Lighthouse
Ville-ès-Martin Lighthouse
Saint-Nazaire · Loire-Atlantique
In Saint-Nazaire, a 12.50 m tower brought into service in 1865, fitted with one of the first automatic flashing systems installed in France.
- Suggested time
- 30 minutes to 1 hour, more with a seafront walk
- Type of place
- Historic coastal light
- Atmosphere
- Estuary, urban, industrial and maritime
- Getting there
- Saint-Nazaire, Ville-ès-Martin area. Outside viewing from the seafront and the beach. Any approach across the shore depends on the tide.
Who this place suits
- With family
- 7/10
- As a couple
- 8/10
- With friends
- 8/10
- Solo
- 9/10
- With a dog
- 7/10
- Reduced mobility
- 7/10
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
The Ville-ès-Martin lighthouse is one of those small lights whose technical history matters more than its size. Built in Saint-Nazaire and brought into service in 1865, it is about 12.50 metres high and stands on the Bonne-Anse channel. Its historic interest lies in the automatic system designed by Barbier, Bénard and Turenne to turn the optics, making it an early milestone in the automation of lights in France. The lighthouse is now automated and shows two white flashes every six seconds. It cannot be visited. It makes most sense seen in the Loire estuary landscape, where you can take in the beaches, the shipping traffic and the port installations of Saint-Nazaire at the same time. Depending on the sea and the tide, its coastal surroundings change a great deal. Reaching its foot across the shore is never a visit of the lighthouse: check the tide and stay careful.
What you will see
- Site type: historic coastal light.
- Visits: closed to visitors.
- Height: 12.50 m.
- Construction: 1865.
- Light: two white flashes every 6 seconds.
- Automation: yes.
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- Role: marking the Bonne-Anse channel.
- 1 February 1865: construction of the dressed-stone tower.
- 1865: brought into service.
- An automatic Barbier, Bénard and Turenne system was installed to turn the optics.
- 1941: temporary electrification, before a period without light during the war.
- After the war: back in service, then permanently electrified.
- With children: easy to include in a family seafront walk, without an indoor visit.
- Combine with: the Saint-Nazaire seafront, Villès-Martin beach, the Pointe de Chémoulin, the Grand Charpentier offshore, Escal’Atlantic, the submarine base.
Practical information
- Accessibility
- Several viewpoints in town can be reached without going down onto the shore.
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon, in clear weather.
- Photography
- Very good with cargo ships or the Saint-Nazaire coastline in the background; late afternoon light works well on the estuary
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.
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- 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.
- Check the tide times before walking out on the shore.
- Come late in the afternoon to photograph the lighthouse with the ships on the estuary.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit the Ville-ès-Martin lighthouse?
No. It can be seen from the seafront and the beach in the Ville-ès-Martin area of Saint-Nazaire; any approach across the shore depends on the tide.
How much time should I allow?
30 minutes to 1 hour, more with a seafront walk.
What is the main interest of the site?
Discovering a small historic lighthouse tied to the Bonne-Anse channel and to the history of automated lights.
What is the atmosphere like?
Estuary, urban, industrial and maritime.
How can I take good photos?
Include cargo ships or the Saint-Nazaire coastline in the background; late afternoon light works well on the estuary.
Is there any particular risk?
Do not go out on the shore without knowing the exact tide times. The rocks can be slippery.
See also the lighthouses in Saint-Nazaire.
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Read in the journal
- City guideWhat to do in Saint-Nazaire: the complete guideThe submarine base, Escal’Atlantic, the Espadon submarine, the shipyards, the Saint-Nazaire bridge, the beaches and the coastal path: what to do in and around Saint-Nazaire.
- ChristmasWhat to do in Loire-Atlantique during the Christmas holidaysLe Voyage en hiver and the Nantes Christmas market, Guérande and the wild coast, Clisson and the Brière: our ideas for the 2026 Christmas holidays in Loire-Atlantique.
- SeasonWhat to do in Loire-Atlantique during the All Saints’ holidaysThe Machines de l’île, the Château des ducs, the Guérande salt marshes, the Brière and Clisson: our ideas for the 2026 All Saints’ holidays in Loire-Atlantique.
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Photograph: Whiteredge · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons