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Cordouan lighthouse

France's oldest lighthouse, constructed between 1584 and 1611, and the tenth-tallest traditional lighthouse in the world. It's been nicknamed the "Versailles of the sea" and the "King of lighthouses and lighthouse of kings". In 2021 it was listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. You can get in by your own boat or by tour - see the Do section for tour operators.

Getting there: 7 km out in the ocean outside Royan
Website: phare-de-cordouan.fr (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Royan, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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