t ower ▁from ▁ 1 8 1 8 . ▁King ▁Louis - Ph ili ppe ▁in ▁his ▁plans ▁to ▁improve ▁French ▁ports ▁decided ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁first - class ▁l ighth ouse ▁in ▁Cal ais . ▁This ▁l ighth ouse ▁started ▁operating ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁and ▁was ▁elect r ified ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁After ▁esc aping ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁it ▁was ▁autom ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁The ▁Cal ais ▁l ighth ouse ▁is ▁now ▁class ified ▁as ▁a ▁Monument ▁historique ▁since ▁ 1 9 / 0 5 / 2 0 1 1 ▁in ▁France . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁l ighth ouse ▁is ▁ 5 3 m ▁high , ▁its ▁tower ▁is ▁oct ag onal ▁outside ▁and ▁round ▁inside ▁with ▁walls ▁ 1 , 9 0 m ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁and ▁ 1 , 5 0 m ▁at ▁the ▁sum mit . ▁The ▁found ations ▁descend ▁ 7 , 4 0 m ▁under ▁the ▁cell ars . ▁The ▁st air case ▁has ▁ 2 7 1 ▁steps ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁lan tern . ▁The ▁central ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ▁is ▁permanent ▁and ▁the ▁lan tern , ▁whose ▁pan els ▁shut ▁off ▁the ▁light , ▁turns ▁around ▁the ▁light , ▁giving ▁ 4 ▁flash es ▁of ▁ 2 / 1 0 th ▁of ▁a ▁second ▁every ▁ 1 5 ▁seconds . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁List ▁of ▁l ighth ouses ▁in ▁France ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External