Accessibility

To make Cordouan accessible to as many people as possible,  the SMIDDEST is reflecting on its visiting offers. The staff of the lighthouse are prepared to handle all types of publics if needed. The SMIDDEST puts everything in place to guarantee the best conditions for all visitors.

chaland partant du phare

The particularities of access at the lighthouse

The area can become really dangerous within the span of only a few hours. The embarking and disembarking of visitors may vary following the weather on the day of your visit ( time of arrival, tide coefficient…).

You can embark/disembark in three ways :

  • At the foot of the monument
  • On the Peyrat (the rock path which is 270 meters long before you reach the monument)
  • On the sandbar, 600 meters to cross by foot to reach the lighthouse.

Selon les cas, l’arrivée au phare peut donc se faire à pied, à travers les bancs de sable. La distance entre la zone de débarquement au bout du banc de sable jusqu’au phare est d’environ 600 mètres et nécessite 15 à 20 minutes de marche. Les visiteurs doivent donc être capables de marcher sur un sol inégal composé de bosses et de trous d’eau.

Following the weather conditions, the arrival at the lighthouse might include walking through sandbars. The distance between the disembarking area at the end of the sandbar and the lighthouse is approximately 600 meters, which might take 15 to 20 walking minutes. The visitors must be able to walk on an uneven ground made of bumps and water holes.

Visitor comfort and mediation tools :

You’re a person with visual impairment ? On the site, you will find various mediation tools adapted to your situation :

  • A tactile model of the lighthouse ;
  • Two raised tactile maps
  • A visit booklet in large characters (to be asked to the keepers)

Do not hesitate to ask the staff for advice and if you need any help.

To get to the top of the monument, you’ll have to climb 301 steps. Because of the architecture of the monument, there is no lift. You will find benches in the court, in the chapel (second floor) and on the third floor.

Assistance dogs are accepted in the lighthouse.

Are you in a situation of motor disability ?

Because of its access conditions, the lighthouse is unfortunately not accessible to people with reduced mobility (wheelchair, walker, crutches). People with wheelchairs can’t go on the site.

If you’re in this situation, we are sorry but we won’t be able to welcome you. However, you can go see one of our three partners who will make you discover the lighthouse through their establishments.

Download our public accessibility file