pureJersey - Jersey Holiday Brochure 2012

2012

pureJersey Island girl Nerina Pallot’s Jersey Durrell Wildlife reveals all Steve Leonard New Jersey The Baker family Flower power Roger Thomas Plus‌ Foodie Jersey, arts and crafts, shopping, luxury spas, green and budget travel

d n a l s i n a ‘Time on ’ e f i l r u o y e g n a h c n a c

OUTDOORSY

ARTY The Branchage International Film Festival is the latest arty gathering on this little island to hit the big time. Jersey arts journalist Lucy Sanderson goes viewing and reviewing.

See Lucy’s article on pages 42–44, followed by Jerseyfiles on arts, festivals and events on pages 45–47

We have coastal walks and country walks, woody nature trails and salty cliff paths, Green Lanes and harbour lights. Walk for just a few miles, or follow in the footsteps of Roly Smith, President of the Outdoor Writers’ Guild, and go all the way around the island.

See Roly’s article on pages 2–5, followed by Jerseyfiles on walking and activities (land and sea) on pages 6–11

GREENERY We’re very green in more ways than one.

Sustainable travel expert Catherine Mack discovers how easy it is to explore the island in the greenest, gentlest way.

See Catherine’s article on pages 12–15, followed by a green travel Jerseyfile on pages 16–18

FOODIE We like our food in Jersey. Little wonder, with all that top-quality local produce straight from the farm and the fishing boat.

Food and travel writer Antonia Windsor tucks into the Jersey Food Festival, our tastiest week of the year.

See Antonia’s article on pages 22–25, followed by a foodie Jerseyfile on pages 26–27

REVEALINGLY What do an oyster farmer, walking guide, artist and singing star have in common?

They all come from Jersey – and are keen to tell you all about it.

See the article on pages 48–51

If you’ve not been before it’s almost certainly not what you might imagine. Jersey is full of contradictions (in the nicest possible way). It has old-world English charm and a buzzy, fresh 21st-century spirit. It’s a cocktail of sophisticated urban living and some of the loveliest coastal natural beauty on the planet. All the good bits of Britain and France are rolled into one on an island where it’s natural to find traditional cream teas and steaming, succulent bowls of moules (local, of course) on the same menu.

It’s only fitting, then, that we also spring some surprises with this publication. pureJersey is not the usual – and usually very boring – holiday brochure. It’s a proper magazine written by real people with real opinions.

We’ve asked a mix of journalists, travel and food writers and members of the public to give us their thoughts on an island that’s much bigger – and much less predictable – than you may think.

Enjoy the read.

Roger Thomas Editor – pureJersey

CARINGLY Durrell Wildlife is famous worldwide for its care of endangered animals. How do they manage it? Vet and TV wildlife presenter Steve Leonard goes behind the scenes and becomes a keeper for the day.

See Steve’s article on pages 36–39, followed by a Jerseyfile on family attractions on pages 40–41

FAMILY Mum + Dad + 12-year-old daughter = travel trouble (sometimes, at least). But they all got on famously when they came to Jersey. And it was so easy to organise. And such good value for money. You don’t have to believe us. Read what Sally, Tom and Molly Baker had to say.

See the Baker family’s article on pages 28–31, followed by Jerseyfiles on budget holidays and heritage attractions on pages 32–35

And finally…

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Publications for 2012 Jersey Visitor Centre/Jersey Pass Accommodation List General Information Travelling to Jersey and Tour Operators 64 Map

FOOTSIE A walking tour of St Helier in the company of Nick Carver, a man who knows all the best bits, nooks and crannies.

Follow Nick’s route on pages 52–53.

Then see the Jerseyfiles on shopping and spas on pages 54–57

FLOWERY Our famous Battle of Flowers takes the bouquet in this blooming island. But what are they getting up to in a barn in the Parish of Grouville? And how many flowers do you need to make a float? Roger Thomas investigates.

See Roger’s article on pages 19–21

book online at www.jersey.com

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›› How much further? Walkers on the around-island Itex marathon

the CIRCLE GAME

Jersey is a famously sporty island. The locals are into everything from surfing to skydiving, cycling to soccer. The world’s attention might be centred on the 2012 London Olympics this summer, but Jersey lays on sporting challenges of its own every year – and none comes tougher than its unique circular double marathon, the 48-mile Itex Around the Island Walk. Roly Smith, President of the Outdoor Writers’ Guild, made an early start

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can’t be certain – after all, it was 2am on a wet and windy mid-June morning and I was still barely awake and may well have been hallucinating. But I swear I saw a man-sized White Rabbit in the throng of over 1,000 people milling around St Helier’s Elizabeth Quay Ferry Terminal at the start of the 21st Itex Around the Island Walk.

Most people appeared to be dressed in sensible walking shoes, shorts and the purple tee-shirt which advertised the fact that they were setting out on the 48-mile marathon. And unlike the anxious, watchtapping character from Alice’s Adventures in

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Wonderland, they didn’t appear to be too worried about being late: after all, the walk didn’t start until 3am.

The Itex Walk was described to me as ‘an island institution’ by Paul Marett, MD of the Jersey-based information technology management company that organises and sponsors the walk in association with Rotary de la Manche. Each year it gets bigger and better, atracting not just islanders but visitors keen to take up the Itex challenge.

As I set out on the first leg along the south-east coast I had Jersey’s Lieutenant

General Sir Andrew Ridgway, no less, for company. As we marched along the harbour wall Sir Andrew announced : ‘There’s a wonderful community spirit here, reflected in the turnout, the army of supporters at the checkpoints, and in the money raised.’

The figures are indeed impressive: by last year (2011), the total raised for nearly 120 local charities had topped £1.5 million.

‘I’m absolutely in awe of these people who turn out for the walk,’ he told me as I manfully tried to keep up with him. ‘I can tell you, 48 miles in 24 hours would be tough enough for any serviceman, let alone ordinary people.’

ITEX INDEX Entrants // 1,123 Finishers // 667 Oldest finisher // John Willcox (aged 74) Youngest finishers // Freya Roberts and Elliott Stephens (both aged 10) Time of first finisher // Around 11am (8 hours) Time of last finisher // Around midnight (21 hours) Average finish time // Around 2pm (11 hours) Money raised // Over ÂŁ115,000 for local charities

Entrants // 1,123

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At the start I had bumped into the incredible ex-postman Don Smith, now in his 82nd year, who had been the oldest finisher for a record four years. ‘Being a postman was good training,’ he admitted, ‘but it’s all good fun and raises a lot of money.’ He then set off with a cheery ‘See you later, folks!’

The first stage of the walk took us along Jersey’s strange tidal ‘moonscape’ (unusually, the tide here goes out for miles) to La Rocque on the south-eastern tip of the island. Next came Grouville Bay and the breakfast stop at Jersey Pottery in the village of Gorey, where the legendary Itex bacon butty breakfasts were served.

explained that his 400-strong church has always been a keen supporter of the walk. ‘But we’ve pulled out all the stops this year, with live music, a masseur and footbaths for the walkers, in addition to the traditional homemade cakes and drinks.’

When I arrived, professional masseur Frances O’Connor from the Hotel de France in St Helier was working on a hamstring problem in Carl Appleton’s right thigh. ‘I’m a keen cyclist, but this is the first time I’ve done the walk and the leg is seizing up a bit,’ said Carl. ‘But I’ve never had to walk 24 miles for a massage before!’

Frances was assisted by junior doctor Arun Sriskantharazah from the Jersey General, while his colleague Anthony Mak, complete with shades Out on the road again, the route skirted the wide, open waters of and microphone, was belting out a Billy Ocean number to the assembled St Catherine’s Bay before reaching the place where it all began in 1991, when 15 brave souls met up at the local pub tucked away on walkers. ‘I guess I’m just not cool enough for that,’ grinned Arun.

Rozel Bay. The crazy idea was aired here by Paul Owen, then MD of Itex. Paul, a keen walker, suggested the idea of a round the island charity walk to some friends. ‘My bluff was called,’ he admitted. ‘But GROSNEZ LES FONTAINES GRÈVE we raised £1,500 on the first walk, which meant that for every DE LECQ BOULEY BAY walker, £100 came in.’

ROZEL

From Rozel the walk really gets into its stride. Jersey’s north coast is wild and rugged – the only way to get up close to the scenery is on the coast path that climbs and dips between granite cliffs and sheltered bays. Just after Bouley Bay the sun made a welcome appearance, and it was there to greet us – along with five-star hospitality – at Les Fontaines Tavern, the halfway point of the walk.

At the checkpoint in the large marquee opposite the pub I met Andrew de Groucy, pastor of the Freedom Church of St Helier, who

ST OUEN’S BAY GOREY LA CORBIÈRE ST BRELADE’S BAY

›› We’ve come this far, so we’ll finish – on the home leg

Finishers // 667 pureJersey

ST AUBIN’S BAY ST HELIER

GROUVILLE BAY

THE JERSEY GYM Jersey Olympian Colin Campbell reckons that the island is a breeding ground for sporting activities of all kinds. ‘Considering it only has a population of 90,000, the facilities here are wonderful, and most people seem to participate in one sport or another.’

For Colin, Jersey was the perfect gym in which to build up stamina for the 400- and 800-metre events at the 1968 Mexico and 1972 Munich events. He also represented Great Britain in the two- and four-man bobsleigh events at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. ‘The sand dunes along St Ouen’s Bay were ideal to build up my legs,’ he explained. ‘When I was living in London I had to travel 150 miles to South Wales to get that kind of stamina training.’

Wherever you go in Jersey you’ll see surfers and cyclists, runners and riders enjoying the outdoor life. And for those rainy days (the sun doesn’t always shine, you know) the island boasts an exceptional range of indoor sporting and activity venues.

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The only way to get up close to the scenery is on the coast path

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The next ‘patient’ was St Helier-based HSBC worker Hannah Eriksson from Gothenburg in Sweden, walking with her brother and nephew who had flown over specially. Hannah was suffering from enormous blisters on her feet, but Frances and Arun soon had her patched up.

By general consensus, the next section of the walk between Les Fontaines and Grève de Lecq along Jersey’s fabulous north-west coast is the most spectacular, and we saw it at its best in glorious sunshine. The route headed towards the granite headland of Ronez, Jersey’s northernmost point, then towards the blackand-white lighthouse on the rocky promontory of Sorel Point. From here, the path plunged through slopes of purple foxgloves and heather to the deep La Mourier Valley.

Then came more high points, quite literally: three miles of thrilling cliff walking, passing through the National Trust property of Le

Col de la Roc. Soon, I was at the top of the steep, hairpin-cornered lane of Le Chemin du Catel looking down into the perfectly formed sandy cove of Grève de Lecq with its 18th-century barracks and fortifications.

Here I was astonished by the extraordinary sight of people walking backwards, both up and down the steep lane. Those walking backwards downhill were easily explained by the acquired relief for crushed toes in ill-fitting shoes. The lady who was walking backwards uphill remains a mystery…

After the island’s north-west extremity at Grosnez, marked by a mysterious ruined castle (and more sensational views, this time towards Guernsey) came the toughest part of the walk. St Ouen’s Bay takes a huge bite out of Jersey’s windy west coast.

And, believe me, it also takes a lot out of Itex walkers. The seven-mile trudge along its thigh-sapping sands became a blur as

each walker escaped into a private hell.

At least we had a goal on which to focus: the south-western headland and lighthouse of La Corbière, an iconic island landmark that heralded the start of our last lap, albeit another gruelling nine miles around St Brelade’s Bay and St Aubin’s Bay back to St Helier.

‘Why do people put themselves through this torture every year?’ I asked Paul Marett. ‘There’s a lot of giving in Jersey,’ he explained, ‘People put a lot of heart and a lot of time into the walk, and it’s important they know that every penny raised goes purely to local charities.’

They are local heroes, one and all.

SEE OVERLEAF FOR WALKING AND ACTIVITY JERSEYFILES

book online at www.jersey.com

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JERSEYFILE

ACTION PLANNING TREAT YOUR FEET What’s your walking style? Laid back and relaxed?

Enthusiastic and vigorous? Do you like beaches and headlands? Or are you more of a country lover?

AROUND THE ISLAND ON FOOT Roly Smith stayed at the Grand Jersey on the seafront at St Helier, close to the start and finish of the Itex walk (so he didn’t have too much extra footslogging to do).

Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa, The Esplanade, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3QA T 01534 722301 www.grandjersey.com Enter the Itex: Follow in Roly’s footsteps and enter the Itex in 2012. Taking place on 23 June, this 48-mile around-island walk attracts local and visiting walkers raising funds for Jersey charities. Expect to complete the course in anything between 11 to 21 hours. www.itexwalk.je

WALK JERSEY Our new walking guide, available free from Jersey Tourism, tells you why the island is such a great fresh-air, feet-first destination. See the publications coupon on page 58, which also lists other walking guides and maps.

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It might be hard to believe, but Jersey answers all those walking questions. More and more visitors are discovering our coastal paths and Green Lanes in an island blessed with a mild, sunny climate, great natural beauty and bountiful wildlife. So pack your walking boots – and don’t forget the binoculars.

FOR MORE WALKING www.jersey.com/walking INFORMATION: Jersey Tourism T 01534 448877 email: info@jersey.com www.jersey.com/walking

BEST FOOT FORWARD – SOME TOP WALKING TIPS We go out of our way to make it easy for you: See our website for details of suggested routes – www.jersey.com/walking Q Get a copy of our attractive free walking guide – it’s packed full of ideas.

Q Join one of our many regular guided walks. We’re famous for them – again, see the website.

Q Park the car – or don’t bring one.

Walkers find it easy to explore the island with the help of our excellent, goeverywhere bus service.

WAYMARKERS Here are 10 ways to go walking in Jersey (there are lots more)

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It’s the way to go. The big news for walking fans is the opening of the Channel Islands Way, an inspirational new 110-mile walking route that brings together all the best coastal walks in Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm. With a bit of island hopping by boat and plane, walkers can enjoy some of the best coastal footpaths on the planet. Full details are in The Channel Islands Way, a new guide priced £9.95 (available from retailers across the Channel Islands and via www.amazon.co.uk).

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Get yourself a guide.

We’re proud of our programme of guided walks. In season, there are leisurely walks almost every day of the week with experienced Blue Badge guides covering everything from wildlife to World War Two sites, local customs to maritime history.

There’s no better way to get to know the island. From May to December we also run ‘After Dark’ walks that delve into the island’s nooks, crannies and spooky happenings.

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Go for our Green Lanes. The network of around 50 miles of calm, walker-friendly Green Lanes are a famous feature of the island – not to mention yet more paths around our beautiful woodlands, valleys and scenic reservoirs.

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Go in search of wildlife.

You won’t have to look far. Red squirrels still thrive in our woods, and the island is a stopping-off place for many migratory birds. Keep an eye open for the rare agile frog (not found anywhere else in Britain). You’ll have no problem spotting our most famous animal residents – golden-flanked Jersey cows.

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Become a festivalgoer. Make a date with our Spring and Autumn Walking Festivals (see events pages 46–47), which have routes for all abilities and ages. Themes for each walk change every year – previous festivals have included walks for foodies, birdwatchers, history lovers and single people.

Walk with wellies.

