Jacques and Marie Le Perray enjoy living in a lighthouse. In Jacques’ opinion his profession gives him a broader view of humanity, so that he is more able to put things into perspective. Perhaps this is also why he has recently been deputed to the district circuit for Chareauville sur Mer. While high above them the new smokeless Argand oil lamp, fitted with a thick, parabolic reflector, sends its light at least thirty six kilometres across the North Sea to warn the ships for the treacherous French coast, full of shallows and sandbanks, the family lead a closely-knit life in the circular rooms.

Their three children, Max, Thomas and Danielle love looking out over Chareauville from their room on the fourth floor. In stormy weather they can hear the sea wind howling and sometimes the high waves dash themselves in clouds of spume against the coast, sending spatters as far up as their small windows. In calm weather they are allowed to accompany Jacques all the way to the top, to the highest point of the town, even higher than the church tower of Padre Henry Thiory. Then they can see Mayor Victor Domont’s town hall, the Draveil family’s water mill and the imposing bank of Philippe de Limours. They can see their tiny friends playing, such as Maxime and Francine Honfleur from the shipping shop. Sometimes they call out to them, but they usually don’t hear.

If they look the other way they see the sea ships on the horizon, blowing out great clouds of steam. And when one of these ships makes it safely into the harbour of Chareauville sur Mer, they know this is because their light has guided it. In the near future Jacques Le Perray’s lighthouse too will be fitted with the new system of interrupted lights, so that each ship knows exactly where it is. This will make the lighthouse even safer.