Phare de Lanvaon

Phare de Lanvaon is a small lighthouse standing inland near Lilia, in the commune of Plouguerneau, overlooking the estuary of the Aber-Wrac'h river. Unlike the famous towers on Île Vierge or Île Wrac'h, which warn sailors away from offshore rocks, Lanvaon has never stood on the coast at all — from the start, its job was to point ships in the right direction as they entered the river mouth.

How do you get there?

The lighthouse sits along the road leading to Lilia, at 1038 Lanvaon, 29880 Plouguerneau. It's an easy stop by car — the tower rises from open farmland and is visible from the road well before you arrive, thanks to its red-painted top. The site also forms part of a walking route linking three lighthouses of the area — Île Vierge, Wrac'h, and Lanvaon — making it possible to see all three on a multi-hour hike along the aber's shores without a car.

What's worth knowing about the building itself?

The square tower was raised in 1868 to a design by engineer Alfred Cahen, built by the Martin company of Landerneau. Its foundations and finishing details are cut stone, the walls are irregular stone bound with Portland cement, and the roof is covered in slate from Châteaulin — a material typical of the region. The tower stands 27 metres tall to the lantern, with the light itself sitting 48.5 metres above the highest tide level. In the 1980s the top of the tower was painted red to make it easier to spot from the sea by day. Its light carries 13.5 nautical miles, roughly 25 kilometres.

Why does a lighthouse stand inland instead of on the coast?

This is the most interesting part of Lanvaon's story: it's a range light, one half of a pair of lights that give sailors an exact bearing for entering the main channel of the Aber-Wrac'h. It works together with the light on Île Wrac'h, about 3 kilometres away — when the two lights line up, a ship knows it's holding the correct course through the channel. This pairing has worked continuously since 1868. Before that, from 1845, a modest light housed in a wooden shelter on the west gallery of Plouguerneau's church tower did the same job, but it proved too hard to see, prompting maritime authorities to build a dedicated lighthouse at Lanvaon instead. The system is rounded out by two smaller mooring lights, La Palue and Saint-Antoine, which form a second alignment guiding boats to the anchorage point in the roadstead.

Can you go inside?

The tower's interior isn't open to visitors yet — it remains a working, purely navigational structure. Even so, the site draws around 1,500 visitors a year who come to see it from the outside, photograph it against the surrounding fields and river mouth, and learn about the Aber-Wrac'h alignment system. It's a worthwhile stop for anyone curious about the lesser-known, land-based side of French maritime signalling.

When's the best time to visit?

The lighthouse can be viewed year-round, and the open fields around it mean the best light for photos usually comes early in the morning or just before sunset. It pairs well with a visit to the nearby lighthouses on Île Vierge and Île Wrac'h, especially at low tide, when views across the aber are at their clearest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Phare de Lanvaon still operational? Yes, it's active and fully automated. Its light reaches 13.5 nautical miles and still helps guide ships into the Aber-Wrac'h.

When was it built, and by whom? The tower went up in 1868 to a design by engineer Alfred Cahen, built by the Martin company of Landerneau. It replaced an earlier, poorly visible light that had operated since 1845 from the church tower in Plouguerneau.

How is Lanvaon different from the lighthouses on Île Vierge and Île Wrac'h? Those two warn sailors away from offshore rocks. Lanvaon is an inland range light that works together with the Île Wrac'h light to mark the exact course into the river's main channel.

Can you climb to the top? Not yet — the interior isn't open to the public. You can, however, view it freely from the road and surrounding fields.