The lighthouse on Saint Jean Cap Ferrat is one of the landmarks of the entire peninsula and thanks to its height of 78 meters above sea level, it can be seen from far away.

In the 16th century, a fire tower stood on the site of today’s lighthouse to guide ships to the Villefranche wharf and prevent them from crashing into the cliffs. The lighthouse was built here in 1732 to replace the old fire tower. It was then reconstructed in 1827. It was an octagonal ashlar tower with a cylindrical attic, which supported the base of the 33.5 metre high lantern. In 1944, during World War II, the lighthouse was destroyed by German troops. Therefore the lighthouse that you can see today is not the original lighthouse from 1732 or 1827, but it is a replica that was built in 1949 and lit in 1952.

The lighthouse building itself measures 34 meters, and a total of 78 meters from sea level.  Nowadays, the lighthouse lighting is automated. In 2012, it was added to the list of historical monuments.

There is also a semaphore on Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, built in 1862 on the orders of Napoleon III. Today it is under the control of the French Navy, and its task is to regulate maritime traffic, but also to keep an eye on the outbreaks of fires on the coast. It is located above the lighthouse, and its total height from the sea is a respectable 143 meters.