Swap your boots for wellies or old trainers and take a ‘moonwalk’.

The island’s massive tidal reach – one of the world’s highest – means that the rocks, reefs and gullies along our south-eastern shores reveal themselves daily as a strange ‘moonscape’.

Always go with a guide, though – the tides can be treacherous.

Follow the trail of the lonesome pint. In partnership with the local Liberation Ales group we’ve put together ‘ale trails’ featuring great walking from some of the island’s finest pubs. All is revealed in the free Walking Routes to Build a Thirst guide from Jersey Tourism.

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See the sea on a classic coast path.

Head for our rocky, rugged north coast.

It’s wild and beautiful, dotted with timeless little bays where you can stop off for a paddle or a sandwich.

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‘Step Out’ with the National Trust for Jersey.

The Trust’s yearlong programme of free guided walks (usually lasting around two hours) celebrates the island’s heritage and environment. Everyone is welcome.

For more details: T 01534 483193, www.nationaltrustjersey.org.je

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Walk ’n’ bus.

Our comprehensive bus service covers all corners of the island, and it runs in a way that allows you to hop on and hop off with ease. Get a timetable, pack a picnic and catch an Island Explorer to do some exploring of your own on our spectacular north coast path (T 01534 877772, www.mybus.je).

SEE OVERLEAF FOR MORE ACTIVITIES

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JERSEYFILE

ACTION PLANNING On these pages we take a look at the things you can get up to on dry land (and up in the air) in Jersey. You’ll need to bring plenty of energy. Jersey’s outdoor scene is full of activity and adrenaline.

Go cycling, abseiling or sky diving. Play golf or try blokarting on our big beaches – it’s an island speciality. Here’s a sample.

For the full picture go to: www.jersey.com/active

FREEWHEELING You’ll see lots of bikes in Jersey.

We’re a flattish island so serious Tour de France wannabes might be disappointed. But you’ve come to the right place for easy, familyfriendly routes. Do what the locals love to do and glide along the seafront from St Helier to St Aubin on a dedicated cyclepath with sensational views across the bay.

Or follow in the ‘tracks of steam’ on the lovely old railway route – now an immaculate, leafy cyclepath – to Corbière Lighthouse on the rocky south-western tip of the island. ∑ For more details go to www.jersey.com/cycling or contact Jersey Tourism.

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Pedal power. Jersey is an exceedingly cycle-friendly island.

Our roads are mostly quiet (especially the peaceful Green Lanes and traffic-free cyclepaths), there’s a 96-mile across-island network of routes to follow with clear waymarking, and a good supply of cycle shops and hire facilities Blo… what? You’ve not heard of blokarting? Then come to Jersey, where it’s big time on our big beaches. A blokart is a windpowered go-kart that propels you along at up to 55mph. It comes with a steering wheel and a rope attached to the sail to control your speed. It’s something everyone can try – it only takes 10 minutes or so to grasp the basics. For a variation on a theme there’s also X-sailing.

Greens to envy. It’s not just the greens and fairways, but the views too. Golf in Jersey is highly scenic. We have headland and country courses, 18-hole championship challenges and friendly nine-holers, American-style parkland courses and driving ranges. And our famously sunny climate makes the golf even more enjoyable.

FOR ALL THE LATEST… Keep up with us on: www.twitter.com/jerseytourism www.facebook.com/visitjersey www.youtube.com/jerseytourism www.flickr.com/jerseytourism

Go geocaching. It’s catching on in a big way. Geocaching is high-tech treasure hunting using GPS equipment (all is explained on www.geocaching.com). There are over 100 caches hidden on Jersey – it’s a fun, familyfriendly way of getting out and about.

High times. Abseiling and rock climbing are popular adventure sports in Jersey. Our granite cliffs are just great for climbing – and to cool down when it’s all over, take a dip in the sea. Best of all, combine the two – cliff climbing and splashing around amongst the waves – on a coasteering adventure.

Up, up and away.

Loop the loop, fly across to France, take a trial flying lesson or skydive from 10,000ft/3,000m for the ultimate adrenaline rush. Jersey Aero Club and activity operators will have you reaching for – and parachuting through – the skies.

You name it… You can go do it in Jersey.

We offer everything from high ropes and zip wire excitement to paintballing and orienteering, gokarting and raftmaking to shooting and multi-activity days out. It’s all on our website: www.jersey.com/active

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Creepy Valley Adventure Centre www.creepyvalley.je

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Funky Puffin Mountain Bikes www.jerseybikehire.com Jersey Adventures www.jerseyadventures.com

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Jersey Bike Repairs www.jerseybikerepairs.com

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Jersey Cycletours www.littletrain.co.uk

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Jersey Karting www.jerseyslivinglegend.co.je

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Les Mielles Activity Centre www.lesmielles.net Pure Adventure www.purejersey.com Skydive Jersey www.skydivejersey.net Zebra Hire www.zebrahire.com

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Jersey Aero Club www.jerseyaeroclub.com

Jersey Odyssey www.jerseyodyssey.co.uk

Zorbing

Active Island Sports www.activeislandsports.com

Shooting (Clay Pigeon/Laser)

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Aerial Trekking & Zip Wires

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Cycling

Climbing & Abseiling

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Flying

Coasteering

Absolute Adventures www.absolutejersey.co.uk

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Karting

Blokarting

There’s a host of experienced, enthusiastic activity operators in Jersey ready and waiting to hear from you. Take a look at this ‘at a glance’ activities grid or go to: www.jersey.com/active

Sky Diving

NOW CONTACT THE EXPERTS

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SEE OVERLEAF FOR WATER-BASED ACTIVITIES

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JERSEYFILE

ACTION PLANNING Without wishing to sound smug, we have a head start when it comes to sailing and watersports.

Jersey is surrounded by the sea. And water meets land along a hugely varied coastline that includes big surfing beaches and intimate rock-bound coves, clear diving waters and gently shelving sands.

What’s more, we’re an island with a rich maritime heritage – the people of Jersey love the sea, and like to share their passion with visiting enthusiasts.

Here are some of the things you can get up to on – and beneath – those Jersey waves. For the full picture go to: www.jersey.com/active

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By boat. Experience Jersey the best way – the way that locals know it. We’re talking about boat trips, cruises and charters. Cruise around the bay, go fishing, watch dolphins and seals, snorkel off an idyllic offshore reef, try your hand at sailing or sip champagne while your friendly skipper takes care of everything.

Paddle power. Go kayaking to get upfront and close to intimate coves and rocky foreshores where bigger boats can’t go. We’re a world-class sea kayaking destination, with clear, wildlife-rich waters, alluring reefs, coastal hideaways and remote sea-caves.

Plain sailing?

There’s no such thing in Jersey. Our coastal waters and scenery are very special.

Then there’s our maritime culture. Salt water runs through our veins. So visiting beginners know they’ll be looked after by experts, while experienced sailors can look forward to superb facilities at our marinas, harbours and slipways.

Beach boys (and girls). Surfing is big time in Jersey.

Everyone seems to do it. And it’s easy to become part of the local scene when you head out west to the big beach – and big surf – along St Ouen’s Bay. Other hot spots include Plémont and Grève de Lecq. There’s plenty of expertise too – we’re home to one of the world’s oldest surfing clubs, and surf schools, surf hire and surf advice are all plentiful.

Wake up to… wakeboarding. This fast-growing sport is like snowboarding on water. Get up to all kinds of tricks as you’re pulled through the waves by a speedboat. It’s no more difficult than riding a bike. Those who stick to two skis for their wintersports might prefer waterskis – again, the learning curve is fast in the hands of our experienced operators.

Skimming the surface. Enjoy fun on an inflatable as you’re pulled behind a speedboat (our donut and banana rides are fast, furious and famous). Pilot your own jetski – they’re not difficult to handle and are guaranteed to put a big smile on your face. Or sit back and enjoy a speedboat trip around the bay.

Wind power. Use the wind, take to the water. Windsurfing combines the thrills of surfing with the tranquillity of sailing, all against a backdrop of a beautiful Jersey coastline.

Buried treasure.

Jersey also looks good underwater.

Those clear seas are alive with marine life, much of it now internationally recognised and protected. There are reefs and shipwrecks too… which all add up to sensational scuba diving, especially along the rugged north coast at places like Bouley Bay, Bonne Nuit, Rozel Bay and St Catherine’s Breakwater. Our dive operators welcome beginners and experts.

‘EXERCISE JERSEY EAGLE’ – HOLIDAYS FOR HEROES JERSEY (H4HJ) 30 August–6 September (exact date weather/ tide dependent)

This special event is a swimming relay race around the island. H4HJ is being honoured by participation from the Battle Back Swimming Team, the Army, Royal Navy and RAF Elite Open Water Swimming Teams and a US Air Force team. They will race against each other and the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club, all trying to beat the record time of around 9¾ hours. Over 600 holidays in Jersey have been funded since the charity’s launch, so please support the event generously so that H4HJ can keep up the good work. For further information and to donate: www.hols4hjersey.org.je

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Sailing & Cruising

Scuba Diving

Sea Kayaking

Waterskiing

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Bouley Bay Dive Centre www.scubadivingjersey.com

Speedboat Trips

Active Island Sports www.activeislandsports.com

Wakeboarding

Windsurfing

Kitesurfing

Absolute Adventures www.absolutejersey.co.uk

Inflatables

A foot in both camps. The crazy sport of coasteering involves cliff climbing and splashing around in the sea – for more details see the previous Jerseyfile featuring land-based activities.

Operator

Jet Skiing

Gone fishing.

You may be away for some time.

There’s superb shoreline fishing from rocks, breakwaters and harbours for black bream, mullet, bass, wrasse and conger. Or you can head out by boat into the shallows, gullies and great blue yonder on a fishing trip for bass, rays, tope, turbot and brill. For freshwater anglers there’s good reservoir fly-fishing for trout as well as coarse fishing.

There’s a host of experienced, enthusiastic activity operators in Jersey ready and waiting to hear from you. Take a look at this ‘at a glance’ activities grid or go to: www.jersey.com/active

Surfing & Bodyboarding

NOW CONTACT THE EXPERTS

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Conjuring Kites email: seakites@jerseymail.co.uk

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Gorey Watersports www.goreywatersports.com

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H20 Sports www.divejersey.co.uk

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Jersey Kayak Adventures www.jerseykayakadventures.co.uk Jersey Odyssey www.jerseyodyssey.co.uk

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Jersey Sailing www.jerseysailing.com

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Jersey Seafaris www.jerseyseafaris.com

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Jersey Sea Sport Centre www.jerseyseasport.com

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Jersey Stay and Sail email: phil@jerseystayandsail.co.uk Jersey Surf School www.jerseysurfschool.co.uk

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Jet Ski Adventure www.jetskiadventure.com

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Kite School Jersey www.kiteschooljersey.com Laneez Surf School email: laneeznick@yahoo.co.uk

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Pure Adventure www.purejersey.com

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Raleigh Sailing www.raleighsailing.com

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Sealife Sailing www.sealifesailing.co.uk

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South Coast Cruises www.jerseycruises.com

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Tarka Sea Trips www.tarkaseatrips.com

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Windmadness www.windmadness.com

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book online at www.jersey.com

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›› Wildlife-rich Les Mielles on the west coast

GREEN ISLAND Jersey is a very green place in more ways than one.

Catherine Mack, who specialises in writing about responsible tourism and runs the website ethicaltraveller.co.uk, checks out the island’s green credentials

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smiled at the irony of a man in a Panama hat, accompanied by a woman swathed in silk scarves, stopping their convertible vintage sports car to give way to our Number 1 bus as it left Liberation Station in St Helier. I was taking the green route across Jersey, travelling by bus, bike and boot power, not just to discover its eco-friendliness, but also to enjoy a holiday where I truly slowed down.

My journey began on a train from London to Poole, where I picked up the ferry to St Helier. It may have taken longer than flying, but with time and space to study my maps, create an itinerary, finish a novel, and expose my vitamin D-deprived skin on deck, I arrived rested, with a healthy glow and ready to go.

My first morning’s bus stop was, rather aptly, at Green Island, just a few miles east of St Helier. ‘Just pop down that lane for the beach,’ said the bus driver, seeing me drool over the sight of crystalline waters on the coast road out of town, or perhaps just spotting my towel tucked into the top of my backpack. I always carry a swimsuit when exploring as you never know when the call may come. And boy, did it come. Green Island is, in

fact, a peninsula, with soft white sand and gentle waves.

At 9am a few young families were already paddling, with sleepy parents clutching caffeine fixes from the shoreline’s gorgeous Green Island Restaurant. I was particularly impressed by the Homefield Foods delivery van outside, a local food supplier whose displayed motto is ‘from seed to plant to field to plate’.

After a wake-me-up swim did just that job, I headed off in the direction of Gorey, jumping on the next bus which, although already at the stop, kindly waited for me. This was my experience of bus drivers throughout the island, always keen to help, answer any questions, let me know when my stop was coming, and always with a smile.

Gorey is a small fishing village with boats of every size and shade bobbing merrily, and where the view of the impressive medieval castle of Mont Orgueil almost made me miss my connecting bus. In search of the island’s natural rather than cultural heritage, I was heading for St Catherine’s Woods, just outside the bay of the same name. A short walk up from the coast road brought many coves into view, all segueing seamlessly one into another to create one big, peaceful mother bay.

Jersey Tourism retains its SILVER award thanks to a range of good practice. Highlights include good promotion of family-friendly activities, local food, drink and crafts, public transport, walking and cycling, local festivals and events, nature/heritage attractions and general green information to visitors.

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›› On the rugged north coast

›› Biking it to the Classic Herd Farm Shop

›› Wildlife watching at Les Mielles

SATANIC SHEEP After a tour of La Mare Wine Estate, head to Devil's Hole, following the vines and orchards down the lane to a mass expanse of maritime heathland, managed by Jersey’s National Trust. It’s steep and rugged, with superb views not only over Le Mourier Valley and along Jersey’s coastal path, but also with glimpses – if you’re lucky – of a rare breed of sheep, the Manx Loaghtan, introduced into the island in 2009 to help bring these hills back to their original habitats through grazing. With the ewes boasting four horns, and the males sometimes as many as six, they’re quite a sight.

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›› Stepping stones, St Catherine's Woods

The woods were divinely serene too, with only a couple of families playing on stepping stones and rope swings. With most of Jersey’s trees felled during the German Occupation, it was delightful to see not only the remains of ancient ferns and broadleaves, but careful woodland management at work through coppicing and clearing, allowing the likes of sparrowhawks, red squirrels, bluebells and foxgloves to thrive. I soon forgot the map I had downloaded, and just followed my nose as it adapted to the ever-changing, heady aroma of mossy stones, pine, wild sorrel and dried wood.

I could have hopped on another bus back to Gorey but the coastal footpath, which was heading in my chosen direction, was enticing me onto its pink granite walkways. I finally emerged at the Archirondel Tower, where that siren-like sea beckoned one more time.

Delicious swims merit delicious lunches, and there’s no better place than the Driftwood Café at the top of the beach, with a fresh crab salad to make my morning complete.

The next step of my bus journey was easy, with about three different buses heading from various directions to La Mare Wine Estate, St Mary, in the north of the island.

