Stiff Lighthouse, Ouessant: lighthouse in Brittany

Commissioned by Vauban and first lit in 1700, the Stiff is one of the oldest working lighthouses in France: 104 steps at the highest point of Ouessant, facing the Iroise Sea.

Suggested time: 45 minutes to 1 h 30
Type of place: Historic lighthouse open to visitors · one of the oldest in France
Atmosphere: Historic and panoramic, three centuries at the top of Ouessant
Getting there: Île d’Ouessant, 29242 · boat from Le Conquet or Brest, then on across the island

Who this place suits

With family: 6/10
As a couple: 8/10
With friends: 7/10
Solo: 8/10
With a dog: 3/10
Reduced mobility: 0/10

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

At the highest point of Ouessant, some sixty metres above the waves, the Stiff lighthouse has kept watch for more than three centuries. It all began with an inspection by Vauban in 1685, who recommended to Louis XIV a tower to mark the dangers north-west of Brest: the building went up in 1695 and its light was first lit in 1700. Its two joined, truncated stone towers rise to about 32 metres, some 85 metres above the sea. First fuelled by coal, then by oil from 1889, electrified in 1957 and automated in 1993, it is now remotely controlled from the Créac’h lighthouse and shows two red flashes every 20 seconds, visible 24 miles away, more than 40 kilometres. Listed as a historic monument in 2011, it is the second-oldest working lighthouse in France after Cordouan. Unlike the “hell” lighthouses lost out at sea, the Stiff can be visited: you climb its 104 steps to take in, on a fine day, the whole archipelago, the Iroise Sea and, right next door, the striking Stiff radar tower that watches over the Ouessant shipping lane.

What you will see

Commissioned by Vauban as early as 1685, built in 1695 and first lit in 1700.
Two joined, truncated towers at the highest point of Ouessant (about 60 m above sea level).
The second-oldest working lighthouse in France after Cordouan, listed as a historic monument in 2011.
A light of two red flashes every 20 seconds, with a range of 24 miles (more than 40 km).
Open to visitors from April to the end of September: 104 steps up to the lantern.
Next door, the striking Stiff radar tower watching over the Ouessant shipping lane.

Practical information

Best time: Fine weather for the panorama; open from April to the end of September

Tips on the spot

Check the visit status on the day before you travel, and do not confuse access to the site, the foot of the lighthouse and the inside of the tower.
For a lighthouse open to visitors, check the time of the last climb, not just the closing time.
For a lighthouse at sea, only watch it from a boat run by a professional or from a safe viewpoint on land.
Bring a windproof layer, even in summer; stairs and galleries can be slippery with rain or spray.
With children, check the number of steps and any minimum age; with vertigo, the climb to the gallery is not for everyone.

Show 10 more tips

Working lighthouses are maritime safety equipment: respect all restricted technical areas.
For photos, use a wide angle at the foot of the lighthouse and a telephoto lens for lighthouses seen from a distance.
On an island, check the last boat back before starting the visit.
On cliffs, stay behind the barriers and on the paths; keep dogs on a lead in nature reserves.
Visits can be cancelled at the last minute for safety reasons.
Open from April to the end of September; in 2026, from 5 April, 11 am to 6 pm (Wednesdays 1 pm to 6 pm), last climb at 5.30 pm.
2026 prices: free under 6, €1 (ages 6 to 11), €2.50 (ages 12 to 15), €5 from age 16; free with the Penn ar Bed card.
Reach Ouessant by boat (from Le Conquet or Brest) and rent a bike on the island.
Choose a fine day to make the most of the panorama over the archipelago.
Combine with the Créac’h lighthouse and its Lighthouse and Beacon Museum.

Stay in Ouessant

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Photographs: Gzen92 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Rundvald · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons