Poitou-Charentes
Two Mysterious Figures on the Horizon
Two mysterious figures are on the horizon. They're the giants of the island of Aix: two 25.3 meter high lighthouses that punctuate the landscape with pride. From one end of the tip of the island to the other, you can see these bicolored lighthouses. Over the years they've kept the secrets of navigation and stories that have long since been lost in the tides. They've been in use since 1889, and these lighthouses reach a distance of 44 kilometers, which helps facilitate the maritime traffic in the area. Absence and loneliness are two of the characteristics that have defined these lighthouse guardians.
This has led to the creation of a legend around these figures that has been passed down from generation to generation. The last guardian of these lighthouses was Louis Simonneau. He took office in 1957 and remained there until 1980. In 1995, he was laid to rest in the cemetery of Fouras. Louis Simonneau had been able to see the entire team of the film "adventurers" in 1967, whose cast included actors Alain Delon, and Lino Ventura, who was to be the future first Algerian President Ahmed Ben Bella, imprisoned in 1962 at Fort Liédot.
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