And after sampling some of its products on a superb tour of the vineyards and distillery, I

was very glad I wasn’t driving. It’s always a treat to drink local wine when travelling, but with red, white, sparkling, cider and apple ›› Biking it to the Classic Herd Fa brandy on the menu, I really didn’t want to leave. I was particularly struck by La Mare’s commitment to revive apple orchards on an island where, in the early 1800s, over eight million litres of cider were produced. La Mare is planting new trees every year, just one of many initiatives that have earned it a Gold Award in the Jersey Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Jersey’s most impressive green scheme dates from 1987 with the designation of 50 miles of Green Lanes, a network of country roads where the speed limit is clearly restricted to 15mph and where walkers, cyclists and horse riders are given priority. Keen to explore these lanes and the west of the island, my hotel – the Best Western Royal in St Helier, also a Green Tourism Business Scheme member – arranged for a hire bike to be delivered.

I started off by following the cycle lane along the coast from St Helier to St Aubin, picking up the cycleway along the disused railway line to Corbière in the far south-west of the island. Then it was on around the headland to spectacular St Ouen’s Bay, catching sight of everything from children quietly rock pooling to watersports heroes in kite surfing heaven.

St Ouen’s is a hive of activity, but I locked my bike at the Watersplash surf bar and walked just a few minutes into a different world of marram grasses, wild orchids and dunes known as Les Mielles, where abundant butterflies and birds were savouring the solitude. Indeed, I even found a birdwatching shelter and quickly spotted a pair of marsh harriers, elegantly gliding to and fro, as if to show the kitesurfers how it should really be done.

This area, a haven for lapwings, sand martins and oystercatchers, is cared for with excellent conservation management schemes by the National Trust for Jersey and, as I looked out across the grasslands, ponds, dunes, ancient potato fields, orchid fields and seascapes, I thanked the ‘green gods’ that it’s all part of an area soon to become Jersey’s first National Park.

Leaving the coast, I turned inland straight onto a Green Lane, clearly marked on my map and also by very visible signs on the lanes themselves. Within minutes I was cycling up lavender-lined paths, past flower-filled gardens and fecund fields, greeting other cyclists and walkers, all of us revelling in the fact that, for once, we had right of way over cars.

I cycled for about 20 minutes to St Peter’s Village, with the incentive of a reward at the Classic Herd Farm Shop, famous for its own cheeses and yoghurts, beef and pork, so it must also have its own ice cream, I thought. I was not to be disappointed, as I tucked into a creamy, well-earned treat, in the knowledge that it was one big, breezy downhill cycle back to the south coast for my other long-awaited treat of the day – one last swim in the bay at St Aubin, where the tide was high and, after my quick green hit of this beautiful island, so was I.

TO THE MANOR BORN The first thing Catherine Mack saw at Samarès Manor in St Clement was a restored dovecote, a newly thatched circular building which once housed 500 pigeons. Today’s owner of this stunning manor shares its historic grounds with everyone, opening up his magnificent gardens and maintaining them in a way that is not only educational and inspiring but also fun and imaginative. Features include an effervescent herb garden with its own viewing gallery constructed from antique iron balustrades, an ‘apple barge’ in the form of a two-thirds scale sailing vessel, a bee hive watching station, a swimming pool turned ornamental pond and a willow labyrinth. It’s the ultimate slow-paced, green and vintage experience www.samaresmanor.com

SEE OVERLEAF FOR GREEN TRAVEL JERSEYFILE

arm Shop ›› Green travel – the only way to go on Jersey’s Green Lanes

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14/15

JERSEYFILE

GREEN PEACE

GRASSROOTS TRAVEL

Going green comes naturally in Jersey. After all, we’ve been doing it for long enough. We were the first holiday destination in the world to be awarded a Green Globe in recognition of our environmentally friendly work with schemes such as coastal footpaths, cycle tracks and the Green Lane network. Jersey has four protected wetland areas of global importance, known as Ramsar sites – a large stretch of the south-eastern coast and three

Catherine Mack stayed at the Best Western Royal, a Green Tourism Award-winner (see the website for full details of its Green Policy).

Best Western Royal Hotel, David Place, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4TD T 01534 726521/873006 www.royalhoteljersey.com

offshore islets. And thanks to our first-class bus service and the nature of the island, it’s easy to explore without a car. And when you’re out and about, call into our gorgeous gardens – Jersey’s mild climate, long hours of sunshine and rich soils give it the greenest of green fingers.

BECOME AN ISLAND EXPLORER The island is small and well served with a network of bus routes that take you almost everywhere – to the big beaches in the south and west and the more remote north coast, as well as to most of our attractions and places to visit. Our unlimited-travel ‘Island Explorer’ tickets, available for one, three and five days, are great value. The Explorer network consists of four routes – red, blue, green and yellow – running daily from April to November. These are fully integrated with the scheduled Mybus network, allowing travel on both services using the same ticket.

Bus routes radiate from Liberation Station, Liberty Wharf, St Helier’s modern bus station, equipped with seating, airport-style information display screens, a café and information desk. Most of the new fleet have easy access for wheelchair users.

Connex buses are the main carrier in Jersey.

For further information, please contact: Connex Transport Jersey Ltd T 01534 877772 www.mybus.je Coach tours are also popular. Half-day, evening and whole day island tours are available, taking in local attractions, gardens and beauty spots. A courtesy service operates from many hotels and pick-up points to connect with most tour departures.

For more information please contact: Tantivy Blue Coach Tours T 01534 706706 www.jerseycoaches.com Signature Executive Transport T 07797 789123 www.signature.je Waverley Coaches T 01534 758360 www.norfolkhoteljersey.com/waverley

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LITTLE TRAINS We have these too – well, after a fashion. Learn about Jersey’s history, fascinating facts and legends while travelling on the charming, whitepainted ‘Petits Trains’ that run around St Helier and to the harbour village of St Aubin. They depart from St Helier’s Liberation Square and St Aubin and run April to October, linking in with cycle hire and routes. www.littletrain.co.uk

WARM AND SUNNY Spring arrives early in Jersey – you’ll often see flowers here long before they blossom at home. And with summer warmth lingering on into the autumn months our fabulous floral tapestry helps stretch the seasons.

›› Durrell Wildlife’s grounds

›› The sandy, sunny south coast

GREEN AND KEEN You’ll find lots of green-fingered gardeners in Jersey. Two of our best known are Judith Quérée and Reg Langlois. The star of many gardening programmes and articles, Judith Quérée’s Garden is a magical collection of over 2,000 mainly herbaceous perennials from all over the world. Reg’s Garden at Badgers Holt has thousands of flowering shrubs and bushes full of colour and perfume. There’s also a large waterfall and pond full of colourful Koi carp, aviary and Fairy Garden.

Orchids You needn’t travel to far-flung places to see one of the world’s finest collections of orchids. The Eric Young Orchid Foundation has a scented, exotic recreation of orchid habitats and landscapes, along with climatecontrolled nurseries.

LAVENDER AND GOLD The working – but very fragrant – Jersey Lavender Farm is devoted to the growing, harvesting, distillation and drying of this soothing plant, which is in bloom from late May to early September. You can see the entire process on site. When you go shopping at Jersey Goldsmiths take a break in its beautiful Lion Park, with its water features and flamingos, a sensory garden, woodland area and Adrian Bloom’s ‘Wild’ Garden.

WILDLIFE AND WINE Don’t come just for the animals. Durrell Wildlife’s extensive 32-acre/13ha grounds and water features are beautiful too, and there’s a fascinating organic garden that provides food for the animals. In the same vein, La Mare Wine Estate offers more than wines.

Enjoy them by all means, but also savour the vineyard’s lovely setting in the large grounds of a traditional 17th-century Jersey granite farmhouse (you can take tours of the vineyard, winery and distillery). ›› Samarès Manor

FROM THE SEA SHORE… AND AROUND THE WORLD Local beaches provided the source for the Shell Garden’s displays. The first shells were laid in 1957. Now there are millions, the result of ongoing work at the world’s largest shell garden, laid out on three levels. The imaginative gardens at Samarès Manor, created in the late 1920s, go further afield for their inspiration. They boast hundreds of varieties of plants from around the world, along with Japanese, water and herb gardens and a willow labyrinth.

SEE OVERLEAF FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GARDENS

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16/17

JERSEYFILE

I’VE GOT YOUR NUMBER

s p i t g n i n e Gard Open gardens. Go behind the gates of some of the very best private gardens in Jersey, rarely accessible to the public. All proceeds raised are donated to charity. For dates, times and further details of Open Gardens 2012 go to www.jersey.com (T 01534 448877).

Floral events. It’s only natural that we like to flaunt our floral finery at events like June in Bloom, a week-long programme of garden visits, walks and talks, not to mention our famous Battle of Flowers in August. For full details see the article on the following pages and the festivals and events listings on pages 46–47.

Early birds. Make that flowers. Our mild climate and rich soils create such ideal conditions that you’ll often see flowers long before they blossom at home – including mimosa in February and agapanthus in July.

Blooming butterflies. The ‘Queen of Spain’ visits Jersey every year. She’s one of the abundance of butterflies that flourish amongst our floral displays.

Durrell Wildlife, Trinity Open all year.

T 01534 860000 www.durrell.org Eric Young Orchid Foundation, Trinity Open Wednesday–Saturday, February– December.

T 01534 861963 www.ericyoungorchidfoundation.co.uk Jersey Goldsmiths – Lion Park, St Lawrence Open all year.

T 01534 482098 www.jerseygoldsmiths.com Jersey Lavender Farm, St Brelade Open Tuesday–Sunday, April–October (café and shop open for a longer period).

T 01534 742933 www.jerseylavender.co.uk Judith Quérée’s Garden, St Ouen Open by appointment May–end September. Ask about the guided tours.

T 01534 482191 www.judithqueree.com La Mare Wine Estate, St Mary Open April–October.

T 01534 481178 www.lamarewineestate.com Reg’s Garden at Badgers Holt, St Brelade Open all year.

T 01534 743756 www.reg-garden.com Samarès Manor, St Clement Open daily April–October.

T 01534 870551 www.samaresmanor.com Shell Garden, St Brelade Open April–October.

T 01534 743561 www.jerseyshellgarden.com

FOR ALL THE LATEST… Keep up with us on: www.twitter.com/jerseytourism www.facebook.com/visitjersey www.youtube.com/jerseytourism www.flickr.com/jerseytourism

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›› The Parish of Grouville’s pet Thai dragon

FLower

POWER Jersey, with its mild, sunny climate, is a flowery island.

But they fight over it – in the friendliest possible way – during August’s famous Battle of Flowers. Beginning overleaf, Roger Thomas sends a dispatch from the front line

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18/19

I

t’s all hands on deck in a barn in a farmer’s field on the eastern side of Jersey. A float is about to be launched.

Let me explain. It’s 24 hours before the Battle of Flowers and things are getting serious down here in the Parish of Grouville.

Thousands of fresh flowers (165,000, to be precise) have just arrived, waiting to be glued, each one by hand, on to Grouville’s float, which is taking final shape in the barn.

There are hundreds of volunteers – from young kids to grandmothers – milling about, putting the finishing touches to other parts of the float, checking the mechanics and the sound systems. It’s all a bit manic, in the best tradition of ‘it’ll be all right on the night’. It’s Battle of Flowers time in Jersey and, boy, do they take it seriously.

›› I’m ready for the battle

Grouville’s entry is one of around 30 floats that will be battling it out in St Helier for top honours. There are various categories, including junior and senior floats, and most of Jersey’s 12 parishes have entered along with assorted clubs and organisations.

I’m at Grouville to find out more about an annual event that throws the whole island into a floral frenzy. It’s a good choice, for

‘

Thousands of fresh flowers (165,000, to be precise) have just arrived, waiting to be glued, each one by hand, on to Grouville’s float

’

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Grouville, much like a Premiership football club, is considered by Battle cognoscenti to be up there with the best.

‘We’ve got a long tradition of involvement.

People know us very well and know we put on a good show’, says Mark Labey, the maestro in charge, adding: ‘We have won the Prix d’Honneur (the top prize) about a dozen times.’ In real life he is a postman, but there’s a parallel universe at work in Jersey based around the Battle, which can consume you for nearly 12 months of the year.

Mark is one of many islanders – and visitors from England, Holland and as far afield as Australia who turn up every year to help with the floats – bitten by the ‘Battle bug’.

‘For my first Battle in 1967 I was just six, so I’ve been involved for 44 years,’ he says, in between orchestrating the final few frantic laps of this long-distance marathon.

It all began last November with a blank sheet of paper. Helen Bliss, the float’s artistic designer, explains: ‘My husband bought me a laptop for my birthday and I found Google images. It came up with all these wonderful images which I thought would make a fantastic float. The whole thing evolved from there.’

That inspiration came from Thailand and the Buddhist Phi Ta Khon Festival, an event likened to our Halloween. She then called in her friend Alison Hicks. ‘We sat down together over a cup of coffee,’ recalls Alison, ‘looked at Thai temples and serpents and I went away and drew up the plans.’

The building work started in January when last year’s float was dismantled. At its core lies a tractor, hidden from view. Although the 40ft monster float only travels at walking pace, it’s slightly worrying to report that the tractor driver can’t see us either. But he is in constant radio contact with his surrogate ‘eyes’, people who walk in front of the float relaying driving instructions via a headset. It all seems to work: to date, Grouville’s No Claims Bonus remains intact.

Steering this behemoth is the easy bit. As I wander around the barn I’m amazed by the artistry and attention to detail. Already, many of the set pieces are complete. Although hundreds of hands are busy preparing and gluing them, fresh flowers aren’t the only decorative item. ‘With fresh flowers you can’t do detailed work,’ explains Mark. ‘That’s where the hares’ tails come into it.’

›› Grouville’s

Incredible Hulk, Abba’s Mama Mia, a 1960s pink convertible, ice castle and fiery ‘Heaven and Hell’ from the Jersey Young Farmers’ Club, who ‘always do something crazy’.

Special mention should also be made of the ostriches and emus on the ‘Too Big to Fly’ float created by the indomitable 93-year-old Florence Bechelet, custodian of the Battle of Flowers Museum (see below), who has been exhibiting at the Battle since 1934.

finished float

Grouville’s float also looked great, managing to out-exotic its competitors with its Asian verve. It won the Grand Prix des Paroisses (‘Competition of the Parishes’) and also came a very creditable third in its class. They’ll be back. With this particular battle you can honestly say it’s the taking part, not the winning, that counts.

‘

All ages were working together in a good-natured, harmonious way

’

The hares’ tails are dried and dyed ornamental grasses imported from Italy. Unlike flowers, they aren’t time sensitive and are used to create the float’s most striking and complex features, such as the demon guards, serpents, masks, temple adornments and Buddhas. And if you think that’s the end of it, oh no. I meet Silvie Marquis, who flew all the way to Hong Kong to buy 200 yards of Thai silk. ‘I designed the costumes from scratch,’ she says, ‘then seven of us had to make 32 costumes. It’s mad, I’ve got a life somewhere else, but I enjoy it.’

community. All ages were working together in a good-natured, harmonious way. There were lots of smiles on lots of faces. If they could bottle the atmosphere in that barn on the little island of Jersey they could label it ‘David Cameron’s Big Society’.

