Surveillance day and night… Every day of the year, whatever the weather conditions, the lookout Cépet, near Cape Méôme, has been watching over the Mediterranean since the 19th century. In the team, 10 people take turns for 24-hour shifts at the heart of the control tower. It was built from 1862 to 1877, 150 meters above the Mediterranean, on the highest point of the Saint-Mandrier peninsula. An exceptional view that allows monitoring of the Toulon harbor and beyond. A passing ferry is identified 14 nautical miles offshore. The lookout will carry out all verifications. The watchstanders ensure the surveillance of the maritime, aerial, and land approaches to the harbor and the military port of Toulon during 24-hour shifts and provide real-time information, including anomalies, to all stakeholders involved in coastal defense. They are trained in observation, analysis, and transmission of sensitive data. It is therefore an essential maritime surveillance post for the French Navy. In Saint-Mandrier, the lookout Cépet ensures the maritime defense of the territory.
The duties of the lookout are diverse: thanks to a combination of equipment, long-range binoculars, 360-degree infrared cameras, a radar that cross-references data with a ship identification system, surveillance is constant. Civil security and navigation assistance are also part of the missions. Any accidents, suspicious behavior, or danger to ships are immediately reported to the maritime prefecture. “We have to keep an eye on both sides, there can be as many exits from the port as entrances, or transit offshore, you have to keep an eye out everywhere,” says Second Master Laura.
So the lookout Cépet is a silent guardian of the Toulon harbor, serving national security as well as sea users.
