LE PHARE DE CORDOUAN
French and English version
Apr�s l'annonce d'une m�t�o exceptionnelle, nous avons d�cid� de partir visiter le phare de Cordouan, dimanche 18 mai.
C'est le plus vieux phare encore en activit� en France.Il est situ� en mer � l'embouchure de la Gironde, dans le d�partement de la Gironde.
Ce dimanche 18 mai, le d�part de Royan �tait � 10.30. Plusieurs bateaux font la travers�e jusqu'au phare.La visite du phare co�te 8 euros et la travers�e en bateau 33 euros pour les adultes.
Il faut � peine une heure pour arriver au phare. Le bateau ne pouvant pas nous d�barquer en pleine mer, c'est l'annexe qui nous approche le plus possible de la passe et nous poursuivons la derni�re partie dans l'eau jusqu'� la porte du phare. Ce dimanche, l'eau �tait encore un peu fraiche et nous avions tous h�te d'arriver au sec, au phare , o� nous attendaient les gardiens qui aujourd'hui sont des employ�s territoriaux, la gestion du site �tant assur�e depuis 2010 par le conseil g�n�ral de la gironde et Charente Maritime.
Le phare que l'on voit aujourd'hui ne ressemble gu�re au phare construit entre 1584 et 1611.
Il a subit des transformations au cours des ann�es.
A l'origine le phare a �t� construit par Louis de Foix en 1584 et comme celui-ci meurt avant la fin des travaux , c'est son contre-ma�tre qui finit son �uvre en 1611.A l'�poque, l'�difice ne comportait que trois �tages.
( photo 1 ). C'est Colbert ( ministre de Louis XIV) qui d�cide de le restaurer en 1661, et le transforme en phare que l'on peut voir aujourd'hui.
Situ� sur la plateforme circulaire, nous avons vu le logis du lieutenant du Roi qui est en ce moment en pleine restauration.Ce petit appartement �tait pr�vu pour recevoir Napol�on III. les deux pi�ces sont enti�rement lambriss�es en ch�ne de haute qualit�. il y a deux pi�ces.( anti-chambre et chambre)
Il y a 301 marches pour monter jusqu'� la derni�re plateforme, la visite des diff�rentes salles permet de se reposer, le phare est donc accessible � tous. Au premier �tage, l'appartement du roi , au deuxi�me la chapelle Notre Dame de Cordouan, au troisi�me, la salle des Girondins, le quatri�me et le cinqui�me �tage sont des �tages interm�diaires.Ensuite il y a la salle de veille ou de quart et pour finir , la lanterne.
Apr�s la visite du phare, nous nous sommes install�s au rez-de-chauss�e pour d�jeuner. Tous les passagers du bateaux avaient apport� leur pique-nique. Nous avons beaucoup appr�ci� ce moment de d�tente sur un banc, abrit� par ce magnifique �difice tout en d�gustant un petit verre de Ros� charentais. Le temps passant tr�s vite il �tait d�j� l'heure de se pr�parer � retourner au bateau, une bonne marche d'apr�s un membre de l'�quipage du bateau. A ce moment l� , la passe �tait d�gag�e. Le retour se faisait donc les pieds au sec!!!
Le chemin est relativement long sur l'�norme banc de sable qui entoure le phare. Plusieurs plaisanciers d�jeunaient sur leur bateau, certains se reposaient en attendant la mar�e pour repartir chez eux.
Le site est d'une beaut� exceptionnelle. Le ciel bleu et l'oc�an se confondant sur un sable blond et fin.
Au lieu de reprendre l'annexe du bateau,certains des passagers habitu�s � une eau fraiche
( 17�) , ont pr�f�r� retourn� � la nage.
Cette journ�e �tait vraiment exceptionnelle, la m�t�o superbe. Quant aux paysages ils sont tout simplement �poustoufflants!
La seule petite remarque que je ferais , ce serait d'avoir un petit plus de temps pour d�jeuner et repartir plus tard pour Royan. Nous n'avons pas eu le temps de d�guster notre dessert
Nous sommes arriv�s un peu t�t � Royan (15 heures.)
English version
After the local weather forecasts announced that Sunday 18th would be an exceptional gorgeous day, we decided to visit the Cordouan lighthouse. It is the oldest lighthouse still in activity in France. It is situated in the sea, at the mouth of the Gironde in the Gironde Department.
Sunday May 18th, we had to meet in Royan at 10.30am. Several boats cross to the lighthouse and the visit costs 8 euros , the crossing is 33 euros per adult.
It hardly takes an hour to get to the lighthouse, but as the passengers can't disambark in the middle of the sea, a tender is used to get as closer as possible of the lighthouse and you eventually have to walk in water to the lighthouse front-door.