The juniors (under 18) are also busy with their more modestly sized Alice in Wonderland creation. They are currently having difficulty with their smoking mushroom, but like big brother opposite there’s a quiet – if that’s the right word for this mêlée – confidence that everything will come together for the big parade on Thursday.

The Battle is a riot of colour and energy – the costumed performers accompanying the floats really play to the crowds packed along St Helier’s seafront. Personal favourites included the sexy, possibly sacrilegious disco nuns from the Parish of St Brelade in a float based on the West End musical Sister Acts, and the ‘Down Under’ float from the Parish of St Lawrence depicting a man being barbecued by a kangaroo.

It all amounts to a huge endeavour with the minutest attention to detail. But most of all I come away impressed by the sense of

So how did Grouville get on? Arch-friendly rival the Parish of St Clement took Prix d’Honneur with their frankly amazing and fabulously surreal Alice in Wonderlandthemed float which packed in everything from Lewis Carroll’s fevered imagination.

BATTLE STATIONS The 2012 Battle of Flowers takes place on 9 and 10 August (Grand Parade on Thursday, Moonlight Parade on Friday). wwwbattleofflowers.com If you’re not in Jersey for the Battle, do visit the Battle of Flowers Museum. The brainchild of Battle veteran Miss Florence Bechelet, it’s an eye-opening collection of floats – all her own work – from many previous Battles. Quite how she managed to create pieces like 101 Dalmatians, 40 flamingoes (there are now only 39 – one sadly passed away), African scenes with giant elephants and an Arctic glacier complete with fearsome polar bear is beyond belief. Forget Damien Hirst’s formaldehyde shark. Miss Bechelet is streets ahead.

The Battle of Fowers Museum, La Robeline, Mont des Corvees, St Ouen. T 01534 482408

Other figures from a bizarre floral cast included a Wild West runaway train, the

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20/21

›› Wet-feet walking in Jersey’s extraordinary tidal ‘moonscape’

pickings

They are passionate about their food in Jersey. Who wouldn’t be, with such exceptional local produce? It is all presented on a plate at the Jersey Food Festival, a week-long extravaganza of masterclasses, markets, foraging feasts and ‘meet the producer’ events. Here’s a flavour of it all from Antonia Windsor

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‘That’s it, you just want to rake the surface and you’ll find them lying underneath.’

Standing in my wellington boots, with the sun warming my back, I feel like a farmer.

But this isn’t soil I’m turning. The field in which I am foraging is a huge lunar landscape of damp sand, bright weed and craggy rocks.

‘We’re looking for the Praire clams,’ explains my guide Dominic Jones, a director of Jersey Pottery, one of the island’s most prestigious catering companies (and, as the name implies, the local pottery). ‘We can cook those up with garlic and they’ll be delicious. I also want you to find some of the carpetshell clams for our spaghetti vongole.’

I’ve come to the island for the inaugural Food Festival and have spent an invigorating week visiting farms with the chefs who champion their produce, learning about what makes Jersey milk, butter and cream so delicious, sampling local ale and talking to Jersey cidermakers. However, it is this ‘Fruits of the Sea Forage’ ringed in red pen in my festival brochure, that I have been most looking forward to – particularly the bit where we

get to eat what we’ve caught afterwards.

Jersey has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, which causes the island almost to double in size at low tide. Our little group, which is about a 50/50 mix of visitors and locals, meet at La Rocque slip in the east of the island, where our guides arm us with rakes, picks and nets before leading us down the beach towards the sliver of sea far off on the horizon.

‘Sometimes I’ll wade out while the tide is still going down,’ Dominic explains as we walk.

‘That gives me the maximum amount of time fishing before the tide turns and I have to come back.’ We wade through saltwater rivulets as we chat, avoiding tangles of slippery seaweed and grinding a plethora of shells under our wellies.

After a half-hour heading out to sea the wall along the coast road looks like a crayon line on the horizon behind, yet we are still nowhere near the water’s edge. We are in a hinterland teeming with ancient life – sea slugs, anemones, spider crabs and Jersey’s precious ormer, the sought-after shellfish otherwise known as abalone.

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22/23

‘

I sample excellent plain and simple sausages in a local orchard quaffing back local cider

’

›› Farm-fresh produce

›› Fruits of the sea

›› At the food fair

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‘We won’t be able to take that,’ says Dominic, pointing to a specimen clinging to a rock. ‘It’s not the season.’

Throughout our forage he is careful to monitor the size of the shellfish we can gather, so that we don’t collect anything too young.

Sustainability is a buzzword I hear a lot during my week on the island. A few days ago at the Crab Shack, a restaurant on the edge of St Brelade’s Bay, I heard how their local fisherman Kevin Holden checks his catch to avoid undersized fish that haven’t had a chance to breed. It makes sense to look after what you’ve got, both ecologically and economically. ‘There’s no need for us to import any fish,’ says head chef Tony Dorris. ‘It’s all here in our waters.’

Tony is not the only chef intent on knowing where his fish comes from. Andrew Baird, head chef at Longueville Manor hotel, the beautifully converted granite manor house where I am staying, explains during a cookery demonstration that he will only buy linecaught sea bass on principle, and reckons Longueville Manor is the only hotel on the island to serve dive-caught scallops all year round.

‘There’s a man who sells them at Bonne Nuit,’ proffers an enthusiastic member of the audience of assembled foodies. ‘That’s Bob, that’s my diver,’ says Andrew. ‘Guess how much we spend on scallops each year?’ The intrigued audience start calling out suggestions, but none come close. ‘Forty thousand pounds.’ proclaims Andrew. There’s a chatter of surprise, and I start to reconsider my career.

Jersey itself is having that effect on me. Everywhere I go I meet healthy, happy people who are incredibly passionate about the island they live on and the food they produce or prepare. I get pangs of jealousy as I trudge around the farm of Classic Herd with the Michelin-starred chef Mark Jordan, from The Atlantic Hotel’s Ocean Restaurant, at a ‘Meet the Supplier’ event. Yes, it’s a hard life, up at 4.30am to milk the cows and all that, but it is difficult not to romanticise it when you see the care that husband-and-wife team, Darren and Julia Quénault, take in producing the best-quality meat and dairy and in nurturing the relationship they have with their customers. ‘I love working with Darren,’ says Mark. ‘I can tell a guest the name of the cow their milk has come from, or how long the cheese has matured.’

The Quénaults are the first islanders to break away from the Jersey Dairy co-operative and produce their own milk products. And Julia is the first Jersey farmer to make cheese. ‘For an island that is so famous for its milk it’s surprising that we have no tradition of cheesemaking,’ explains Julia. ‘I haven’t been able to find any historical references to it either, perhaps everyone was too busy making cider.’ Julia now produces some excellent cheeses including a soft cheese that has a stronger flavour than a Brie without the kick of a Camembert, and a Golden Blue which won silver at the World Cheese Awards in 2010.

I get similar pangs during a glorious sunny morning at the Fungi Delecti farm high above the sea on the north coast on another

‘Meet the Supplier’ tour, this time with Richard Allen from Tassili, the fine-dining restaurant at St Helier’s Grand Jersey Hotel and Spa. I am amazed to discover a Jersey farmer growing shiitake mushrooms using traditional Japanese methods. ‘We don’t grow anything usual or easy,’ explains Jamie Racjan, a charismatic man in his mid-30s, as we walk through shady woodland towards the greenhouses filled with spawned logs. ‘We like to stick to niche products; gourmet products that meet the demands of chefs like Richard.’

Jamie grows his mushrooms on European oak, which he gets from northern France. He drills holes in the logs, packs the holes with spawn and then leaves the log for two years until the fungi have taken hold. He then kick-starts the fruiting by giving the log a blast of cold, to trick it into thinking it is going from winter into spring.

‘Most European and American farmers grow shiitake mushrooms on bales of straw that are induced with a chemical and they fruit four or five days later. This is a long, time-consuming way of growing, but it gives an excellent product.’

Alongside his mushrooms, a busy Jamie also produces baby salad leaves, micro vegetables and asparagus, and people drive from all corners of the island to see if the stall at the end of his drive has surplus duck eggs for sale – the ones he supplies to the restaurants are always less than a day old.

Both ‘Meet the Supplier’ events ended in exquisite lunches cooked using the produce collected. Perhaps that explains why they were among the finest meals I have ever eaten, though I should also mention in dispatches the excellent, plain and simple sausages I sample in a local orchard quaffing back local cider. The contrasts sum up this foodie feast of a festival, and the island itself, which heartily embraces everything from fine dining to honest to goodness food that is simple, tasty and wholesome.

Meanwhile, back in our ‘Fruits of the Sea’ forage, we walk proudly up the beach with our net sacks full of clams, oysters and a crab or two.

After a quick dash back to Longueville Manor for a swim and a freshen up I make my way to the Castle Green pub overlooking magnificent Mont Orgueil Castle in Gorey. On arrival, I’m served an ice-cold glass of Muscadet and greet my fellow foragers like old friends. On the table is a huge, inviting platter of our very own clams and oysters, which we douse with lemon and knock back. We are then treated to course after course of our shellfish served in a variety of ways, including a delicious spaghetti vongole made with our carpet-shells.

We even get to eat some lobster, which I don’t recall anyone catching. We sit at our table outside talking and laughing and eating until the moon is high in the sky. Then one of my new friends gives me a lift back to the hotel and we arrange to meet again tomorrow to wander around the stalls of the weekend food fair in St Helier. I can’t think of a more perfect way to get acquainted with local people, local culture and local food.

See overleaf for fooDIe JerSeYfIle

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24/25

JerSeYfIle

ISlanD flavoUrS Perhaps it’s something to do with our rich soil, fertile farmlands and gentle climate. Or the fact that we’re so close to the famously food-obsessed French. It’s certainly a reflection of our island status and all that super-fresh seafood that surrounds us.

Jersey, if you’ve never visited, comes as a culinary surprise. Fine dining

a TaSTe of JerSeY

and Michelin-starred restaurants are just for starters. What really impresses

During part of her time on the island, Antonia Windsor stayed at Longueville Manor, a luxury country house hotel which has won many accolades for its fine dining.

Longueville Manor, Longueville Road, St Saviour, Jersey JE2 7WF T 01534 725501 www.longuevillemanor.com

is the quality of the food across the island, from cheerful beach cafés to trendy gastropubs, chic city bistros to cosy country inns, star-rated hotels to plain-and-simple

She visited the Jersey Food Festival, which in 2012 takes place 19–27 May.

restaurants. It’s all good.

What’s on the menu?

A taste of Jersey, like the island itself, is a mix of influences – contemporary British and classic French, with a dash of Italian and Portuguese thrown in. And, for lighter bites, everything from frothy cappuccinos and ciabattas to the best English cream teas and sandwiches this side of the Queen’s Garden Party.

MaDe In JerSeY

Seafood: Our clear waters, warmed by the Gulf Stream, produce an abundance of topquality shellfish including crabs, lobsters, mussels, scallops and oysters. Most of the latter are exported to France – but don’t worry, there’s plenty for local consumption.

Go to restaurants in St Aubin, Gorey and St Helier for sensational Jersey plaice, sea bass, monkfish and mackerel.

Fruits of the soil: Our prized Jersey Royals aren’t the only crop (they really do taste different, you know). Lots of vegetables and fruits are grown here, including asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, courgettes, strawberries, Jersey Royale tomatoes and rare varieties of mushroom. It’s all-year freshness – there are at least three Jersey vegetable crops in season whatever time of year you visit.

Jersey cows: They’re more than just pretty faces. It’s because of Jersey cows that we have tasty local treats like rich milk, cream and butter, ice creams, yoghurt, crème fraîche and organic milk.

look out for this label when shopping for genuine, homegrown, home-sourced produce www.genuinejersey.com

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MarkeT forceS We don’t go in for jet-lagged food in Jersey.

Save air miles by going shopping in St Helier’s characterful fresh food and fish markets – they’re full of taste, not just for their fabulous produce but as architectural period pieces too.

Go along to the regular farmers’ markets at St Aubin (Jersey Tourism has details). And when you’re out and about, buy your produce direct from the farm.

Top TableS Who’d have thought it? But in Jersey you’ll soon taste it. The island is the UK’s top spot for quality dining measured by the number of AA rosettes per head of the population.

It’s an easy winner, too, with a rosette for every 2,486 islander, compared with second-placed Edinburgh (8,035) then London (11,080). What’s more, Jersey’s 35 rosettes beat places like Manchester (26), Birmingham (18) and Glasgow (17). The accolades keep on coming. For 2012 Jersey boasts three Michelin-starred restaurants – Bohemia (at the Club Hotel and Spa, www.bohemiajersey.com), the Ocean Restaurant (at The Atlantic Hotel, www.theatlantichotel.com) and Tassili (at the Grand Jersey, www.grandjersey.com).

Shop aT The farM – Then pack a pIcnIc Our farm shops are full of fresh-from-thefields produce plus other local delicacies.

Call into places like Classic Herd (featured on the previous pages) and Farm Fresh Organics, La Bienvenue Farm, La Grande Route de St Laurent, St Lawrence (www.farmfreshorganics.com), where Steven and Linda Carter sell a wide range of seasonal crops. Then head west for a few miles to Grantez headland above St Ouen’s Bay for a picnic with a breathtaking views.

At the last count there were around 15 ‘Genuine Jersey’ farm shops. Plus, of course, fresh food markets and many supermarkets selling island produce. Sometimes there’s not even a shop or shopkeeper in sight, just roadside stalls and boxes filled with fruit and veg, all sold on an honesty basis. That’s Jersey for you.

And as for picnic sites, where do you begin?

With our Picnic in Jersey guide, perhaps, available free from Jersey Tourism.

St Helier’s new Weighbridge development alongside the harbour holds regular markets on Thursdays from April to early October. In addition to Genuine Jersey produce, you can also buy locally produced art and craft.

JerSeY wIne? Why not? It’s very sunny here, and the island is on the same latitude as some of the continent’s famous wine-producing areas. La Mare Wine Estate’s vineyards produce an excellent range of wines (white, red and sparkling), plus cider – an island tradition – from its own apple orchards.

Take a tasting tour, followed by a meal at the attractive Vineyard Restaurant.

T 01534 481178 www.lamarewineestate.com whaT’S black anD DoeSn’T TaSTe lIke bUTTer? Our Black Butter, or Buerre Nièr, is a unique autumnal concoction of harvested apples, sugar, spices, liquorice and lemons. It’s delicious. Come along and lend a hand during the National Trust for Jersey’s Black Butter Making weekend, 25–27 October.

Peel the apples, stir the pot and learn how, in Jersey, we have butter that’s black (plus the ordinary kind, of course).

bite-sized appetisers

The Oyster Box does what it says on the can. At this chic beach bar and restaurant (www.oysterbox.co.uk) overlooking St Brelade’s Bay it’s almost compulsory to try the oysters (straight from the sea or cooked in a variety of styles). And the scallops. And the crab.

And the lobster. And the sea bass. All from Jersey, of course.

What makes Jersey lobsters so good?

Don Thompson, who has been fishing here for 30 years, should know. He reckons that shellfish love the island’s crystal tidal waters. He’s not the only fan.

