Sémaphore de Roche-Maurice

The Sémaphore de Roche-Maurice is a tall wooden lookout tower standing on the bank of the Loire in Saint-Herblain, part of the Nantes metropolitan area. It isn't a historic landmark but a contemporary artwork: one of five sculptures in the "Sémaphores" series created by French sculptor Vincent Mauger, spread along the cycling route that connects Nantes and Saint-Nazaire. This particular structure rises at quai Émile-Cormerais, on the site known as Roche-Maurice, and forms part of the "Parcours des Sémaphores" within the Estuaire art trail promoted by Le Voyage à Nantes.

What is the idea behind the sculpture?

The name refers to old semaphore stations - the systems once used to relay messages along rivers using flags and moving arms, forming a chain of landmarks visible from a distance. Vincent Mauger borrowed that idea for a series of timber towers that play a similar role in the landscape today: rather than transmitting signals, they act as viewpoints and reference points along the Loire estuary. The project was chosen through an artistic consultation run in 2017 by the Pôle métropolitain Nantes Saint-Nazaire, and the towers themselves were built by the workshops Perrault Frères and ECSB.

What is it made of, and how tall is it?

Like the other four towers in the series, the Roche-Maurice sémaphore is built from oak. It stands roughly five metres tall and can be climbed to a small platform, from which visitors look out over the Loire - at this point in its course, a river about 200 metres wide with a shipping channel around 12 metres deep.

Why does this particular spot look the way it does?

The Roche-Maurice site was once a fishing hamlet perched on a rocky spur surrounded by wetlands. Its present, oddly isolated character comes from later infrastructure: a railway line built through the area in the mid-19th century, industrial development along the river during the 20th century, and a ring road that further boxed the site in. About 500 metres upstream by river sits the Cheviré Bridge, opened in 1991: 1,563 metres long and 52 metres high, tall enough to let large sailing ships such as the three-masted Belem pass beneath it. Cargo traffic for the Port of Nantes still runs past here - roughly 550 ships a year, about a tenth of the port's total traffic, carrying sand, grain, scrap metal, fertiliser, timber and other industrial goods. Since 2018 a weekly barge has also linked Nantes/Cheviré with Montoir-de-Bretagne.

How do you visit the Sémaphore de Roche-Maurice?

Access to the site is free year-round, on foot or by bicycle, along a gently sloping path (about a 5% gradient). Climbing to the top of the tower is allowed, but only two adults may be up there at the same time, and climbing is prohibited in rain or strong wind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you climb the tower? Yes. Access is free, but for safety only two adults are allowed on the platform at once, and climbing is closed off during rain or strong wind.

Who designed the Sémaphore de Roche-Maurice? French sculptor Vincent Mauger designed it as part of his "Sémaphores" series; the workshops Perrault Frères and ECSB built the towers following a 2017 artistic consultation.

How many of these towers are there along the Loire? Five, spaced out along the cycling route between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, each one framing a different view of the river.

Is there an entrance fee? No, both the site and the tower are free to visit at any time of year.

Where exactly is it, and how do you get there? The tower stands on quai Émile-Cormerais in Saint-Herblain, near the Cheviré Bridge, and is reached on foot or by bike along the riverside path.