Le Phare de Walde
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Le Phare de Walde
Avenue de la Mer - 62730 MARCK
The Walde Lighthouse has two distinctive features: it is the last remaining metal lighthouse in France and it marks the geographical boundary between the North Sea and the English Channel. It was commissioned in 1859. The shoreline east of the port of Calais was dangerous for ships due to numerous sandbanks. The construction of a lighthouse was therefore necessary…and complicated! The sandy seabed, submerged by the tides, made it impossible to build a stone lighthouse. Engineers then used the screw pile method developed by the Irish engineer Alexander Mitchell. These piles adapt to and withstand soft ground. Furthermore, this type of lighthouse is quick to build and less expensive than a stone one. Metal lighthouses were common before falling out of use. The Walde Lighthouse remains the sole surviving example of this ingenuity! The Walde Lighthouse originally had a platform with a balcony surrounding the lantern. From 1897 onwards, the light signal was automated. At the time, this lighthouse measured 18 meters and, at its highest point, stood 11 meters above the sea. It has been out of service since 2001, yet its silhouette continues to stand proudly on La Huchette beach. It is a favorite subject of many photographers. Depending on the tides, it can be surrounded by water or visible on the horizon of a vast expanse of sand! The residents of Calais XXL are very attached to the Walde lighthouse! It has been listed as a Historical Monument since 2022, and there is a clear commitment to saving it from its main threat: corrosion.
