Le Phare

For the proposed skyscraper in Paris, see Le Phare (skyscraper).

Le Phare (The Lighthouse) is the third studio album by French composer Yann Tiersen. This was the artist's breakthrough album. He collaborated with distinguished French songwriter Dominique A (who wrote and provided vocals to both "Monochrome" and "Les Bras de mer"). It is typical of Tiersen's work for violin, mandolin, accordion and piano to feature heavily. Also a trademark feature of his style is unusual instrumentation, including a bicycle wheel, typewriters and saucepans. Three songs from this album, "La Dispute", "La Noyée", and "Sur le fil" were used later for Tiersen's soundtrack for the film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain. "L'Homme aux bras ballants" is also the soundtrack to a short film by the same name by Laurent Gorgiard. "Sur le fil" has become a live favourite, normally only the violin section performed with great intensity, sometimes even breaking many hairs on the bow.

Personnel
This also contains all the instruments used on the album.


 * Musicians
 * Yann Tiersen - violins, accordion, piano, mandolins, guitar, typewriter, small and big saucepans, cooking pot, tam-tam, banjo, harpsichord, oud, acoustic guitar, 12 stringed guitar, toy piano, vibraphone, cello, melodica, chimes, bowed mandolins, bicycles, bontempi, vocals
 * Claire Pichet - vocals on "La Rupture"
 * Dominique A - vocals on "Monochrome", vocals, piano, and guitar on "Les Bras de mer"
 * Sacha Toorop - percussion, drum kit, big drum, and small bell on "Le Quartier", "La Rupture", "Monochrome", and "Les Bras de mer"


 * Production
 * Stephane Kraemer - engineer, mixing
 * Frank Loriou - artwork
 * Renaud Monfourny - photography

Certifications and sales
According to Music for New Zealand the album has sold over 160,000 copies.