The Marine Stewardship Council recently recognised Jersey for its well-managed, sustainable lobster fishing, one of the few fisheries in the world to receive this prestigious plaudit.

Bistro on the beach. Mark Jordan, one of Jersey’s top chefs, has branched out. He presides over the food at The Atlantic Hotel’s Michelin-starred Ocean Restaurant overlooking St Ouen’s Bay, but swaps one sea view for another at ‘Mark Jordan at the Beach’, a new venture on St Aubin’s Bay (www.markjordanatthebeach.com).

The style is different too. The bistro creates ‘the perfect combination of informal ambience and outstanding food simply cooked’. There’s just one problem.

With so many brilliant bistros in Jersey you’re spoilt for choice.

fooDIe feSTIvalS It all kicks off with our Spring Specials (1 March–12 April), when restaurants throughout the island showcase new season cuisine at great-value prices. And then this foodie island really gets into gear with the Jersey Food Festival (19–27 May). For autumn flavours, don’t miss our Cider Festival, La Faîs’sie d’Cidre (20–21 October) and Tennerfest (1 October–12 November), another seasonal showcase of good food at places to eat across the island – with fixed price menus starting at just £10.

book online at www.jersey.com

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›› Up in the air at Les Mielles Activity Centre

New JerSeY When the idea of a family break in Jersey was floated, the Baker family – Sally, Tom and Molly (aged 12) – weren’t entirely convinced. Would the island be too old-fashioned for them?

New Jersey did the talking, as Sally reports

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h

ow do you satisfy a family made up of one surf-mad Australian, an English culturevulture and an occasionally stroppy teenager with an addiction to all things electronic? Holidays to suit everyone in our household are a balancing act of outdoors, indoors and gadgetry. So when the idea of Jersey came up, we were a little sceptical.

But how wrong we were to dismiss Jersey as a holiday destination for the blue-rinse brigade. Jersey, it turns out, has an almost infinite smörgåsbord of activities, events, attractions and scenery to suit a family with interests as contrasting as ours. We arrived on a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon and immediately plunged into action at Grève de Lecq beach on Jersey’s rugged north coast, where Derek and Trudi from Jersey Kayak Adventures took us out to sea.

They knew all the best caves to test our nerve and make us gasp. Jersey seen from this perspective is a sight to behold – great craggy cliffs, green rolling hills and the sandy paradise of Grève de Lecq. But the most impressive sight of all was the evidence of kamikaze fishing practices on this rocky side of the island – a small ladder seemingly stapled to the cliff face that allows intrepid fishermen to climb down and get the best catch of the day.

Following this exhilarating introduction we drove across the island to our home for the weekend: Beausite Hotel in Grouville Bay, where nothing was too much trouble for the friendly staff. We had the most spacious family room we have ever seen, with a huge double bed, two comfy twins and a great bathroom with a skylight which let us listen to the seagulls while having our morning showers.

book online at www.jersey.com

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›› Segway scooters at Les Mielles Activity Centre

After all that energetic kayaking we opted for a quiet dinner in the hotel. What a four-course feast! In fact, it set the trend for the rest of our trip – wherever you eat in Jersey, from humble cafés to fashionable bistros, the food is great.

Saturday was plan-free, so we set to putting our Jersey Passes to work. Using the helpful guidebook that came with these unlimited access admission passes (a real money saver, by the way) we plotted a course around the island taking in as many attractions as possible.

We started at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. This well-run, educational and jaw-dropping experience was the high point of the holiday. The gorillas and orang-utans were favourites. Molly shot copious amounts of video of orang-utan Jima playing with his Dad, and we were also enchanted by the aye-ayes, killed in their native Madagascar because the inhabitants believe them to be witches in disguise. To us they looked as gentle as our cat Frosty, albeit with a weird third toe!

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›› Laser clay pigeon shooting

The museum also houses the Jersey Tapestry, an inspirational work that satisfied my desire for history as it told the story of the German Occupation of Jersey in vivid colour and intricate detail.

That night we walked from the hotel to nearby Gorey Harbour with open minds, empty stomachs and no table booking. Luckily, the amazingly friendly and accommodating staff at Feast soon found us a table outside and plied us with blankets to ward off the evening chill. The prawn and scallop skewer we shared for a starter was fresh and tasty and our main courses didn’t last long – they were too delicious to be eaten slowly.

Drinking a glass of wine with a full stomach, snuggling in a warm blanket with the lights of the harbour twinkling against the night sky was a treasure in itself.

Lunch in St Helier was a French-style affair, reminding us of our honeymoon in Paris. Despite its true-Brit name, the Cock and Bottle was reminiscent of a Parisian brasserie. We ate alfresco from a delicious charcuterie board, luckily under a large umbrella as the heavens opened.

Sunday dawned a glorious sunny day. We headed to Les Mielles Activity Centre at St Ouen’s on the west side of the island and jumped on to the Segways, two-wheeled electric ‘transporters’. We must have looked like crazed shopping centre security guards, racing around the track with our fetching blue helmets. Then it was time for the gravity-defying gyroscope. We jumped on and staggered off, with Molly looking a bit green. Tom’s competitive streak came to the fore during the laser clay pigeon shooting, and then came the pièce de résistance – the bungee trampoline, where great fun was had by all trying to do backflips.

This led to the next brain teaser of the holiday – what to do when it rains? Well, we would highly recommend the Maritime Museum. Here, to our surprise, we found the gadgetry that Molly had been sorely missing. The museum is choc-a-bloc full of interactive displays, from the wave maker to the sand dune blower to the mechanical globe that tells the story of four epic sea voyages. We spent a highly engaging two hours nosing and poking our way around all kinds of clever nautical exhibits. Rain or shine, it’s a must-visit.

Have I mentioned Jersey’s food yet? Rocco’s restaurant at Les Mielles (ooh, the lobster salad was something to die for) served up yet another memorable island meal.

With so much on offer, we had little time to linger. Next on the agenda was the aMaizin! Adventure Park, an award-winning family activity centre with a giant jumping pillow (not a good idea after a big lunch), tractor racing, football mini-golf (much more difficult than it looked) and a huge, head-scratching maze made out of a corn field.

After an hour of running around looking for answers to the maze quiz, a tired Baker family found the way out and headed to the Jersey War Tunnels. We weren’t prepared for what we encountered.

The tunnels themselves – vast, spooky chambers created by slave labour during World War Two – were awe-inspiring enough. But when you add what’s in them – exhibits, displays, ‘talking heads’ and wartime sights and sounds – you feel as if you are in Jersey during the German Occupation. It was a humbling and thoughtprovoking way to end our day.

›› Jersey War Tunnels

Monday morning was with us before we knew it. Jersey is such a small island that it’s easy to squeeze a lot into a long weekend. We had plenty of time to visit Mont Orgueil Castle before heading to the airport. Steep stairs led into the castle, a monumental part of Jersey’s defensive history, poised on a rock above Gorey Harbour. Rain and wind had caught up with us and we were blown around the battlements, but it all added to the atmospheric experience of exploring the massive defences and peering out to a choppy sea. The best part of the castle experience was the Walter Raleigh exhibition – we had no idea he was such an accomplished person and Governor of Jersey, a true ‘Renaissance man’.

My, how our picture of Jersey changed after that long weekend.

The flight, car and hotel arrangements were all neatly packaged, easy to book and great value for money. We packed in plenty, ticked all the family boxes, but still returned home feeling that we had only scratched the surface. It’s a bigger place than you think.

See overleaf for bUDGeT Travel JerSeYfIle

‘I was surprised that there was so much to see and do, from Durrell Wildlife to the aMaizin! Maze. My personal favourite was the sea kayaking. I had never been kayaking before, so I wasn’t very confident when I first got out on the water, but I soon got the hang of it. We spent two hours paddling along the coast, exploring a few caves and frightening a few birds. We stopped on a secluded, rocky beach and I found some cool crab pincers to take back as souvenirs. I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy the kayaking, but I quickly changed my mind. I would definitely recommend it.’

›› Mont Orgueil Castle, Gorey

Molly Baker book online at www.jersey.com

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JerSeYfIle

valUe aDDeD Many tour operators offer easy-to-book, attractively priced holidays and short breaks in Jersey inclusive of travel (by air or sea) and accommodation – see the listing at the back of this publication or the ‘Book a Holiday’ pages of our website. Between them, these operators offer a dizzying variety of great-value packages. Many will even tailor-make a break just for you.

JerSeY for kIDS (anD aDUlTS Too) The Baker family stayed at the Beausite Hotel on the south-east coast of Jersey.

With its wide range of facilities (swimming pool, spa, saunas, fitness room and beautiful gardens), it suits all ages.

Beausite Hotel, La Rue des Pres, Grouville Bay, Grouville, Jersey JE3 9DJ. T 01534 857577 www.southernhotels.com

JerSeY DoeSn’T coST The earTh The island offers great value for money, it’s quick and easy to get to – and when you arrive, you won’t have any nasty, pricey shocks, for you pay in pounds, not euros. It’s a small island, so getting around and about is equally easy and inexpensive – and you’ll be surprised by what you can do for free (we’ve included a few ideas on these pages).

And you’ll be amazed by what you can get up to on an island measuring just nine miles by five. Jersey is jam-packed with attractions and places to visit. What’s more, lots of places like large galleries and craft shops – popular attractions in their own right – don’t charge entrance fees.

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For extra-special value see the website’s ‘Special Offers’.

These can save you even more money, including free car hire, free half board, free insurance, reductions for children and ‘stay three nights for the price of two’.

Packages like the one the Bakers booked (two adults, one child, three nights’ half board, airfares and car hire) start at around £600. www.jersey.com/specialoffers

Jersey for free Our number-one attractions – those Jersey beaches, cliffs, harbours, Green Lanes and woodlands – are absolutely free. Here are a few more things that won’t cost you a penny: Go to Jersey Goldsmiths and see its ‘jewellery of the stars’ collections (though James Dean’s cufflinks at £1,800 might blow a hole in the family budget). Then stroll around lovely Lion Park (www.jerseygoldsmiths.com).

Help celebrate the end of the German Occupation of Jersey on Liberation Day, 9 May, when St Helier puts on a great show of pageants and performances.

Reach for the skies at the Jersey International Air Display in September.

It’s one of the world’s greatest free aerial spectacles (www.jerseyairdisplay.org.uk).

Visit the Harbour Gallery, St Aubin, for a superb display of original art and sculpture (www.mnlg.com/art).

Get to know the island on free guided walks during our Spring and Autumn Walking Weeks (www.jersey.com/walking).

Discover mysterious prehistoric sites and chilling German war bunkers scattered across the island (see www.prehistoricjersey.net, www.jerseytheritage.org and the Occupation Trail Map available free from Jersey Tourism).

Lend a hand at Black Butter making.

Learn all about this tasty island delicacy during our Black Butter making weekend, 25–27 October (www.nationaltrustjersey.org.je).

Get festive during La Fête dé Noué.

Banish midwinter blues at Jersey’s fabulous pre-Christmas festival, 1–16 December, when island life shines brighter than ever at parades and street performances, markets and musical events.

Take a look inside the Glass Church (otherwise known as St Matthew’s Church), St Helier. No, it’s not famous for its stained glass. At this unusual place of worship there’s an extensive use of moulded white glass, the perfect accompaniment to art deco-style architecture (www.glasschurch.org).

Two Top MoneY-SavInG TIpS Get yourself a Jersey Pass. This must-have gives you free entry to many of our top attractions, including Durrell Wildlife, Mont Orgueil Castle and the Maritime Museum, plus other benefits. Passes are available for two, four or six consecutive days. T 01534 448877, www.jerseypass.com And an Island Explorer to go with it. The unlimited-travel Explorer is another bargain, your ticket to unlimited travel for one, three or five days on our go-everywhere bus network.

T 01534 877772, www.mybus.je

for all The laTeST… Keep up with us on: www.twitter.com/jerseytourism www.facebook.com/visitjersey www.youtube.com/jerseytourism www.flickr.com/jerseytourism

See overleaf for placeS To vISIT

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UnDerGroUnD, overGroUnD It’s below the surface at ghostly tunnels constructed during World War Two. It’s above ground almost everywhere – at castles, museums and rural sites. We’re talking about our history and heritage. They aren’t dry, dusty subjects in Jersey. You’ll relive the Occupation at the island’s unmissable War Tunnels experience. On a lighter note, mums, dads and the kids will love exploring exciting Elizabeth Castle and singing along to sea shanties at the Maritime Museum.

Timeline

6,000 years ago. La Hougue Bie is Jersey’s Stonehenge.

One of Europe’s finest passage graves burrows into a huge man-made mound, topped by a medieval chapel. Stoop down and enter the long, gloomy tunnel which has been cleverly aligned to allow the sun’s rays to penetrate the inner chamber at spring and autumn equinoxes.

The island is dotted with many other prehistoric graves and tombs that you can visit at all reasonable times. For details go to: www.jerseyheritage.org www.prehistoricjersey.net 

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hISTorIc hIGhlIGhTS •

Watching Master Gunner ‘Gilly’ Gilman instructing – and intimidating – his poor recruits at re-enactments in Elizabeth Castle. You’ll be glad you never enlisted.

• Sharing the emotions of islanders and listening to tales of heroism and collaboration – the two sides of the coin – at the haunting War Tunnels.

• Plotting your voyage around the world at the Maritime Museum.

• Looking at the amazing detail – and countless hours of hard work – that went into the Occupation Tapestry.

• Exploring the dark heart of La Hougue Bie prehistoric site.

• And, of course, standing at the very top of Mont Orgueil Castle – preferably in a stiff breeze – and wondering how a would-be attacker could ever scale such heights.

13th century.

That’s when they started building Mont Orgueil Castle, a Jersey icon. Its presence is overpowering, completely dominating the harbourside at Gorey as it climbs up the sea cliff in a series of giant fortified terraces. Within, an imaginative – and sometimes ghoulish – series of displays and exhibitions evoke the castle’s past. Samarès Manor also dates from Norman times, but like many historic houses evolved over the centuries. Take a guided tour, visit the ancient dovecote and Rural Life and Carriage Museum, or wander around its beautiful grounds and gardens.

14th century.

Go to the mysterious ruins of Grosnez Castle and ponder its fate.

Pack a camera, for Grosnez – on a windy headland overlooking Guernsey – is worth visiting for its breathtaking location alone. 15th century.

Buildings have been recorded at Hamptonne since 1445. It’s a complete rural community in miniature – a cluster of farm dwellings, barns and workshops that recreate a vanished way of life from Jersey’s bygone times. www.jerseyheritage.org

Museums too The island’s history, traditions and culture come together under one roof at Jersey Museum and Art Gallery. Exhibits range from that priceless pure gold 3,000-year-old St Helier Torque to an atmospheric Victorian merchant’s house. Artzone is an interactive space for younger visitors.

Jersey’s seafaring past comes to life in a hugely entertaining Maritime Museum.

Listen to sea shanties, sail a boat, walk the decks, shiver your timbers. It also contains the Occupation Tapestry, a monumental – and moving – work of art based on World War Two island life.

