One of the most iconic landmarks of the Charente coastline is doomed. Weakened by the retreat of the shoreline and the dramatic advance of the dune, the lighthouse at Coubre, located in La Tremblade, cannot be saved. While no timeline has been established yet, its disappearance is now seen as inevitable.
©Fred takes flight
A Lighthouse Caught by the Ocean
Standing tall at 64 meters and with 300 steps, the Lighthouse of La Coubre has been overlooking the Wild Coast for over 120 years. But nature has gradually claimed its territory back.
When it was built in 1905, the monument was located 1.8 kilometers from the ocean. Today, the sea is now just 150 meters away, and the shifting dune has dangerously moved closer: it is now only a few meters from the first buildings on the site. Between October 2025 and March 2026, the dune actually advanced by 5.70 meters, confirming the acceleration of this phenomenon.
©Fred is taking off
A Demolition Now Confirmed
In light of this development, the South Atlantic Interregional Maritime Authority has confirmed that the lighthouse will eventually be demolished. No date has been set yet, but the principle is now established. Moving the structure was considered, but the operation would cost several million euros and involve substantial work over several kilometers. Therefore, the authorities are favoring a strategy of anticipation instead of an attempt to save it.
In fact, the Coubre lighthouse is not the first to face the fate of erosion: 2 previous lighthouses built on this point have already...
acute;té swallowed by the ocean at the end of the 19th century.
You can still visit it!
In the meantime, the monument remains open to the public until November 11, 2026. Every year, about 65,000 visitors climb its 300 steps to enjoy the stunning view of the Côte Sauvage, the Coubre forest, and in the distance, the Cordouan lighthouse.
The site also features a museum, temporary exhibitions, and an escape game.
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