Grand Jardin lighthouse is one of the four lighthouses around Saint Malo. It is located on "Pierre du Jardin" rock, near Cézembre Island.

Its building started in 1865 and its shape was directly inspired by the third Eddyston lighthouse.
Aligned with la Balue lighthouse it shows the "Petite Porte" channel and the "Porte" one if aligned with Rochebonne lighthouse.

It was partly destroyed on summer 1944 by German troops and back into service in 1950. It was electrified in 1979 and automated in 1982.

On November 18th 1905 a dramatic shipwreck occurred in the lighthouse area. In poor weather conditions,  SS Hilda steamship, on a regular service between Southampton and Saint Malo, attempted to enter the harbour but struck the Pierre de Portes rocks. No one in the lighthouse noticed the distress signals or rockets. 125 people died and only six survived after they managed to climb the rigging.
The light is a 90 W halogen lamp, the size of a regular domestic one. It can be seen up to 15 nautical miles away.

It is powerful enough to  conform to a local tradition according to which those whose life was saved by this light must cook a  scallop on its lamp.

Philippe BOUDIN, a very lucky sailor, is the only one who has done it three times sofar.

The area is full of shellfish, lobsters in particular.

Source Wikipédia

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