The Pallot Steam, Motor and General Museum is a fascinating private collection of steam engines and other machinery, with a display on Jersey Railways, steam and diesel train rides. And if you aren’t in Jersey during the famous Battle of Flowers then call into the museum of the same name and see what you’ve missed.

Late 16th century.

That’s just the first chapter in Elizabeth Castle’s long story.

Begun in 1590, this huge offshore fortress – only when you get there do you realise it’s that big – spans island history from Sir Walter Raleigh to the German Occupation. At high tide, the short boat trip from St Helier is great fun (when the tide is out you can walk).

18th century.

Le Moulin de Quétivel is the only working mill left in St Peter’s Valley that still grinds its own flour. Buy some at the mill shop, then see the exhibition and short film.

I’ve GoT YoUr nUMber Battle of Flowers Museum, St Ouen Open Easter–mid-October.

T 01534 482408 The Channel Islands Military Museum, St Ouen Open early April–October.

T 01534 723136 or 07797 732072 email: damienhorn@jerseymail.co.uk

TracInG The paST Société Jersiaise promotes and encourages the study of the history, archaeology, natural history, language and many other subjects of interest in Jersey (T 01534 758314, www.societejersiaise.org). The Channel Islands Family History Society is dedicated to studying and tracing the family histories of Channel Islanders (T 01534 743830, www.jerseyfamilyhistory.org).

faMIlY aTTracTIonS We have heaps of these too, ranging from the world-famous Durrell Wildlife to adventure parks and activity centres.

Please see the Jerseyfile on pages 40–41 for details.

1939–45. Jersey’s compelling World War Two history crops up everywhere, in coastal fortifications and museums, but most forcefully at the War Tunnels. This mustvisit site is an atmospheric underground world that evokes the German Occupation and all it entailed – the human as well as the military story, the everyday struggles of island folk as well as Hitler’s grandiose folly in creating a ‘fortress island’.

The Channel Islands Military Museum is also housed in a former fortified German bunker.

It’s Jersey’s only display of all-authentic German World War Two militaria plus civilian Occupation items.

The Channel Islands Occupation Society is a volunteer organisation dedicated to keeping key sites from Jersey’s Occupation open to the public throughout the warmer months. www.ciosjersey.org.uk

Elizabeth Castle, St Helier Open daily April–November.

Tel 01534 723971 www.jerseyheritage.org Grosnez Castle, St Ouen Accessible at all reasonable times.

Hamptonne, St Lawrence Open June–September T 01534 633374 www.jerseyheritage.org La Hougue Bie, Grouville Open daily April–November.

T 01534 633373 www.jerseyheritage.org Jersey Museum and Art Gallery, St Helier Open April–December.

T 01534 633300 www.jerseyheritage.org Jersey War Tunnels, St Lawrence Open March–November.

T 01534 860808 www.jerseywartunnels.com Maritime Museum and Occupation Tapestry, St Helier Open April–November.

T 01534 811043 www.jerseyheritage.org Mont Orgueil Castle, Gorey Open January–November.

T 01534 633375 www.jerseyheritage.org Le Moulin de Quétivel, St Peter Open Saturdays May–September.

T 01534 483193 www.nationaltrustjersey.org.je Pallot Steam, Motor and General Museum, Trinity Open daily (except Sundays) April–October.

T 01534 865307 www.pallotmuseum.co.uk Samarès Manor, St Clement Open April–October.

T 01534 870551 www.samaresmanor.com

book online at www.jersey.com

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›› Steve’s new serpentine friend

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BOTH NOW Durrell Wildlife Park sets the agenda for its conservation work and the way it looks after its animals. It’s one place in Jersey that everyone wants to see. But what goes on away from the public gaze behind the scenes? We sent vet and TV wildlife presenter Steve Leonard to find out

I

’m sitting on Plémont beach with sand in my shoes and sea salt in my hair reflecting on an incredible day. I’ve been in Jersey for just over 24 hours and I’m still trying to figure out how the place works.

You know, who’s local, what brought them here and how they find life on the island?

And I’m not just talking about the human inhabitants. The most interesting residents are those I really came to see, the ones found at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

I’ve just had the privilege of a behind-thescenes tour of this Jersey jewel. For over 50 years, endangered creatures from around the globe have travelled here to play their role in preserving their species’ survival.

Conservationist and author Gerald Durrell was definitely ahead of the game when he founded his ‘zoo’ here on Jersey. His vision of breeding animals in captivity to protect wildlife populations was a brave and startling deviation from normal zoo conventions of the time. With big changes in public attitudes to animals in captivity over the last 25 years, successful zoos have had to change their focus to fall in line with Gerald’s vision and pioneering thinking. Good zoos are now at the centre of wildlife conservation and Durrell continues to lead the way.

As I entered the impressive new Visitor Centre I was met by Tim, the Deputy Head of Conservation Training (they all have long and detailed titles here), my guide for the day. Despite its worldwide reputation, Durrell itself is quite modestly sized, easy

to navigate and gentle in atmosphere with a real jungle feel in parts thanks to the oversized plants that thrive in Jersey’s forgiving climate. Tim, a native Jersey lad, filled me in on Durrell’s developments and ongoing projects both here and overseas as we strolled along the boardwalks to meet Dom, Deputy Head of Mammals, who was just about to feed the silvery marmosets and black lion tamarins.

Durrell has a great reputation for looking after these nervous little primates. Like all the animals here, the keepers try to provide them with as natural a home as possible. Reducing their stress keeps them much healthier and happier. Astoundingly, the best way in this particular case is to take down all the fences. These little monkeys have free range of the park.

Sounds like madness, but the animals’ own territorial nature keeps them from wandering too far.

‘It must have been a huge leap of faith to try this for the first time,’ I put to Dom, standing under massive mature trees with the squirrel-like monkeys whizzing about above me. Dom has the quiet confident manner of someone who knows his stuff.

‘It’s not without its issues,’ he replied.

Occasional trips outside the grounds are not unheard of but research shows the benefits to the animals massively outweigh any risks. It has a magical effect on the visitors as well, but as Dom explained, ‘It’s all about the animals.’

book online at www.jersey.com

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›› Strawberry poison dart frog

Dom’s other big passion is sustainability. The park educates people by doing as well as saying. The on-site organic garden that recycles the animals’ manure as fertilizer and provides a large proportion of their feed is a cracking example of Durrell’s commitment to the cause. The animal enclosures are now being constructed with these principles in mind. With volunteer labour and an idea inspired by the TV programme Grand Designs Durrell has a low-impact fruit bat house beautifully constructed using recycled products such as car tyres filled with dirt and glass bottles for windows. While tickling the furry belly of a huge upside-down Livingstone bat as it munched its way through some banana, Dom explained that even the interior vegetation was donated by locals from their house plant collections.

As we continued our tour, I came to understand that Durrell, like all attractions, relies on visitors to pay the bills. Providing ‘a good day out’ is the last remaining zoo tradition and one worth hanging on to. But a huge amount of work goes on here out of sight of the average visitor. I was doubly lucky. I was also seeing things from the other side of the fence, something I won’t forget in a hurry.

fact, it’s a frog who lives on a mountain and tastes of chicken!) from the small island of Montserrat. It’s threatened by the usual habitat loss (especially after the huge volcanic eruption in 1995), but also by an exotic amphibian-killing fungus and alas, the curse of being tasty. This species had never before been bred in captivity and it was only through careful study and experimentation that the staff created the right conditions for the frogs to rear their young successfully. Working out what they eat was far less of a challenge: it’s anything that’s slightly smaller than they are, and since these fat frogs grow to a massive one kilo in weight that means tarantulas, crickets, snakes, insects – you name it, they’ll try it.

Gerardo handed me one to get a closer look at. They are lightening quick around their pen but Dr Gerardo is quicker. In the hand you really get a chance to appreciate just how meaty these critters are – even large enough to have radio trackers surgically implanted in their abdomens since they are destined to return to Montserrat to be released back into the wild, and the researchers want to keep an eye on them to see if they come to any harm.

Okay, surgery on frogs? I wanted to know more. How do you even anaesthetise them?

Well, as you’d imagine, Durrell has its own veterinary facility with two full-time vets and nursing team. Mel, one of the nurses, talked me through the frog surgeries and many of the other challenges the team faces. I deal with a very limited number of species on a daily basis: cats, dogs, rabbits and the odd small furry animal, but the guys here can see just about anything. The veterinary team has successfully performed Dr Gerardo Garcia, the Head of Herpetology, caesarean sections on a black lion tamarin and even a tiny eel-like amphibian. Awesome stuff. introduced me to the mountain chicken (in The role of keeper conjures up images of large wheelbarrows of steaming poop but in reality the job is far more involved than you could imagine. Staff at Durrell work their real magic behind the scenes, taking some of the world’s most endangered creatures and building up their numbers to release them back into the wild or keep as an insurance population in case their natural home disappears.

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Not all of Durrell’s residents are destined to go back into the wild. Permanent residents like the gorillas and orang-utans serve as poignant reminders that the wild is not what it used to be. I’ve seen the devastation to the forests and jungles in Borneo and Africa where their relatives live.

Here you get to see these amazing creatures up close and read the almost human expressions on their faces.

The young orang-utans were, typically, full of play and mischief and a real crowd-puller, with laughs and giggles from the viewing public. It was quieter at the gorillas. They have such an intimidating stature and presence you can’t help but speak in hushed tones. Badongo, the new silverback, is truly enormous and unbelievably strong. I would have loved to watch him for hours but my last port of call was a welcome sit down over a nice cup of tea with Durrell’s Honorary Director and Gerald’s widow, Dr Lee Durrell. Her flat within the park is full of eclectic objects and books collected by her and Gerald over their lifetimes. It’s a real treasure trove and reflects their passions well. We compared tales of trips deep into the world’s wild places, rounding off a brilliant day.

With a glorious summer evening’s sun still high above the horizon, I decide to hit that beach on Jersey’s north coast to reflect on my day at Durrell. In truth there are still many things I want to see from the other side, the lemurs, the maned wolves and otters to name but a few. There’s always tomorrow…

See Overleaf fOr faMIlY aTTraCTIONS JerSeYfIle

‘

Providing “a good day

out” is the last remaining zoo tradition and one

’

worth hanging on to

Here’S lOOkINg aT YOu, DaNNY Danny (the intrepid photographer) and I enter the Dragons’ Den, the reptile and amphibian house. It has colourful critters from around the world including a pair of young twofoot-long Komodo dragons, only too eager to climb all over Danny. He gets a taste of his own medicine as those on the outside gaze, guffaw and enjoy the free entertainment, delighting in the opportunity to paparazzi him with phones and cameras. ›› Silvery marmosets

book online at www.jersey.com

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JerSeYfIle

gO DO – faMIlY aTTraCTIONS It’s not difficult to keep the kids (and parents) entertained in Jersey. Quite apart from all those beaches, sandcastles, rock pools and ice cream opportunities, the island has a suitcase full of tricks and treats to keep children happy – whatever the weather.

STeve’S aCCOMMODaTION Steve Leonard stayed at the Hampshire Hotel, conveniently located for exploring the entire island.

Hampshire Hotel, 53 Val Plaisant, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4TB T 01534 724115 www.hampshirehotel.je

Jersey Pass The inclusive, money-saving Jersey Pass gives you admission to many attractions and places to visit. For details see page 59. Or go to: www.jerseypass.com

pureJersey

I’ve gOT YOur NuMBer aMaizin! Maze and Adventure Park, St Peter T 01534 482116 Open April–mid-September. www.jerseyleisure.com Aqua Splash, Waterfront Centre, St Helier Open all year.

T 01534 734524 www.aquasplash.je Creepy Valley Adventure Centre, Les Ormes Golf and Leisure Village, St Brelade Open all year.

T 01534 638888 www.creepyvalley.je Durrell Wildlife, Trinity Open all year.

T 01534 860000 www.durrell.org Fort Regent, St Helier Open all year.

T 01534 449600 www.gov.je/esc Jersey Bowl, St Peter Open all year.

T 01534 490444 www.jerseybowl.com

›› Going crazy at Les Mielles Activity Centre

aNIMalS aND aDveNTure ParkS It’s our most famous attraction. But even that description doesn’t begin to do justice to Durrell Wildlife. Jersey is the base of this international organisation dedicated to conserving endangered species worldwide.

See how they go about things at Durrell’s beautiful 32-acre/13ha grounds, home to over 1,400 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, including gorillas, orang-utans and manic meerkats.

Get lost – in the best possible way – at aMaizin! Maze and Adventure Park. After you’ve found your way out of the maze enjoy the rides, games and farm animals.

Adventure and family fun are also the themes at Jersey’s Living Legend Village, a large complex with multi-media theatre, golf, go-karting, crafts, play areas and outdoor entertainment.

aIr, laND aND WaTer How high do you want to go? There’s thrilling aerial trekking and acrobatics on high ropes, zip wires and giant swings at Creepy Valley Adventure Centre. For all kinds of water games head for the pools, slides and flumes at Aqua Splash. And for sports facilities there’s Fort Regent and Les Quennevais Sports Centre (the latter complete with indoor pool). Family activities at Les Mielles Activity Centre include mini-golf, laser clay pigeon shooting and Segway Rally course. Jersey Bowl’s 18lane bowling centre (plus video games and outdoor play area) is another popular family attraction.

Jersey’s Living Legend Village, St Peter Open March–November.

T 01534 485496 www.jerseyslivinglegend.co.je Les Mielles Activity Centre, St Ouen’s Bay Open all year.

T 01534 482787 www.lesmielles.com Les Quennevais Sports Centre, St Brelade Open all year.

T 01534 449880 www.gov.je/esc

aTTraCTIONS THaT are POSITIvelY HISTOrIC For information on places to visit that bring Jersey’s rich history and heritage to life please see pages 34–35.

book online at www.jersey.com

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›› King Kong pays a flying visit to the Channel Islands

Branchage is an ancient hedge-cutting tradition in Jersey. It’s also the name of a new film festival that’s sharp and savvy. Here’s a review from arts writer Lucy Sanderson

pureJersey

S

eptember presents something of a cultural treat in Jersey.

Following hot on the heels of the Jersey Live music festival comes the Branchage International Film Festival. It’s as hip as Hoxton, yet named after an old Jersey tradition known grandly as the ‘Visite du Branchage’, a twice-yearly haircut of the hedges in every parish on the island to ensure that foliage doesn’t spill out onto the public highway. If your hedge is judged as being too unkempt you’re in big trouble. Serious stuff.

Using a typically quirky Jersey custom as the name for a film festival conveys exactly what Branchage is all about – an unconventional and utterly unique event that attracts films and film-makers, actors and producers, artists, musicians and dancers from all over the world. But it doesn’t just celebrate film. Branchage also embraces that Jersey quirkiness, the island’s natural beauty and its compelling cultural history. The ethos of the festival is all about presenting a programme

that combines the best in cutting-edge cinema with a real sense of fun and vibrancy and, importantly, community involvement.

One of the best descriptions of Branchage, from an online magazine, says it’s ‘a creative, perhaps naughty, little sister to the high-brow, critic-filled festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Toronto and London; a festival that runs wild across its island home and stays out way past its curfew.’

