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Gravelines

The lighthouse of Petit-Fort-Philippe

A black-and-white spiral, one of the few North Sea lighthouses you can climb

The lighthouse of Petit-Fort-Philippe and the sailing base, at low tide
Photo: Jean Marc Gfp, source, CC BY 3.0

The essentials

Where
Gravelines
How long
Half an hour
Price
Charged, a few euros
  • 104 steps
  • Black and white
  • View over the estuary
  • Seasonal opening
What to do in Gravelines?

You can see it from the beach, and it's all you see: a tower ringed in a black-and-white spiral, at the mouth of the Aa. It's the landmark of Petit-Fort-Philippe, the seaside hamlet of Gravelines.

And above all, you can climb it — one of the very few lighthouses open to visitors on the whole North Sea coast.

The climb

A hundred and four steps. From the top you can see the mouth of the Aa, the channel, the beach, the marina, and the star-shaped town beyond. It's short, it's steep, and it's well worth it for children who have never climbed a lighthouse.

Opening hours are seasonal and depend on staff availability: it's the kind of visit worth checking the day before.

The channel, just below

The channel-side promenade links the lighthouse to the marina. You'll pass fishing boats coming in and anglers set up on the rocks. It's the Sunday walk for locals in Gravelines, and it takes twenty minutes.

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    3 activities to book

    What activities to do in Gravelines?

    Our favourite

    For the star-shaped town

    Le tour des remparts

    Vauban's fortifications are explored on foot, along the ramparts and beside the moats.

    1 h · on foot

    For Petit-Fort-Philippe lighthouse

    Le phare de Petit-Fort-Philippe

    The black-and-white lighthouse can be climbed for the view over the beach and the harbour.

    30 min · climb

    For kayaking and paddleboarding on the Aa

    Le kayak et le paddle sur l'Aa

    The Parc des Rives de l'Aa watersports base rents kayaks and paddleboards on the lake.

    1 h · rental

    Our 3 restaurants

    Where to eat in Gravelines?

    Our favourite

    To eat in Petit-Fort-Philippe

    Au Beau Rivage

    A restaurant on boulevard Léo Lagrange, on the beach side.

    Restaurant · 7 boulevard Léo Lagrange

    For seafood

    Au Retour d'Islande

    A fish and seafood restaurant in Gravelines.

    Fish and seafood · Gravelines

    For lunch or afternoon tea

    Le Local

    A restaurant-tearoom, place du Polder.

    Restaurant-tearoom · place du Polder

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