granite watch room and gallery.  The Lighthouse tower is unpainted and the lantern is painted white.  The Lighthouse was dedicated to the memory of Napoleon-Louis Davout, Prince d'Echmuhl.  It is one of the most impressive Lighthouse(s) ever built on the French mainland and one of the World's tallest Lighthouse.  It is standing at the South-Western corner of Finistere.  The centennial of the Lighthouse was celebrated in 1997.

To commemorate the Centennial, the Point of Penmarc'h Lighthouse(s) were pictured in the Permanent Postmark released on 21-Aug-1997.

My sincere thanks to Reto Muller from Switzerland for sending me this French PostMark of Penmarc'h Lighthouse.