Phare du Petit Minou

Lighthouse in Brest

Le Phare Du Petit Minou
CC BY-SA 4.0 / Richard LE GOC

The Phare du Petit Minou is a striking lighthouse located at the entrance of the Goulet de Brest, in the commune of Plouzané, Brittany. Built in 1848, it stands at 26 meters tall, with a focal height of 34 meters, guiding ships safely into Brest’s harbor.

The lighthouse works in alignment with the Phare du Portzic, helping vessels navigate through the Goulet de Brest. It also features a red sector light, warning sailors of the Plateau des Fillettes, a submerged rock formation in the strait. A well-known maritime saying helps sailors remember this hazard: “Le Minou rougit quand il couvre les Fillettes” (“The Minou blushes when it covers the girls”).

Adjacent to the lighthouse is the Fort du Petit Minou, a 17th-century fortress built under Vauban to defend Brest’s coastline. The area is also home to the Plage du Petit Minou, a popular surfing spot that was the landing site of the first French transatlantic telegraph cable in 1869.

Since 2021, the lighthouse has been open to visitors during the summer months, offering breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Crozon Peninsula. Whether admired from the shore or explored up close, the Phare du Petit Minou remains an iconic part of Brittany’s maritime heritage.

The Phare du Petit Minou appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Brest!

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Visiting Phare du Petit Minou

Address: Phare du Petit Minou, Pointe du Minou, Plouzané, France

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