The Lighthouse at the End of the World, which illuminates the entrance to the port of La Rochelle for 20 years, continues to live. This lighthouse is not unique. It is a replica of the original installed on the Isle of States in Argentina. Andre Bronner, nicknamed Yul, stayed there in 1994 with just a bow and a fishing net. During this stay, on the site of the former lighthouse, he had the idea of turning the light on again. In 1998, it was done. The Lighthouse of the End of the World shines again.
The replica in La Rochelle at 20 years old
Scheduled to be lit on 1 January 2000, the replica of the Phare du Bout du Monde, built identically in La Rochelle, will be a little late following the passage of the storm that ended the year 1999. The inauguration finally took place on 23 February 2000.
It will be on the occasion of the Grand Pavois 2020 that will be celebrated the 20th anniversary of this lighthouse. For this event, the association decided to propose to "guardians" to live in the lighthouse. It is a question of transforming it into a kind of ephemeral artistic residence.
For 24 hours, the volunteer keeper will be placed at the foot of the lighthouse and will be completely secluded. Indeed, solitude being creative, he should not take with him any means of communication. On the other hand, he undertakes to produce artistic content and to give it to the association: sculpture, painting, drawing, audio, photography, video... He is free to choose his own means of expression.
A rough layout
To receive it, the lighthouse has been slightly fitted out with a cot, a stove to heat a bowl and a solar panel to power a battery that can be used to light a lamp. The guard having to take on board with him, his food and down.
This lighthouse, which is located on public property and belongs to the town hall of La Rochelle, is managed by the Marina. It is therefore the town hall that has given the green light for this operation open to all and the Port which is in charge of the rotation of the guards with a semi-rigid.
Anyone can be a guardian
To have the right to sleep one night on the lighthouse (24 hours maximum per trip), all you have to do is join the association and propose availability dates. The association hopes to embark between 150 and 200 people a year, as sea conditions sometimes limit access to the lighthouse. At the end of October 2019, when the first rotations began, more than 110 people were already registered for this unusual night. It should be noted that currently, there are more female guards than volunteer guards on the list.
What to do with the works produced?
For the moment, the association that will collect the work of the guards does not yet know how it will use it: Exhibition? A play? Nothing is fixed yet since nothing is produced and we do not know the quality (and quantity) of these artistic productions.
A first guardian
The first guard took his turn on guard on October 18, 2019. That day, the weather was not perfect, with a busy sky, 20 knots of wind and a clear chop. A little sporty conditions for the transfer, but Bernard, a former fireman and football fan, did not hesitate when it came to jumping from the semi-rigid to the ladder that leads to the lighthouse.
