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.  

0063. France - Ault Lighthouse Picture Cancellation

The picture cancellation depicts the Ault Lighthouse in France's Northern Coast.

This Lighthouse station was established in 1885.  But, inactive from 1940 to 1951.

The Lighthouse was located on the Boulevard du Phare in the Ault village about 16 km North of Eu.  The Ault village is one of the famous Tourist place in France having lot many cliffs overlooking the English Channel.

Established in 1885, the Ault Lighthouse:

• Tower is ROUND
• Tower has a Lantern and triple gallery
• Lower 2/3 of the Tower is WHITE reinforced concrete
• Upper portion of the Tower is RED brick
• Lantern and upper Gallery painted RED
• Height is 28 metres
• Colour scheme of the LIGHT is WHITE or RED
• LIGHT character is OCCULTING 3 (three) times every 12 seconds

0031. France (New Caledonia) - Amedee Lighthouse

The Amedee Lighthouse is an Iron Lighthouse located on Amedee Island, 24 km away from Noumea, New Caledonia.

This magnificent Lighthouse, the pride of New Caledonia, is claimed locally to be the World's Tallest Cast Iron Tower.  The Lighthouse was pre-fabricated in France in 1862, shipped halfway around the world and laboriously assembled.

This stamp was released on 25-Nov-1965 to commemorate the 100 years of the Lighthouse.

Built in 1865, the AMEDEE Lighthouse:

• Tower is 16-sided CIRCULAR cast-iron
• Tower is painted WHITE
• Height is 55 meters
• Colour scheme of the LIGHT is WHITE
• LIGHT character is 2 (Two) FLASHES every 15 seconds