Which lighthouse is known as the ‘Patriarch of Lighthouses’ in France?

The Phare de Cordouan, also called The Cordouan Lighthouse is the ‘Patriarch of Lighthouses,’ located in France. It is still an active lighthouse located 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) at sea, near the mouth of the Gironde estuary in France.

It was designed by the leading Paris architect and engineer Louis de Foix who was born around 1535. His exact date of his death is unknown, but before completion of the lighthouse.

It is a Renaissance masterpiece, an amalgam of a royal palace, cathedral and fort. Started in 1584, it was finished in 1611. At a height of 67.5 meters (221 ft), it is the10th-tallest “traditional lighthouse” in the world. When lit (white) it has a range of 22 nautical miles (41 km; 25 mi) and the red/green lighting has a range of 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi).

It was listed as a historic monument in 1862 and has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site in 2011.