5 Best Sights in France

While most lighthouses are considered utilitarian, the UNESCO World Heritage site Phare de Cordouan is a beacon fit for a king, and it's easy to envy the lighthouse keepers who live and work here. A succession of royal architects embellished the building from the late 16th to the early 17th century, but its current form dates to 1611. In 2021, UNESCO granted the lighthouse World Heritage status in recognition of its architectural brilliance and unique island location. The stained glass windows, elaborately carved fireplaces and doorways, and inlaid marble floors must make this a rather lovely place to live and work, while the views are absolutely jaw-dropping. You can get here by taking a 45-minute boat from the town of Le Verdon-sur-Mer, located about 25 miles north of Pauillac. Depending on the tides, getting to the lighthouse can involve a walk of up to 10 minutes across wet sand and a sometimes slippy causeway, so wear practical footwear. It's not accessible to anyone with walking difficulties.

Built in 1835, the Grand Phare at Port Goulphar rises 275 feet above sea level and has one of the most powerful beacons in Europe, visible from 120 km (75 miles) across the Atlantic. If the keeper is available and you are feeling well rested, you may be able to climb to the top.

There's a breathtaking view of the coast from the top of this ivory lighthouse atop Cap Hainsart, at the northern end of Biarritz's Plage Miramar. If you're up for it, climb 248 steps to its still-working beacon, whose beams sweep the ocean at regular intervals from dusk until dawn.

You can sample a little of what draws famous people to this part of the world by walking up Chemin de Calvaire from the Plage de la Salis in Antibes—a distance of about 1 km (½ mile) via a challenging pathway—and taking in the extraordinary views from the hill surmounted by this old phare (lighthouse). You can also climb all 114 steps to the top. Next to the lighthouse, the 16th-century double chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garoupe contains ex-votos and statues of the Virgin, all in memory of and for the protection of sailors.  Reward your trek with a drink or a meal at the Bistrot du Curé next door.

Built in 1840, demolished by retreating German occupiers in 1944, rebuilt in 1947, and further restored between 2012 and 2018, this white lighthouse with a crowning red lantern is Cap Ferret's enduring landmark. From the top—258 steps above ground level—there's a fabulous panorama of the coast and the lagoon.