Musée du phare des Baleines

Om museet

The Phare des Baleines estate, at the tip of the Île de Ré, comprises three monuments. The Tour des Baleines, known as the Tour Vauban, was built in 1682. By the mid-19th century, technical advances, especially Augustin Fresnel’s lens, allowed a far greater range, but the old tower would have had to be raised. It was therefore decided to build a new lighthouse.

The great lighthouse, built from 1849 and commissioned in 1854, is 60 meters tall and has 257 steps. Its range is 27 nautical miles. It is still in operation today.

The museum occupies the building that once housed the lighthouse keepers and their families, and which was also used to store the lamp’s fuel. It tells the story of great lighthouses and explains how they work, with many maritime objects from different periods, a bust of Augustin Fresnel and a room devoted to Fresnel. A nature park surrounds the estate.

Højdepunkter

• 60 m great lighthouse with 257 steps and views over the Île de Ré
• Museum on the history of lighthouses in the former keepers’ quarters
• 1682 Tour Vauban with 360° views
• Fresnel room and bust of Augustin Fresnel
• Nature park around the estate

Permanent udstilling

• Musée du phare : histoire des grands phares – Exhibition on the history and operation of great lighthouses, with historical objects, a bust of Augustin Fresnel and the Fresnel room.

Entrépriser & rabatter

Prices for 2025 shown on the website: the “from” price applies to the climb of the great lighthouse alone; combined tickets include the museum.

Tilgængelighed

• Delvis kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator: ingen oplysninger
• Handicaptoilet: ingen oplysninger
• Handicapparkering: ingen oplysninger
• Servicehunde tilladt: ingen oplysninger
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The website states that the museum is accessible to people with disabilities; the climb of the great lighthouse is 257 steps.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

The museum is presented as suitable for young and old alike; child rate from age 7, and a family rate for the combined options.

Transport & parkering

Museet har ikke offentliggjort oplysninger om dette.

Service & spisesteder

• Museumsbutik

Shop on the estate, where tickets are also sold from October to March outside school holidays.

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Private fester
• Firmaarrangementer

Op til 200 personer.

Great lighthouse: one seminar room and two meeting rooms; Tour Vauban: three indoor and outdoor spaces; park at the foot of the great lighthouse. Spaces for 2 to 200 people (seminars, conferences, receptions).

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