La Martre Lighthouse

Named after nearby Marten River, La Martre Lighthouse (or Phare de la Martre) is the octagonal jewel of the Gaspé coast. Though fully automated at night, La Martre is the only light in Quebec that operates with a non automated system of weights and cables during the day, specifically for visitors’ viewing pleasure.

Its predecessor, the first La Martre Lighthouse, had an attached keeper’s abode, built in the tiny village overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. JeanBaptiste Gauthier, the first keeper, raised a family of eight children on those grounds. He spent roughly twenty-five years keeping lamps alight and the lens a’spinning. Two of his children followed in their father’s footsteps and joined the lighthouse service.

Today, this symmetrical colossus stretches almost twice the height and stands proud at 111 feet. The only creatures helping man it these days are the abundant seagulls from nearby cliffs. They are efficient, if unofficial, keepers, overseeing maritime operations with a rousing chorus of squawks sure to ward off oncoming ships.

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