Chassiron lighthouse on Oléron island
The story of a lighthouse
During your stay at a campsite on the Ile d’Oléron, in the commune of Saint-Denis d’Oléron in the north of the island, you’ll come across a 46-metre giant: the superb Phare de Chassiron. Distinguishable from afar by its black stripes, it is also known as the “tip of the world”. Its ascent offers an exceptional view of the Pertuis d’Antioche and a large part of the island. Originally white in color, in 1926 the lighthouse was clad in 3 horizontal black stripes, each 6 meters high, to make it more visible by day in fog, and to differentiate it from its neighbor on the Île de Ré, the Baleines lighthouse. The lighthouse is still in operation, providing guidance for sailors and yachtsmen in this dangerous area, renowned for its reefs and numerous shipwrecks. In 2012, it was classified as a historic monument.
Visit the Chassiron lighthouse during your camping vacation
Let’s set off for a day’s discovery of this must-see site on the northern tip of the Ile d’Oléron, around 30 kms from the campsite. After 224 steps, you reach the top of the lighthouse and its rotunda. You’ll enjoy a unique 360° panorama of Oleron and the ocean. You’ll also find a museum on the themes of fishing, agriculture and the difficulties caused by the vagaries of the weather.
At the foot of the lighthouse, you can visit the garden in the shape of a compass rose. That’s all there is to it… It’s up to you to count the number of varieties of roses and all the rest…. as this place is also labelled a “remarkable garden”…
Don’t leave without discovering the reconstitution of the stone fish lock and how it worked to catch fish without hooks or nets. As you travel around the island of Oléron, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the 17 remaining locks, of which there were some 230 in the 19th century.
Photo: CMT17 C. VAURIGA
