Since 1999, the Mission for National Commemorations and the Department of Higher Education, Research and Technology have published one or more sites each year dedicated to a particular anniversary. 2012 marks the 400th anniversary of the construction of the Cordouan Lighthouse.
In 1612, an extraordinary monument was erected at sea in the Gironde estuary: the Cordouan lighthouse. Intended to guide sailors but also to glorify the monarchs Henry III and Henry IV, he was considered the eighth wonder of the world. Cordouan, the first French lighthouse, continues to arouse the admiration of visitors who make the crossing from Royan and Verdon-sur-Mer. The website dedicated to it reveals to all audiences the originality and beauty of this exceptional architectural and technical heritage.