The Lantern Tower

The Lanterne Tower is the oldest lighthouse on the Atlantic coast, with its astonishing white colour. The tower featuring a lantern and a large Gothic spire was used by sailors to find their bearings and guide them to the port, where they were welcomed by the other two towers. From the 15th century onwards, sailors captured at sea were held prisoner there and left their marks on the walls. To this day, the tower still bears more than 500 graffiti drawings , some of which are real works of art! Locals sometimes refer to it as the Four Sergeants Tower, in reference to the four officers who conspired to overthrow King Louis XVIII and were imprisoned in the tower before being guillotined in Paris. Since its restoration in 2015, the tower has welcomed two new gargoyles representing Cabu and Wolinski. A tribute to the two Charlie Hebdo cartoonists murdered in the 2015 attacks.