2025 0225 Bretagne Finistere Benodet Aerial Dji 0129 Mri2025 0225 Bretagne Finistere Benodet Aerial Dji 0129 Mri
©2025 0225 Bretagne Finistere Benodet Aerial Dji 0129 Mri

Headlights on the Breton Riviera

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Sentinels of the sea and witnesses to Brittany’s maritime past, the lighthouses of the Breton Riviera attract the curious as much as they reassure sailors.

Discovering lighthouses of the Breton Riviera

Brittany is a land of lighthouses. With over a third of France’s 148 lighthouses, it holds the world record for lighthouses, and Finistère is the department with the most. Some can be visited, others can be admired from the coast or from the sea, but they all tell a page in our maritime history.

On the Breton Riviera, there are three emblematic lighthouses – the Phare du Coq, the Phare de la Pyramide and the Phare de Penfret – as well as a semaphore at Beg-Meil. Even if you can’t visit them, they offer an exceptional panorama to include in your itinerary, between heritage and maritime landscapes.

#1 Le Phare du Coq Bénodet

Located at the mouth of the Odet, this small green and white lighthouse faces the Pyramide lighthouse. Built in 1848, it owes its name to a submerged rock shaped like a rooster. It marks the entrance to the river and completes an essential alignment for navigation in the bay.

The Coq lighthouse in BénodetThe Coq lighthouse in Bénodet
©The Coq lighthouse in Bénodet|Glaz Pictures
    The Pyramide lighthouse in BénodetThe Pyramide lighthouse in Bénodet
    ©The Pyramide lighthouse in Bénodet|Glaz Pictures

      #2 The Pyramid Lighthouse Bénodet

      Also built in 1848, the Pyramide lighthouse stands on the left bank of the Odet. Standing 38 metres high, it was partially destroyed by the Germans during the Second World War, before being restored in 1950. Its imposing appearance and unique history make it an essential landmark in the Benodet landscape.

      #3 Penfret lighthouse Glénan Archipelago

      Located on the island of Penfret, to the east of the Glénan archipelago, this lighthouse has been in service since 1838. Standing 24 metres high, it guides sailors through this island area renowned for its shoals. Automated since 1993, it remains a strong symbol of the Glénan identity, visible during boat crossings.

      Penfret lighthouse, Les GlénanPenfret lighthouse, Les Glénan
      ©Penfret lighthouse, Les Glénan|OT Fouesnant
        The Beg-Meil semaphore, FouesnantThe Beg-Meil semaphore, Fouesnant
        ©The Beg-Meil semaphore, Fouesnant|Thibault Poriel

          #4 The Beg-Meil semaphore Fouesnant

          Built around 1861, the Beg-Meil semaphore is a strategic maritime surveillance post. It overlooks Concarneau Bay and keeps watch over the approaches to the Glénan islands. This military building, built on a former guardhouse, is part of a network of 70 semaphore stations in France, most of which are in Brittany.

          #5 A little further Eckmühl lighthouse Penmarc'h

          Around forty minutes from the Breton Riviera, the Eckmühl lighthouse sits enthroned on the Pointe de Saint-Pierre in Penmarc’h. Standing 65 metres high, it is one of the most powerful lighthouses in Europe. Inaugurated in 1897, it owes its name to the title of nobility of the donor who financed its construction. The climb to the top offers a spectacular view of the reefs of southern Finistère.

          Stairs at Eckmül lighthouse in Penmarc'hStairs at Eckmül lighthouse in Penmarc'h
          ©Stairs at Eckmül lighthouse in Penmarc'h|Mairie de Penmarc'h