James Metcalfe
Found 4.3 miles out at sea near the Gironde estuary in France, the 68 metre tall Cordouan Lighthouse puts itself in the top ten largest traditional lighthouses in the world. Built between 1584 and 1611, it is easily France’s oldest lighthouse despite the fact that it is still in operation to this day. Featuring some of the very finest in Renaissance architectural designs, it was the first recorded lighthouse to install a due for ships to pass. Manned firstly by a religious hermit when the region was owned by the English, the area around the building was expanded on greatly to include features such as an abbey and would become an important part of preserving the Bordeaux wine trade.
