La Jument
Encyclopedia
La Jument is the name of a lighthouse
at the Northwestern part of France
, Brittany
. The lighthouse is built on a rock (that is also called La Jument) about 300 metres from the coast of the island of Ushant
, in the middle of the ocean. There is also an almost identical lighthouse about 3 kilometres to the North, the Nividic lighthouse. Together with the Kreac'h lighthouse
, they are the 3 most famous lighthouses of the region.
Construction began on the lighthouse on the rock of la Jument in 1904, and it was completed in 1911.
during a storm and while the lighthouse keepers were stranded. Upon viewing the pictures, it would be easy to conclude that the man in the shots perished as a result of the wave. However, this is not true.
The lighthouse keeper
s had been waiting for a rescue helicopter; upon hearing the sound of Guichard's own helicopter, one of them came out to investigate. As the enormous wave broke over the lighthouse, he was able to hastily retreat back inside.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
at the Northwestern part of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. The lighthouse is built on a rock (that is also called La Jument) about 300 metres from the coast of the island of Ushant
Ushant
Ushant is an island at the south-western end of the English Channel which marks the north-westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany and is in the traditional region of Bro-Leon. Administratively, Ushant is a commune in the Finistère department...
, in the middle of the ocean. There is also an almost identical lighthouse about 3 kilometres to the North, the Nividic lighthouse. Together with the Kreac'h lighthouse
Phare du Creach
Phare du Creach or Kreac'h lighthouse or Créac'h lighthouse is a lighthouse in Ushant, France. It is one of the most powerful in the world. And, there are also two almost identical lighthouse, the La Jument lighthouse and the Nividic lighthouse...
, they are the 3 most famous lighthouses of the region.
History
This section of the coastline of Brittany, the west coast of Northern France, had always been known by sailors to be a rugged and dangerous area. Being the westernmost point of land, it is a heavily trafficked sealane, and additionally experiences severe weather during much of the year. As such, the area has experienced many shipwrecks over the centuries. One such accident, the wreck of the steam ship Drummond Castle in June, 1896, was responsible for the deaths of nearly 250 people.Construction began on the lighthouse on the rock of la Jument in 1904, and it was completed in 1911.
Photographs story
The lighthouse became well-known in 1989, through a series of photographs taken by Jean GuichardJean Guichard
Jean Guichard, born in Paris, on April 28, 1952, is a French photographer known for his images of lighthouses. One series of seven pictures, titled La Jument, is world-famous; taken in 1989, it depicts the French lighthouse "La Jument" in a tempest...
during a storm and while the lighthouse keepers were stranded. Upon viewing the pictures, it would be easy to conclude that the man in the shots perished as a result of the wave. However, this is not true.
The lighthouse keeper
Lighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
s had been waiting for a rescue helicopter; upon hearing the sound of Guichard's own helicopter, one of them came out to investigate. As the enormous wave broke over the lighthouse, he was able to hastily retreat back inside.
See also
- L'Équipier (Cinema of FranceCinema of FranceThe Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
: The Light, directed by Philippe LioretPhilippe LioretPhilippe Lioret is a French film director.- Filmography :*1993: Tombés du ciel*1997: Tenue correcte exigée*2001: Mademoiselle*2004: L'Équipier*2006: Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas*2009: Welcome...
) Carte des phares du Finistère (Map of the lighthouses of the département of FinistèreFinistèreFinistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
)