On Sunday, the water was still cold and we couldn't wait to get to a dry place and dry out our feet.
The lighthouse keepers were waiting for us. They are terrotorial employees nowadays and the site has been managed by the Conseil General de Gironde and Charente maritime since 2010.
The origin of the lighthouse.
The lighthouse you can see today hardly looks like the lighthouse built between 1584 and 1611. It was modified and changed throughout the years.
Originally the lighthouse was constructed by Louis de Foix in 1584. But as he died before the end of the construction, his foreman completed his work in 1611.
At that time, the edifice had only 3 floors. Colbert ( Minister of Louis XIV decided to restore it in 1661 and turned it into the lighthouse you can see today.
Located on a circular terace, we saw the Royal Lieutenant 's apartments which are being restored at the moment. This small apartment was initially constructed to receive Napoleon III. There are two high quality oak panelled rooms. ( anti-chamber and chamber)
There are 301 steps to climb up to the last stage but visiting the different rooms allows
people to rest for a while, therefore the lighthouse is accessible to everyone.
On the first floor, there is the King's apartment, on the second floor the Chapel of notre Dame de Cordouan, on the third floor the Girondins room. The 4th and the fifth floor are intermediate floors.
Then, there is the watch room and finally the lantern.
After visiting the lighthouse, it was time to settle for lunch on the circular terrace. Every passager brought their picnic. We enjoyed relaxing on a bench sheltered by the magnificent edifice while having some ros� charentais. As time flies when you enjoy yourself, it was time to get ready to walk back to the boat, a faily long walk said a member of the crew. At that time the cause way was uncovered so we walked back without getting our feet wet.
It is a fairly long walk on the huge sand bank that surrounds the lighthouse. Some yachtsmen were having lunch on their sailing boats, some were relaxing and getting a tan while waiting for the tide to come in before sailing back to Royan.
The scenery is breathtaking, the blue sky and the ocean merging together on the fine blond sand ...
Instead of getting on the tender, some passagers used to swimming in cold water ( 17�) preferred to swim back to the boat.
It was an exceptional day, the weather was gorgeous ( the forecast was right) and the scenery is just out of this world.
The only thing I would say is that we didn't have enough time for lunch ( no time for pudding!!!) personnally I think that we returned to Royan a bit early. ( 3 O'clock).
301
French and English version
Apr�s l'annonce d'une m�t�o exceptionnelle, nous avons d�cid� de partir visiter le phare de Cordouan, dimanche 18 mai.C'est le plus vieux phare encore en activit� en France.Il est situ� en mer � l'embouchure de la Gironde, dans le d�partement de la Gironde.
 |
| Le phare � l'origine |
Ce dimanche 18 mai, le d�part de Royan �tait � 10.30. Plusieurs bateaux font la travers�e jusqu'au phare.La visite du phare co�te 8 euros et la travers�e en bateau 33 euros pour les adultes.
Il faut � peine une heure pour arriver au phare. Le bateau ne pouvant pas nous d�barquer en pleine mer, c'est l'annexe qui nous approche le plus possible de la passe et nous poursuivons la derni�re partie dans l'eau jusqu'� la porte du phare. Ce dimanche, l'eau �tait encore un peu fraiche et nous avions tous h�te d'arriver au sec, au phare , o� nous attendaient les gardiens qui aujourd'hui sont des employ�s territoriaux, la gestion du site �tant assur�e depuis 2010 par le conseil g�n�ral de la gironde et Charente Maritime. Le phare que l'on voit aujourd'hui ne ressemble gu�re au phare construit entre 1584 et 1611.
Il a subit des transformations au cours des ann�es.
A l'origine le phare a �t� construit par Louis de Foix en 1584 et comme celui-ci meurt avant la fin des travaux , c'est son contre-ma�tre qui finit son �uvre en 1611.A l'�poque, l'�difice ne comportait que trois �tages.
( photo 1 ). C'est Colbert ( ministre de Louis XIV) qui d�cide de le restaurer en 1661, et le transforme en phare que l'on peut voir aujourd'hui.
