Petit-Fort-Philippe lighthouse (Grevelingen, France)
Photos – Info – Weather – Tips – Geo Info – Starry sky [- Tides]
General information about Petit Fort-Philippe lighthouse
Petit-Fort-Philippe Lighthouse, also sometimes called the "Black & White," with a rather modest height of 29 meters , was built in 1837-1838. "First light" was not there until 1843. She was still in service until 1979. Originally the lighthouse was painted all white but after complaints from boaters who could not distinguish it well in the fog, a second color, black, was added. The lighthouse is located at the mouth of the river "Aa" (common in crossword puzzles).
In 2010, the building was protected as a "Monument Historique."
During the period 2021-2022 the tower was renovated.: it had fallen into such disrepair that intervention was desirable.
It has recently been reopened to the general public: 116 steps to the top! There is also a small museum housed in the former lighthouse keeper's quarters. Today, the lighthouse is Grevelingen' s biggest tourist attraction.
Some things to keep in mind when visiting the actual lighthouse are:
- children under the age of 7 are not allowed to climb the tower
- the stone spiral staircase is to be climbed all at once: So there are no intermediate levels to stop at
- when you get to the top, you have to take a steep iron staircase for one more floor - coming back down for the top floor is best done backwards as it is safest
- the actual light house, as is usually the case with lighthouses, cannot be visited.
- If you are afraid of heights, you can still go to the top: it is a very sturdy structure with railings from bottom to top. Then, if necessary, take in the view from the door leading to the observation platform: you will be 100% safe inside and have been able to take in some of the scenery.
At the time, the French artist Georges Seurat made a beautiful painting of the Grevelingen Canal, completely in pointillism style. It also shows this lighthouse. Check it out on Wikipedia(FR - EN).
Note that the French city of "Gravelines" is translated by some as "Grevelingen," then others say "Gravelingen." 'Tis just a know.
Visitor tips
Tip 1: The lighthouse is in Petit Fort-Philippe, which is next to the center of Gravelines. Visit the 17th-century Vauban fortifications there. These are very extensive and still in good condition.
Tip 2: If you want to continue your visit in the maritime theme, be sure to visit the shipyard of the Jean-Bart go see.
Tip 3: Another possibility there is to go visit the nuclear power plant. This does require some preparation. Inform yourself through our page about the CNPE nuclear power plant.
Geographical information
Address: Boulevard Léo Lagrange, Dunkirk, Hauts-de-France, France
Geographical coordinates:
- Google Maps: Latitude = 51.0038506 - Longitude = 2.1065811
- Open Street Maps: Latitude = 51.003843 - Longitude = 2.109161
- Altitude h = 3 m
Indication of Lighthouse of Petit Fort-Philippe on:
Tourist map of Top.Vlaanderen - Google Maps - OpenStreetMap.
Route to Lighthouse of Petit Fort-Philippe: Route via Google Maps
Meteo
4°C
| Day | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
22:00
|
 cloudless
|
4° | 8°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 23 Km/h | 88 % | 1000 mb |
|
Tomorrow
22:00
|
 partly cloudy
|
4° | 7°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 25 Km/h | 89 % | 999 mb |
|
Mon Jan 26
10:00 p.m.
|
partly cloudy
|
3° | 6°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 14 Km/h | 82 % | 1001 mb |
|
Tue Jan 26
10:00 p.m.
|
 light rain
|
3° | 6°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 36 Km/h | 90 % | 998 mb |
|
Wed Jan 26
10:00 p.m.
|
light rain
|
6° | 7°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 33 Km/h | 93 % | 985 mb |
| Hour | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
04:00
|
 cloudless
|
5° | 6°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 22 Km/h | 87 % | 997 mb |
|
Today
07:00
|
 very light cloud cover
|
4° | 5°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 20 Km/h | 88 % | 997 mb |
|
Today
10:00
|
cloudless
|
5° | 5°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 23 Km/h | 85 % | 999 mb |
|
Today
13:00
|
cloudless
|
7° | 7°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 23 Km/h | 73 % | 1000 mb |
|
Today
16:00
|
cloudless
|
8° | 8°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 20 Km/h | 74 % | 999 mb |
|
Today
19:00
|
 slightly cloudy
|
6° | 6°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 20 Km/h | 85 % | 1000 mb |
|
Today
22:00
|
cloudy
|
5° | 5°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 23 Km/h | 85 % | 999 mb |
|
Tomorrow
01:00
|
partly cloudy
|
4° | 4°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 23 Km/h | 87 % | 999 mb |
Starry sky above Petit Fort-Philippe Lighthouse
Tide predictions
Want to see the tides for another date?
Internet information about Grevelingen Lighthouse
Visitor numbers: 5,000 to 7,000 in the period 2023-2024.
Wikipedia page about the Grevelingen Lighthouse: NL – FR
Wikipedia page about the hamlet of Petit Fort-Philippe: NL – FR – EN
Wikipedia page about the phenomenon of lighthouses: NL – FR – EN
Information and visiting hours on the Dunkirk Tourist Office website.
Page on the website about historical monuments monumentum.fr.
Tourist Office "Tourisme Gravelines":
Website – Facebook (municipality) – Instagram
Tourist Office "Dunkerque Tourisme":
Website – Facebook – Instagram
Adjacent restaurant: "Le 166"(Facebook) – Pleasant terrace, very tasty beef tartare, the rest was less impressive.
Photos of the Grevelingen lighthouse
Fall Eve and Fireworks during the "Fête de la Moule" on Aug. 24, 2025
Do YOU want to photograph fireworks yourself? Well then, see our tips here.
Outdoor shooting of Aug. 16, 2025 with lighthouse open to visitors
Inside shots of Aug. 16, 2025
Recordings from the observation platform atop the lighthouses (Aug. 16, 2025)
Photos of a closed lighthouse (May 9, 2025)
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