Amédée lighthouse

Nouméa, France

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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The Amédée Lighthouse stands 56 metres tall on Amédée Island in New Caledonia, 24 kilometres from Nouméa, and represents a landmark achievement in French engineering. Designed by Léonce Reynaud and constructed of puddled iron and cast iron, it was the first metallic lighthouse built in France. Its metal components were fabricated by Rigolet in Paris in 1862, then reassembled as a demonstration before being disassembled into 387,953 kilograms of pieces for transport via the River Seine to Le Havre and thence to New Caledonia. With 247 steps, it ranks among the world's tallest lighthouses. The foundation stone was laid on 18 January 1865, and the light was first kindled on 15 November 1865, the feast day of Empress Eugénie. It signals the entrance to the Boulari passage, one of only three natural openings through the reef encircling New Caledonia, and now attracts numerous visitors.