Situ� sur la plateforme circulaire, nous avons vu le logis du lieutenant du Roi qui est en ce moment en pleine restauration.Ce petit appartement �tait pr�vu pour recevoir Napol�on III. les deux pi�ces sont enti�rement lambriss�es en ch�ne de haute qualit�. il y a deux pi�ces.( anti-chambre et chambre)
Il y a 301 marches pour monter jusqu'� la derni�re plateforme, la visite des diff�rentes salles permet de se reposer, le phare est donc accessible � tous. Au premier �tage, l'appartement du roi , au deuxi�me la chapelle Notre Dame de Cordouan, au troisi�me, la salle des Girondins, le quatri�me et le cinqui�me �tage sont des �tages interm�diaires.Ensuite il y a la salle de veille ou de quart et pour finir , la lanterne.
 | ||
| En haut � gauche MTL, les initiales pour Marie Th�r�se et Louis XIV |
Apr�s la visite du phare, nous nous sommes install�s au rez-de-chauss�e pour d�jeuner. Tous les passagers du bateaux avaient apport� leur pique-nique. Nous avons beaucoup appr�ci� ce moment de d�tente sur un banc, abrit� par ce magnifique �difice tout en d�gustant un petit verre de Ros� charentais. Le temps passant tr�s vite il �tait d�j� l'heure de se pr�parer � retourner au bateau, une bonne marche d'apr�s un membre de l'�quipage du bateau. A ce moment l� , la passe �tait d�gag�e. Le retour se faisait donc les pieds au sec!!!
Le chemin est relativement long sur l'�norme banc de sable qui entoure le phare. Plusieurs plaisanciers d�jeunaient sur leur bateau, certains se reposaient en attendant la mar�e pour repartir chez eux.
Le site est d'une beaut� exceptionnelle. Le ciel bleu et l'oc�an se confondant sur un sable blond et fin.
Au lieu de reprendre l'annexe du bateau,certains des passagers habitu�s � une eau fraiche ( 17�) , ont pr�f�r� retourn� � la nage.
La seule petite remarque que je ferais , ce serait d'avoir un petit plus de temps pour d�jeuner et repartir plus tard pour Royan. Nous n'avons pas eu le temps de d�guster notre dessert
Nous sommes arriv�s un peu t�t � Royan (15 heures.)
English version
After the local weather forecasts announced that Sunday 18th would be an exceptional gorgeous day, we decided to visit the Cordouan lighthouse. It is the oldest lighthouse still in activity in France. It is situated in the sea, at the mouth of the Gironde in the Gironde Department.
Sunday May 18th, we had to meet in Royan at 10.30am. Several boats cross to the lighthouse and the visit costs 8 euros , the crossing is 33 euros per adult.
It hardly takes an hour to get to the lighthouse, but as the passengers can't disambark in the middle of the sea, a tender is used to get as closer as possible of the lighthouse and you eventually have to walk in water to the lighthouse front-door.
On Sunday, the water was still cold and we couldn't wait to get to a dry place and dry out our feet.
The lighthouse keepers were waiting for us. They are terrotorial employees nowadays and the site has been managed by the Conseil General de Gironde and Charente maritime since 2010.
The origin of the lighthouse.
The lighthouse you can see today hardly looks like the lighthouse built between 1584 and 1611. It was modified and changed throughout the years.
Originally the lighthouse was constructed by Louis de Foix in 1584. But as he died before the end of the construction, his foreman completed his work in 1611.
At that time, the edifice had only 3 floors. Colbert ( Minister of Louis XIV decided to restore it in 1661 and turned it into the lighthouse you can see today.
Located on a circular terace, we saw the Royal Lieutenant 's apartments which are being restored at the moment. This small apartment was initially constructed to receive Napoleon III. There are two high quality oak panelled rooms. ( anti-chamber and chamber)
There are 301 steps to climb up to the last stage but visiting the different rooms allows
people to rest for a while, therefore the lighthouse is accessible to everyone.
On the first floor, there is the King's apartment, on the second floor the Chapel of notre Dame de Cordouan, on the third floor the Girondins room. The 4th and the fifth floor are intermediate floors.
Then, there is the watch room and finally the lantern.
After visiting the lighthouse, it was time to settle for lunch on the circular terrace. Every passager brought their picnic. We enjoyed relaxing on a bench sheltered by the magnificent edifice while having some ros� charentais. As time flies when you enjoy yourself, it was time to get ready to walk back to the boat, a faily long walk said a member of the crew. At that time the cause way was uncovered so we walked back without getting our feet wet.
It is a fairly long walk on the huge sand bank that surrounds the lighthouse. Some yachtsmen were having lunch on their sailing boats, some were relaxing and getting a tan while waiting for the tide to come in before sailing back to Royan.
The scenery is breathtaking, the blue sky and the ocean merging together on the fine blond sand ...
Instead of getting on the tender, some passagers used to swimming in cold water ( 17�) preferred to swim back to the boat.
It was an exceptional day, the weather was gorgeous ( the forecast was right) and the scenery is just out of this world.
The only thing I would say is that we didn't have enough time for lunch ( no time for pudding!!!) personnally I think that we returned to Royan a bit early. ( 3 O'clock).
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| watch room |
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| lantern |
301
Reviewed by shao ying
on
01:20
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