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Lighthouse · Saint Pierre, Saint Pierre
Pointe aux Canons Lighthouse
Stone lighthouse from 1862, white with a red band, at the end of a breakwater at the entrance to Saint-Pierre harbor, with the cannons of the former battery just before it. The city’s most familiar view.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Pointe aux Canons Lighthouse
Pointe aux Canons sits at the entrance to Saint-Pierre harbor. There the island commander ordered an oil lamp to be lit on a wooden post in 1819, the archipelago’s first light. In 1862 the lamp was replaced by the stone tower that stands today: octagonal, about 11 m tall, white with a red band. With the construction of outer breakwaters, the lighthouse lost its function; the light was turned off in 1984, and the tower remains as a navigational landmark.
The name comes from the cannons. A French fort defended the harbor entrance between the late 17th and early 18th centuries during wars with the English, and a new battery was mounted in the 19th century, during the Crimean War. Before the breakwater, cannons on iron carriages mark the battery site; in front of the lighthouse, an old cannon stands upright, embedded in the ground.
The lighthouse sits at the end of a stone breakwater that can be walked. The tower is not open to visitors. Nearby are the colorful Les Salines huts, and from the breakwater you can see Île aux Marins across the water.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 20 to 40 minutes, counting the walk along the breakwater.
Best time
On clear summer days, in the late afternoon, when the light hits the tower and the Les Salines huts from the side. On very windy days or when waves break over the breakwater, stay on the landward side.
How to get there
On foot from the center of Saint-Pierre, following the harbor promenade to the point. It’s a few minutes’ walk from General de Gaulle square.
Tip
Combine with Les Salines, right next door. The breakwater is narrow and can become slippery in the rain.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Pointe aux Canons Lighthouse
Can you climb the Pointe aux Canons lighthouse?
No. The tower is closed, but the breakwater up to it is open and can be walked.
Why is the place called Pointe aux Canons?
Because of the cannons of the batteries that defended the harbor entrance, first at the end of the 17th century and later in the 19th century. Some remain on display by the breakwater.
Does the Pointe aux Canons lighthouse still operate?
Not as a lighthouse. The light was turned off in 1984, and the tower remains as a reference mark for navigation.