Ar-Men Lighthouse — Paul Joly, Île de Sein

💡 4 things to know

1. Fourteen years on one rockThe Finistère archives say it took fourteen years, from 1867 to 1881, to build the tower in open sea; the rock is about 7 by 15 metres and stands only 4.20 metres above the lowest tides. Source Source Checked
2. Lifebelts on the reefThe drilling was done by trained Sein sailors who landed wearing lifebelts when weather and tide allowed, while a boat stood by to pick up anyone knocked over or swept off by the waves. Source Reported
3. How many hours in 1867?The heritage inventory says the first season gave seven landings and eight hours on the rock in total, enough to drill 15 holes; the lighthouse service says seven favourable tides gave 15 hours of work for the same 15 holes. Source Source Conflicting
4. The last keepersKeeper Michel Le Ru told France Bleu (now ici) that he and Daniel Tréanton were winched off by a civil-security Alouette helicopter on 10 April 1990, ending 110 years of keepers on Ar-Men. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

🗓️ Sightings

1. 188118 Feb

   First lit, on trial

2. 199010 Apr

   Last keepers winched off; light automated

3. 201115 Jan

   Photographed by Jocelyn Caron

4. 202020 Aug

   Photographed by Gzen92

5. 2022Aug

   Lantern taken down for restoration

6. 202610 Sep

   Lantern refitted, facade redone

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

🗞️ In the sources

✅ The facts

Name

Ar-Men, Breton for “the stone” (the archives also give “the rock”) Source Source Checked

Built

1867–1881; the tower itself was begun in May 1869 Source Source Source Checked

Designer

Built to plans by Paul Joly, engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées; first studies under Léonce Reynaud, director of the lighthouse service; later works led by engineers Alfred Cahen and Mengin Source Source Source Checked

First landing

The lighthouse service says Joly first set foot on the rock on 16 April 1867; the inventory says Tymeur, the maritime syndic of Sein, had already landed and taken a sample during the 1866 survey Source Source Reported

First season

Seven landings and 8 hours on the rock (inventory) or seven tides and 15 hours (lighthouse service); both say 15 holes were drilled Source Source Conflicting

First lit

On trial on 18 February 1881 Source Source Checked

In service

30 August 1881 according to the archives; 31 August 1881 according to the lighthouse service and the inventory’s first-optic date Source Source Source Conflicting

Height

37 m in total Source Source Checked; above the sea 32.30 m (lighthouse service), 33.50 m (inventory) or 35.50 m (archives) Source Source Source Conflicting

Materials

Sandstone and granite masonry (inventory); the archives say the base is kersantite from quarries near Daoulas Source Source Reported

Strengthened

From 1897 the base was widened and a protective casing added around the lower tower: 11.50 m high and finished in 1902 per the archives; 11.20 m per the lighthouse service Source Source Source Conflicting

Nickname

“L’enfer des enfers” (the hell of hells) Source Source Checked

Automated

10 April 1990 Source Source Source Source Checked

Light

Three white flashes every 20 seconds Source Source Checked; range 23 nautical miles (archives, inventory) or 21 (lighthouse service) Source Source Source Conflicting

Protection

Listed (inscrit) as a historic monument on 31 December 2015, classified on 20 April 2017 Source Reported

Restoration

Lantern taken down in August 2022 and restored in Brest, put back in 2025–2026; facade redone in summer 2026 Source Reported

Visits

Not open to the public Source Reported

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Last checked: 28 October 2026 · How we verify art