Our Blog - Normandy 2023 - Gatteville-le-Phare, France

Originally the town was just called Gatteville but was changed in 1947 to reference the lighthouse, which is basically one of 2 things to see in town. We didn't even see a cafe to stop at for coffee.

Based on its location way out on the tip of the Cotentin peninsula, it is the perfect place for a lighthouse. Vauban decided that a lighthouse was needed here but it was only in 1774, with the accession of King Louis XVI, that the 25 meter granite lighthouse was built. However, by 1825, a new lighthouse was required because the existing one was too small for the modern lenses and too weak to be raised by the 32 meters that were required. The new lighthouse was built under the reign of Charles X between 1829 and 1835. It is the 2nd highest lighthouse in France, topping out at 75 meters. Local tourist guides like to say that the lighthouse has 365 steps (1 per day of the year), 52 windows (1 per week) and 12 landings (1 per month). Most of that is true, but it only has 349 steps :-) The Gatteville lighthouse was notably painted by Jean-Louis Petit in 1836 (entitled "View of the Gatteville lighthouse") and by Paul Signac in 1934 (entitled "Le Phare de Gatteville").

The other building that we could view in any detail was the Eglise Saint-Pierre. The foundations date back to the 11th century but the church as we see it dates from the 15th and 18th centuries.

As you can see, it is a fairly small church. The nave that you can see here was rebuilt in the 19th century. After a bit of searching, I finally found out what this arch is that I have seen in a couple different churches. It is called a "perque"or a "beam of glory". This one is decorated with two monsters, one on each side, with their sharp teeth showing.

The stained-glass windows are all modern, done in a workshop in Chartres in 1956. I thought the one over the entry door at the top (sorry it is such a horrible picture) was quite interesting, with the steering wheel of a boat.

This little building (that was closed) is the Chapelle des Marins, or the Sailors Chapel. Built in the 11th century, it was going to be demolished in 1886 to build a new school but the plan was scrapped after the locals opposed it.