Tévennec Lighthouse

Who this place suits

With family

9/10

As a couple

8/10

With friends

8/10

Solo

9/10

With a dog

6/10

Reduced mobility

3/10

These scores are calculated from what the page records: official rating, facilities, difficulty, duration and location. They are a guide, not a substitute for contacting the venue, especially about accessibility.

About

Tévennec is one of those Breton lighthouses whose name far outweighs its size. The lighthouse is only 15 metres tall, but its position on an islet in the Raz de Sein, facing the Baie des Trépassés and the Pointe du Van, gives it incomparable power. Built between 1871 and 1875 to a project associated with the engineers Cheguillaume and Fessard and plans by Léonce Reynaud, it was first lit on 15 March 1875. Its architectural feature is a square tower attached to a small house, designed for keepers in an extremely exposed environment. Twenty-three keepers followed one another until 7 February 1910, when it was automated. From 1898, the administration even tried installing couples, sometimes with their children. The current main light is a quick-flashing light with white and red sectors, with a range of 9.5 miles in the white sector and 6.1 miles in the red. An auxiliary directional light, one flash every four seconds, reaches 13 miles. Since 1994, it has been powered mainly by a solar photovoltaic generator and is remotely controlled. Listed as a historic monument since 2015, Tévennec is the subject of a restoration programme by the DIRM, with work continuing since 2023. The lighthouse cannot be visited. You see it from the Cap Sizun or from a suitable boat trip, always remembering that the Raz de Sein is an area of strong currents and demanding navigation.

What you will see

• Status: not open to visitors.
• Height: 15 m; elevation 29.5 m above the sea.
• Main light: continuous quick flashes with white and red sectors; range 9.5 miles in the white sector, 6.1 miles in the red.
• Auxiliary light: one white flash every 4 seconds in an 8° directional sector; range 13 miles.
• Power: LEDs and a solar photovoltaic generator; remotely controlled.
• History: 1871 to 1875, construction; 15 March 1875, first lighting of the fixed white and red sector light; 1875 to 1910, twenty-three keepers on the islet; from 1898, couples of keepers installed; 7 February 1910, automation and end of permanent keepers; late 1980s, a theory links some of the rock’s noises to a natural sea tunnel; 1994, solar generator installed; 31 December 2015, listed as a historic monument; 2018, dome restored; since 2023, a multi-year restoration programme led by the DIRM.

Practical information

Getting there

A lighthouse at sea, north of the Raz de Sein. Seen from the Pointe du Van, the heights of the Cap Sizun or a suitable boat trip. No visitor access to the islet

Pets

Possible on some coastal routes, subject to local rules and wildlife protection

Accessibility

Depends on the viewpoint chosen on the coast. The islet and the lighthouse are not open to the public

With family

Very interesting with children if told as a story of keepers and navigation. No access inside

Safety

Never attempt an improvised approach by boat. The Raz de Sein has strong currents. From the coast, stay back from the cliffs and areas exposed to the swell

Best time

Clear weather, calm sea and good visibility

Photography

From the Cap Sizun, a long lens is almost essential. Light after a squall or late in the day especially highlights the white house, the rock and the swell

Nearby

The Pointe du Van, the Baie des Trépassés, the Pointe du Raz, La Vieille lighthouse, the Île de Sein, the Cap Sizun reserve

Frequently asked questions

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