Branchage certainly brings with it a promise of a weekend brimming with inventiveness and eye-opening experiences. It gathers together all kinds of cinematic offerings, live scores and soundand-light installations. But what really sets Branchage apart is the way it is staged. The festival makes full use of Jersey’s extraordinary locations and buildings, old and new. From a horsebox to an old chapel, rough-and-ready army barracks to the glittering

Opera House, Branchage brings cinema and music to some of the most unlikely places (more conventionally, it also uses the island’s only multiplex cinema, Cineworld). Secret venues, chosen with a specific ambience, also appear in the programme, all part of Branchage’s manifesto to create an entire sensory indulgence.

To give you a flavour of what it’s all about, here’s what happened in 2011. My first stop was the opening evening’s gala screening of Senna, the film documentary charting the life of Formula One champion Ayrton Senna, shown on a huge screen within the opulent Opera House. Earlier that day, I bumped into Manesh Pandey, the writer of the film; he was having lunch with a friend of mine who was escorting him on his trip to Jersey. That’s typical Branchage for you: it’s all hands on deck as friends of the festival become volunteers, looking after visitors and generating a true community spirit, a Branchage hallmark.

book online at www.jersey.com

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Branchage is as much about Jersey as it is about cinema and film.

At its heart is the stunning Spiegeltent, which takes its inspiration (and name) from lavishly decorated 19th-century ‘mirror tents’ intended as the domain of night owls and dream chasers – the ideal ›› Branchage plays to audiences large and small hub, I’d say, for Branchage’s mix of entertainment and frivolity. Located at the Weighbridge on the front at St Helier, the Spiegeltent plays host to all manner of celebrations, events and parties over the festival weekend. Following the screening of Senna I went along for a glass of bubbly with festival organiser Xanthe Hamilton, rubbing shoulders with a bohemian cast of actors, producers and dancers.

Too much Thursday night champagne and a cold, blustery Friday morning conspired to make me miss the sound installation staged at Elizabeth Castle, the huge fortress in the middle of St Aubin’s Bay, but I heard the most enthusiastic reports from friends who did. On Friday afternoon I checked out the short film offerings being screened at the headquarters of Société Jersiaise, the society that supports Jersey’s history, traditional language and heritage. This was one of the free Branchage screenings that ran throughout the day and night, inviting people to walk in off the street and take a look.

Branchage can be pretty intense, as my frantic Friday demonstrates. After watching a documentary at the Jersey Art Centre it was off to Ebenezer Church in the Parish of Trinity where I saw an unusual animation, This Side of the Moon. The live score performed alongside the screening was a real treat to the ears, bringing the story to life through the sound of a ‘psychedelic harp’ in a perfectly chosen venue whose soaring acoustics enhanced every note.

Saturday found me back in the Spiegeltent for an afternoon of comedy. A fine line-up of comedians had the tent in fits for Whose Hedge is it Anyway? National Lottery draw presenter Jeff Leach hosted a saucy and hilarious interactive stand-up show with the audience playing as big a part as the comedians themselves. I sat at the back, avoiding eye contact!

Saturday night’s party was next on my agenda, and what a party it was… Parties are an integral part of Branchage.

Every year the Saturday night La Bordee D’Branchage event, held in the Spiegeltent (of course), gets bigger, better, louder and madder. D’Branchage party-goers were dressed up in a riot of costumes, as is the Branchage way.

Entertainment came from dancers and acrobats hanging from the ceiling, Cirque du Soleil-style. Mix this all up with Morris and Maypole dancing (in September), an eightstrong colonial marching band and lots of champagne, and you have Saturday night at Branchage, possibly the best party night of the year in Jersey.

Branchage is not a film festival for red carpet celebrity hawks. It’s the least commercial film festival on the circuit, and that’s part of its charm. Hailed as the best independent film festival in the UK, it has something for everyone, party-goers and serious cinephiles alike. Don’t expect to get much sleep.

BraNCHage

2012 For details of the 2012 event keep a look out on: www.branchagefesival.com

pureJersey

‘

Branchage is as much about Jersey as it is about cinema and film

’

JerSeYfIle

gOOD vIBeS Jersey has an eye-opening range of theatres, clubs and venues where you can enjoy everything from live music to opera, comedy to drama, indie to symphony.

Studio time ›› Picturesque Grève de Lecq

I’ve gOT YOur NuMBer Fort Regent, St Helier Jersey’s largest leisure and entertainment venue, with a great programme of events and shows.

Also has many sporting facilities.

T 01534 449600 www.gov.je/esc Jersey Arts Centre, St Helier Two theatres, an art gallery and café.

T 01534 700400 www.artscentre.je Jersey Museum and Art Gallery, St Helier The extensive gallery space here is devoted to a mix of permanent and changing exhibitions featuring worldclass artists.

T 01534 633300 www.jerseyheritage.org

Jersey Opera House, St Helier Beautifully restored Edwardian theatre, the premier performance venue in the Channel Islands with a wide range of productions and entertainment.

T 01534 511115 www.jerseyoperahouse.co.uk St James, St Helier A highly flexible and atmospheric church conversion used for many community events, performances, exhibitions and workshops.

T 01534 700400 www.artscentre.je

The island is alive with artists. Some work with paint, others with pots. Others prefer precious metals or driftwood picked up from the beach. All are inspired by Jersey’s island life and surroundings. You’ll find galleries, potteries and studios everywhere. For a sample see the ‘Shops and Spas’ Jerseyfile.

fOr all THe laTeST… Keep up with us on: www.twitter.com/jerseytourism www.facebook.com/visitjersey www.youtube.com/jerseytourism www.flickr.com/jerseytourism

See Overleaf fOr MOre ON arTS, feSTIvalS, eveNTS aND eNTerTaINMeNT

book online at www.jersey.com

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JerSeYfIle

gOOD vIBeS 1 MarCH–12 aPrIl Spring Specials New season cuisine at extraordinary value. Over half of the island’s restaurants participate with special setpriced menus, showing off the best of their culinary skills.

5–12 MarCH Jersey Textile Showcase Contemporary, innovative, exciting and traditional textile art from the UK, France and Channel Islands, with workshops and exhibitions in and around St Aubin.

Jersey isn’t the place you may think it is. It’s more Branchage (our boutique film festival) than Bergerac, with a hot-and-cool arts, entertainment, festivals and events scene. This small island lives a life that’s arty and cultural in the widest possible sense, embracing everything from mainstream to alternative.

Here’s a month-by-month diary of what’s happening.

We don’t have enough pages to cover everything that’s going on in this eventful island. For the full picture pick up a copy of our What’s On guide. Or go to www.jersey.com/events pureJersey

13 MarCH–1 aPrIl Spring Flower Show Displays, demonstrations and competitions at the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society’s springtime show.

5–7 aPrIl Jersey Boat Show Just four years old but already firmly established as a major event on the British boating calendar, attracting thousands of visitors to the maritime heart of St Helier. Gets the boating season off to a great start, with power and sail side by side, plus food, drink and entertainment. www.jerseyboatshow.com 9 MaY ✮ Liberation Day Join islanders to celebrate the liberation from Occupying Forces during World War Two. Events include heritage trails, access to war bunkers and a commemorative service. www.jersey.com/events 9–13 MaY Fourth Liberation International Music Festival Ten internationally acclaimed artists including BRIT award winners and Strictly Come Dancing stars plus over 250 local artists perform atmospheric music in stunning settings celebrating the Liberation of Jersey in 1945. www.liberationjersey.com

12–19 MaY ✮ Spring Walking Week Discover Jersey’s natural beauty and heritage on a series of free guided walks designed for all ages and levels of experience. www.jersey.com/walking 19–27 MaY ✮ Jersey Food Festival A week-long celebration of the very best from Jersey’s food producers, chefs, artisans and restaurateurs. Includes alfresco foodie events and trails, fishing and farm tours.

9–10 JuNe Spring Fair Jersey’s traditional country fayre combines with the Jersey Rose and Flower Show and Island Spring Cattle Show to provide lots of entertainment for all the family. Activities include cattle and craft shows, ring events, food tasting, traditional country games, floral displays, demonstrations and competitions.

16 JuNe Bonne Nuit Harbour Festival Set in a beautiful north coast bay, with stalls and activities for all ages, food served all day and live music till late.

17–24 JuNe June in Bloom Floral Festival Jersey at its floral best with a week full of open gardens, demonstrations, flower shows and nature walks.

23 JuNe Itex Around the Island Walk 48-mile annual charity walk that attracts local and visiting walkers. Expect to complete the course in anything between 11 to 21 hours. www.itexwalk.je

18 auguST Gorey Fête Fun for all the family, including beach events, games, stalls, fairground rides, alfresco eating and the famous yard of ale and spaghetti eating competitions, all set in picturesque Gorey Harbour.

25–26 JuNe Jersey Rose and Flower Show A weekend of floral delight in the lovely grounds of Samarès Manor, with competitions, displays and entertainment courtesy of the Jersey Rosarians.

24–26 auguST Brewin Dolphin British Hobie Cat National Championships For the first time, Jersey stages these Open Championships, hosted by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club with racing in beautiful St Aubin’s Bay. Attracting crews from the UK, Europe and Channel Islands, it is fitting that this prestigious event marks the Club’s 150th anniversary. www.rciycjersey.com

5 auguST Airtel-Vodaphone Jersey Seaside Festival A day of traditional seaside fun at Havre des Pas, St Helier. The seafront and outdoor swimming pool will be jam packed with beach games, alfresco dining and entertainment.

30 auguST– 6 SePTeMBer (exact date weather/tide dependent) ‘Exercise Jersey Eagle’– Holidays for Heroes Jersey Special swimming relay race around the island (see page 10/11 for details). www.hols4hjersey.org.je

9 auguST ✮ Battle of Flowers

SePTeMBer ✮ (date to be confirmed)

Grand Day Parade One of the most spectacular carnivals in Europe and a highlight of our summer scene. A colourful atmosphere is guaranteed, with flower-festooned floats, musicians, dancers and entertainers. www.battleofflowers.com

Branchage International Film Festival An inventive boutique film festival that has become a big hit internationally with filmmakers and fans.

Features an exciting and diverse programme of films, dazzling special events, talks, exhibitions, comedy, live music, parties and workshops – all at weirdly wonderful island venues. www.branchagefestival.com

10 auguST ✮ Battle of Flowers

✮

Moonlight Parade An atmospheric evening parade of the flowercovered floats illuminated by thousands of lights. A magical experience and fitting finale to the Battle of Flowers floral extravaganza. www.battleofflowers.com

1–2 SePTeMBer ✮ Jersey Live

2–4 SePTeMBer Brewin Dolphin 14th Jersey Regatta The showpiece event in Jersey’s sailing calendar attracting competitors from the Channel Islands, UK and France. Three days of fun and competitive racing, plus a lively shore-side programme based at St Helier Yacht Club and the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club. www.jerseyregatta.com 8–16 SePTeMBer Hidden Treasures Discover artefacts, dolmens, castles, National Trust houses and the very best of Jersey’s heritage in a week-long event dedicated to exploring the island’s history and hidden treasures.

13 SePTeMBer ✮ International Air Display The skies above Jersey come alive to the sights and sounds of one of Europe’s largest free air displays. www.jerseyairdisplay.org.uk 15–22 SePTeMBer ✮ Autumn Walking Week Enjoy Jersey’s warm autumnal colours on a free programme of countryside, coastal and heritage walks with experienced guides.

Highlights include the ‘Around Island Walk’. www.jersey.com/walking 1 OCTOBer– ✮ 12 NOveMBer Tennerfest Good food and great value. A popular annual event across Jersey and Guernsey, with over 180 restaurants, bistros, hotels and cafés serving tasty all-inclusive Tennerfest menus at fixed prices – lunch or dinner from just £10, with £12.50, £15 and £17.50 options. www.tennerfest.com

6–7 OCTOBer Autumn Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Show Shades of autumn with the Royal Jersey Horticultural Society. There’s also a poultry and small animals display and the Island Autumn Cattle Show.

12–13 OCTOBer Jersey Rally Top motorsport competition on the tight, twisty lanes of Jersey. www.jerseyrally.com 20–21 OCTOBer ✮ La Faîs'sie d’Cidre (Cider Festival) Autumn is apple time – a lively annual festival held at Hamptonne country life house celebrating the island’s heritage of apple cultivation and cidermaking. Includes the Sound and Cider evening event with live music on 20 October. www.jerseyheritage.org 25–27 OCTOBer Black Butter Making Join the National Trust for Jersey as they make this delicious local delicacy from the island’s apple harvest.

Peel the apples, stir the pot and learn all about this traditional, tasty treat. www.nationaltrustjersey.org.je 1–16 DeCeMBer ✮ La Fête de Noué Jersey’s fabulous Christmas festival. The island is lit up with an enchanting programme of festive activities, including street entertainment and parades in St Helier, late-night shopping under a canopy of brilliant white lights, traditional food and gift markets, carol concerts, guided walks… and much more.

The coolest boutique music festival and biggest little indie rock festival in Europe, with a line-up of top bands – previous festival favourites include Madness, The Streets, Basement Jaxx, The Prodigy, Paul Weller, Snow Patrol and The Kooks. Set in the countryside with great crowds and atmosphere. www.jerseylive.org.uk

✮ ✮ Star events book online at www.jersey.com

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4 take

What’s it like to live in Jersey? and how does the island influence who you are and what you do? We’ve appointed four unofficial island ‘ambassadors’ to tell you all about it. Meet the locals in our Tv ad, which we’re showing until the end of april. Or go to www.jersey.com for videos of the four – singer/songwriter Nerina Pallot, artist Nicholas romeril, tour guide arthur lamy and oyster farmer Chris le Masurier. Here’s a flavour of what they have to say

The island is very supp local artists, not just ortive of its arts in general. It's a music but the place. I often thinkveIry vibey little necessarily have been wouldn't hadn't grown up incrJeative if I ersey.

Musician

ful place, anotndto ti u ea b ly ib ed cr in It's an fan of nature it's hard es if you're a of it. Being an islander givthe feel part y different perspective on at you a ver ou're defined by the fact th a. world - y uck in the middle of the se you are st

Artist

I create paintings, sculptures and prints that are about my situation, the sense of being here in Jersey and the way that the light and weather affect what I'm looking at. pureJersey

I'm also a passionate fisherman. Fishing is very similar to painting. They are both solo experiences that will never come to an end. If I'm having a bad day, I can jump in my boat and within half an hour be two miles out at sea.

That's such a great release.

I suppose we're quite self-contained and self-sufficient. If the world was threatened I'd want to get back to the Rock as quickly as possible. I feel we'd sort of survive it and stick it out.

I always like to talk about where I come from because it's important that people know the island is not just about Bergerac and potatoes. Jersey is like a Ravel piano concerto. She's a woman. She's a little bit French, she's very beautiful and lyrical and classy.

There's an optimism and my paintings, which are warmth in the island as well as a ablo out a love of Every painting I do som ve of life. what it is like to live in ehow celebrates an artist in the 21stJceerntsey and be ury.

d north coasths n a t es w e th to n w a I'm dr ar because there's so muc in particul e, with high cliffs and the drama ther of St Ouen's Bay. Some of long stretchngs are about how the sea my painti hat waves look like when moves, or w ey hit a rock. th book online at www.jersey.com

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For such a small island Jersey is a broad canvas. You can't go to one place and say,`This is Jersey'. For me, key features include fabulous beaches, a great mix of people, an interesting culture and rich history. You can fit a terrific amount into a day.

