June 29th. Phare des Baleines (57 meters high) is located on the westernmost tip of Île de Ré. The current lighthouse was finished in 1854, but the smaller tower (27 meters high) the current phare replaced, dates from 1682. The name Phare des Baleines—Lighthouse of the Whales—comes from the large number of whales said to have beached themselves on nearby shores.
June 29th. Phare de Chassiron (below). On land, at the extreme west end of the Ile d'Oléron, Chassiron dates from 1836—though light-towers have been on the site since 1685. Chassiron's black and white stripe design is from 1926—painted so to distinguish Chassiron from Phare Des Baleines located on Ile de Ré. Gardens circling the base of Chassiron are designed in a compass rose pattern. The light can be seen from 52km away.
June 28th. By ferry it's 7km to Cordouan where at low tide, you can wade ashore on the sandy islet to make the pilgrimage to see the lighthouse begun in 1584 and completed in 1611. So much more to say about the oldest working lighthouse in France—called the "Versailles of the seas"—but google it instead. First photo in this album is from the landing spot.
