Ouistreham Lighthouse

The Ouistreham Lighthouse stands 38 meters tall at the entrance to the Orne estuary, serving as the guardian of this strategic waterway since 1905. Built in granite with distinctive red and white stripes, this cylindrical tower replaced an earlier 1886 lighthouse that proved too short for safe navigation. Visitors climb 171 blue granite steps from Vire to reach the top, where 360-degree views extend across the Calvados coast, the Pointe du Siège nature reserve, and the ferry route to Portsmouth. The optic room houses a 650-watt halogen lamp behind a Fresnel lens, visible 16 nautical miles out to sea. This is the only lighthouse in Calvados open to the public, but visits are limited to July and August, Fridays through Sundays from 14:30-18:00. Advance booking is strongly recommended as capacity is limited to 15 people at a time.