Petit-Fort-Philippe lighthouse (Grevelingen, France)
Photos - Info - Meteo - Tips - Nieuws - Geo Info -
General information about the 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, 59820 Grevelingen, Nord Department, Hauts-de-France, France
Geographic coordinates:
– Google Maps: Latitude = 51.0038506 – Longitude = 2.1065811
– OpenStreetMap: Latitude = 51.003843 – Longitude = 2.109161
– Altitude h = 4 m
Location of Petit Fort-Philippe Lighthouse on:
Tourist map from Top.Vlaanderen – Google Maps – OpenStreetMap.
Route to Petit Fort-Philippe Lighthouse: Route via Google Maps
Meteo
21°C
| Day | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
9:00 p.m.
|
 light rain
|
16° | 22°°C | 0.47 mm | 47% | 15 Km/h | 79 % | 1021 mb |
|
Tomorrow
9:00 p.m.
|
 cloudy
|
14° | 18°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 32 Km/h | 91 % | 1017 mb |
|
Sun, May 26
9:00 PM
|
 light rain
|
13° | 18°°C | 0.93 mm | 93% | 23 Km/h | 90 % | 1017 mb |
|
ma jun 26
21:00
|
light rain
|
14° | 18°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 28 Km/h | 96 % | 1011 mb |
|
di jun 26
21:00
|
light rain
|
13° | 18°°C | 1 mm | 100% | 34 Km/h | 95 % | 1011 mb |
| Hour | Condition | Temperature | Precipitation | Rain Chance | Wind | Humidity | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Today
9:00 a.m.
|
slightly cloudy
|
21° | 22°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 8 Km/h | 79 % | 1021 mb |
|
Today
12:00
|
slightly cloudy
|
21° | 21°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 15 Km/h | 75 % | 1020 mb |
|
Today
3:00 p.m.
|
light rain
|
19° | 19°°C | 0.26 mm | 26% | 14 Km/h | 75 % | 1018 mb |
|
Today
6:00 p.m.
|
light rain
|
18° | 18°°C | 0.47 mm | 47% | 12 Km/h | 72 % | 1017 mb |
|
Today
9:00 p.m.
|
 very light cloud cover
|
16° | 16°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 3 Km/h | 78 % | 1017 mb |
|
Tomorrow
12:00 AM
|
 partly cloudy
|
15° | 15°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 5 Km/h | 81 % | 1016 mb |
|
Tomorrow
03:00
|
cloudy
|
15° | 15°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 13 Km/h | 91 % | 1014 mb |
|
Tomorrow
06:00
|
cloudy
|
15° | 15°°C | 0 mm | 0% | 18 Km/h | 86 % | 1015 mb |
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.
Our photos of Petit Fort-Philippe Lighthouse
Our photos, videos, etc. are all (c) 2004-2026, Top.Vlaanderen, Belgium. They may not be copied or used without permission. If you would like to use them for a project, please contact us in advance and we will see how we can work together. If you would like us to photograph your own tourist attraction, B&B, vacation home, etc., that is also possible. Please contact us via our contact form .
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)
Disclaimer: All information presented on top.vlaanderen has been compiled with the utmost care. It is also checked regularly. If you have any comments, errors, additional information, etc... please contact us via our contact form. We are not responsible for possible incorrect or incomplete information.