Tour Guide

the beach manuchd d n u ro a n ee b s y a I've alw ter. My lifestyle is very nd on the wa the east coast of Jersey a y centred on 's where I have most of m the sea. Itbeds of oysters and mussels. shellfish

tersports Enthusiast Oyster Farmer and Wa

pureJersey

I'd much sooner be outside than indoors.

The beach was my playground. Because of the island's diversity it's hard to choose a favourite walk. One that I like a lot in the northern Parish of Trinity combines our small, quiet `Green Lanes' with field tracks and cliff walking, three of the best things about Jersey.

The sea to me is always a challenge, it's what drives me. If I go to London, within a day I'm getting twitchy. I don't really like big cities. France is only 15 miles away so quite often I jump on the boat and go for tea in France or stay for the weekend.

Jersey is a sunny place, a big solar panel facing south.

The island comes into bloom in the summer. There's wildlife everywhere. But I've found that every season on the island has something to give you if you keep your eyes open.

When I'm working on the beach it's completely peaceful, a partnership with nature. Nature down here is different. Sometimes we can be looking a hundred yards out to sea as the tide is coming up and see shoals of dolphins swim past, or brent geese flying in formation above us.

4 take

I love cyclin often I cycle ghomas ewaellol ngas walking. Quite beautiful wooded vale w Grand Vaux, a reservoir, at a time of here we have a swallows will be feeding. day when the them performing fanta I stop and watch the water. It's a bit likestic aerobatics over it? There's that momen photography isn't place that you dat reinn'titme, space and miss.

I eat oyst wary of eaertins gevraeryw day. If you're a bit time try them either oysters for the first them with a bit of grilled or barbeque cheese on top. It's vegarlic butter or ry easy to do.

book online at www.jersey.com

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1 Liberation Square.

Monument to Freedom captures the emotional moment on 9th May 1945 when the flag was flown from the balcony of the nearby Pomme d’Or Hotel, marking the island’s Liberation from German Occupation.

3 Pier Road. Bread Strike by Jersey’s leading contemporary portrait artist Jason Butler is a fascinating mural that draws many of the island’s historical events into one story.

5 Town Church. Dedicated to the 6th-century hermit Hellerius, the church played more than a religious role in the early life of St Helier.

Elections were held here and locals locked themselves in during times of crisis.

2 Jersey Museum and Art Gallery. This priceless 3,000-year-old gold torque, probably worn around the waist of an island chieftain, is one of the museum’s many treasures.

4 The Lamplighter. Stop off for a pint in a traditional Jersey pub that serves a good selection of real ales.

Its highly decorative façade features a striking Britannia figure and colourful garland of fruit and vegetables.

6 Royal Square. Under the noses of occupying German forces in 1945, stonemason JM Le Guyader surreptitiously inserted a ‘V for Victory’ into the paving of the Royal Square while carrying out repairs.

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17 Jersey Opera House.

Jersey’s very own Lillie Langtry cut short her holidays to have the honour of being the first performer at the opening of the Opera House on 9th July 1900.

8 Beau Regard, Regent Road. This magnificent gateway is all that remains of the handsome Georgian house of Beau Regard. Its Latin inscription reads: ‘This corner of the world beyond all others smiles upon me.’

13 Central Market. The entire covered market is protected by intricate gates and archways. Look out for those embellished with grapes, goats, peacocks and horns of plenty.

18 Jardins de la Mer. The entwined dolphins and humans of Philip Jackson’s Swimmers II soar playfully out of the fountain maze which helps to keep visitors cool on hot summer afternoons.

9 Le Cronier Monument, Green Street Cemetery.

This 25ft-high granite monument remembers Honorary Policeman Georges Le Cronier who, in 1846, died from knife wounds while making an arrest at a ‘house of ill repute’.

14 Market Fountain. This ornate Victorian fountain, the market’s centrepiece, is one of St Helier’s best-loved features.

19 Freedom Tree. In addition to this symbolic oak at the Waterfront, 60 oak trees were planted around the island to mark Jersey’s 60th Liberation anniversary in 2005.

15 De Gruchy’s Arcade.

A mid-19th-century tourist guide to Jersey claimed that ‘none reflects so much credit on the town as the handsome shop of Mr Abraham de Gruchy (which) compares to the best in London’. It’s still a great place to shop.

20 Jersey Tourism. The Visitor Centre is an essential drop-in for first-time visitors and seasoned travellers alike. It’s packed full of local knowledge, maps, guides, books and souvenirs.

16 Charing Cross Crapaud.

The warty nickname for Jersey people is ‘crapaud’ (toad). Blame it on rising waters after the last Ice Age. The common toad is found here but not in the other Channel Islands, since Jersey was the last to be cut off.

21 Liberty Wharf. Built within original granite warehouses, this new shopping mall is St Helier’s latest place to browse and buy.

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12 Fish Market (or Beresford Market). Call in to ogle dazzling displays of lobsters, oysters, scallops, crabs and fish, all fresh from the boat.

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7 States Chamber.

The seat of Jersey’s Government, the States Assembly debates its own laws and regulations (other than defence and foreign affairs which are handled by the UK Government).

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22 Maritime Museum.

Finish off on a high at this amazing interactive museum.

It’s full of salty tales from the past and is also home to the inspirational Occupation Tapestry.

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Genville Street

8

9

11 West’s Centre. Meet some of Jersey’s bestknown residents at the site of the former Cattle Market in Beresford Street.

Green Street Cemetry

10

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oad

Hastings Rd

La Route Du Fort

St Clement’s Rd

10 Howard Davis Park.

One of St Helier’s many green spaces. This sculpture of George V and the park surrounding it were donated by the King’s friend TB Davis in memory of his only son, Howard, who was killed in World War One.

Howard Davis Park

book online at www.jersey.com

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JerSeYfIle

SHOPS aND SPaS

Spring, summer, autumn, winter… the seasons may change in Jersey, but our buzzy, busy island scene never takes time out.

Add a discerning local population that demands plenty of choice to Jersey’s many visitors and you have a thriving market for quality shopping – and it’s much bigger than the size of the island might suggest. It’s the same when it comes to spas. What’s on offer is world class – if you don’t believe us, take a look at these next few pages.

pureJersey

TOP SHOPS

›› Shopping in St Helier

SaINTS alIve St Helier, the island’s busy capital, is your first shopping surprise. It’s attractively laid out and very visitor friendly, with everything focused along a central pedestrianised street. You’ll find all the big-name stores here plus – and this is where St Helier really comes into its own – a bazaar of smaller speciality and independent shops, run by people with a passion for what they do.

St Helier is home to four island institutions.

Don’t miss the fashion and furnishing store De Gruchy – it has been here since 1825 and is synonymous with shopping in Jersey.

Close by is Voisins department store, a family-owned independent retailer with a wide range of high-quality products. Just off the main thoroughfare there’s the characterful Central Market, packed with

Shopping doesn’t immediately spring to mind when you mention Jersey in the same breath as, say, London, Paris or Milan. But you’ll be surprised what this little island serves up when it comes to retail therapy.

stalls selling everything from antiques to flowers, fresh vegetables to jewellery. It’s a Victorian gem, with a grand glass roof, ornate pillars and beautiful central fountain.

Seafood is the theme at the more modern Beresford Market (or Fish Market as it is more commonly known) where, this being Jersey, the stalls are simply spectacular, brimming with catch-of-the-day freshness.

Both markets are great places to stock up for picnics.

New kid on the block is Liberty Wharf on the waterfront, which opened a few years ago. It’s Jersey’s first covered shopping mall with an architecturally intriguing blend of old and new influences – plus big-name UK stores, independent Jersey boutiques and an enticing café life.

Shopmobility This scheme operates from the lower floor of St Helier’s Sand Street car park.

Electric scooters and chairs and manual pushchairs are available 10am–4.30pm, Monday–Saturday. Prior booking is preferred but not necessary.

T 01534 739672 or 07797 736797 www.shopmobility.org.je ›› St Helier’s new Liberty Wharf shopping mall

OuT Of TOWN Shopping in Jersey isn’t just confined to the capital. Large craft and retail centres scattered across the island are popular attractions and shopping destinations in their own right. Even the farms get in on the act – for details of farm shops and farmers’ markets please see the ‘Island Flavours’ Jerseyfile.

Heading out of St Helier it’s difficult to know where to begin. In St Aubin perhaps, home of the Harbour Gallery and Studios (www.mnlg.com/art). This leading arts and crafts centre sets high standards. Run with a rare commitment to the arts, it’s a colourful confection of original paintings, textiles, sculpture and designer fashion.

There’s a great little café too.

Other leading players on the shopping scene include Jersey Goldsmiths, St Lawrence (www.jerseygoldsmiths.com), and Jersey Pearl, St Ouen (www.jerseypearl.com), large complexes that attract thousands of visitors a year.

Catherine Best Jewellery at St Peter (www.catherinebest.com) is on a more intimate scale. Based at a lovely old windmill, this award-winning jeweller is known for her classic jewellery with a modern feel.

Close to the north coast, La Mare Wine Estate, St Mary (www.lamarewineestate.com) has benefited from major investment in recent years. As well as offering guided tours it’s a great shopping destination (there’s also a shop, Maison La Mare, in St Helier). You can also take a tour of Jersey Lavender Farm, St Brelade (www.jerseylavender.co.uk), and afterwards browse for scented gifts at the farm shop.

Fish ’n’ Beads is a fun place. It’s a beach shack on St Brelade’s Bay selling driftwood art, wooden toys and a range of funky jewellery and beads – you can even create your own while sitting on the beach (www.sites.google.com/site/fishnbeads).

This non-profit making association has been created to generate an awareness of those products that have a sufficiently strong Jersey content to be labelled genuinely ‘local’. It applies to a wide and wonderful range of goods that use local ingredients and local skills. Look out for the Genuine Jersey logo when you’re out and about.

T 01534 735253 www.genuinejersey.com

Ransoms Garden Centre, St Martin, isn’t just for the green fingered (www.ransomsgardencentre.com). It also stocks a huge choice of gifts and items for home and family. Homemakers as well as gardeners also have plenty of choice at St Peter’s Garden Centre near Jersey airport (www.bluediamond.gg).

See Overleaf fOr SPaS JerSeYfIle

›› Bracelet from Jersey Goldsmiths

book online at www.jersey.com

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JerSeYfIle

SPa QualITY ›› Spa at Grand Jersey

tel & Spa ›› The Club Ho

Go on, spoil yourself.

You’re certainly spoilt for choice by this seductive range of spa breaks on offer at top hotels and wellbeing retreats across the island.

A dazzling £30m makeover to St Helier’s Royal Yacht hotel has given it a cuttingedge presence and personality, part of which comes from its luxury spa. The stylish, supremely relaxing Spa Sirène includes a hydrotherapy bath, steam mud rasul, full thermal suite with sauna, steam room, aromatherapy steam room, monsoon and ice-cold bucket showers, vitality pool, Jacuzzi and fully equipped gym.

St Helier is in the grip of spa fever. The Club Hotel & Spa is a chic, very contemporary boutique hotel that comes complete with a swish spa offering all kinds of feelgood treatments (including thermal and rasul), together with a salt pool and relaxation room. Harpers & Queen magazine reckons that it ‘makes brilliant use of natural and organic ingredients.’ ›› L’Horizon Hotel & Spa

pureJersey

Hotel de France is another St Helier spa sensation. Its Ayush Wellness Spa, set in a spacious natural environment, offers Ayurvedic treatments based on ancient Hindu health and healing principles. The spa’s indoor infinity pool, hot and cold plunge pools, hydrotherapy pools and large jet pool are cocooned in calming natural stone surroundings and bathed in a warm light by windows that open onto landscaped gardens. Other facilities include sauna and steam therapies, a yoga studio and gym.

Grand Jersey is a boldly remodelled, bornagain St Helier seafront hotel. The two-floor Spa at Grand Jersey features six fabulous treatment rooms, spa bath, steam room, sauna, experience showers, heated indoor swimming pool, a heavenly relaxation room and a high-tech gym. It has set its sights on becoming one of the UK’s most prestigious and style-focused spa and fitness facilities.

Go on, push the boat out Drift away over breathtaking views of the sparkling marina and Elizabeth Castle.

The Waterfront Brasserie & Terrace Open daily for dinner. Classic dishes with a modern twist.

Sunday Lunch under 8’s eat for free from a set menu.

Martello Bar & Terrace Open daily for lunch and dinner. Wide drinks selection for day or night. Live music Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

Don’t miss the boat! Book today.

Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel 01534 671100 Book online at radissonblu.com/hotel-jersey/dining

WATERFRONT HOTEL JERSEY

›› Rasul mud treatment, The Club Hotel & Spa

I’ve gOT YOur NuMBer The Club Hotel & Spa, Green Street, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4UH T 01534 876500 www.theclubjersey.com Grand Jersey, Esplanade, St Helier, Jersey JE4 8WD T 01534 722301 www.grandjersey.com L’Horizon Hotel & Spa, La Route de la Baie, St Brelade, Jersey JE3 8EF T 01534 743101 www.handpicked.co.uk/lhorizon

›› Hotel de France

Radisson Blu, also smack on the waterfront, is a new hotel with a state-of-the-art health club and spa. Facilities include pool, fully equipped fitness centre, sauna, steam room and four treatment rooms.

L’Horizon Hotel & Spa in the south-west of the island has long been synonymous with luxury. And, as a bonus, it enjoys a stunning location overlooking St Brelade’s Bay, one of the island’s most beautiful beaches. Drag yourself away from the view and you’ll find a spa complex with an indoor saltwater swimming pool, spa pool, sauna, steam room, treatment rooms and fully equipped air-conditioned gym.

Les Roches Spa is set in the heart of the country in the parish of St Ouen in the north-west of the island. This wellbeing health spa has an indoor pool and four treatment rooms, plus an outdoor yoga pavilion. Extensive beauty treatments are available along with a range of therapies that include reflexology, reiki, hydrotherm massage and hot stone therapy. The complex, in large, peaceful grounds, is a sublime retreat from the stresses and strains of everyday life.

fOr all THe laTeST… Keep up with us on: www.twitter.com/jerseytourism www.facebook.com/visitjersey www.youtube.com/jerseytourism www.flickr.com/jerseytourism

Hotel de France, St Saviour’s Road, St Helier, Jersey JE1 7XP T 01534 614000 www.defrance.co.uk www.ayushspa.com Les Roches Spa, La Rue Végueur, St Ouen, Jersey JE3 2LH T 01534 487856 www.lesroches.co.uk The Royal Yacht, Weighbridge, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3NF T 01534 720511 www.theroyalyacht.com Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, Rue de l’Etau, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3WF T 01534 671100 www.radissonblu.com/hotel-jersey

book online at www.jersey.com

56/57

Come prepared

We produce a comprehensive range of publications to help you plan your holiday. Take a look below, fill in the form and return the page to us with any necessary payment. www.jersey.com/shop ITEM

DESCRIPTION

PRICES

LANGUAGES

Jersey Street Atlas

1:19,000 Map Comprehensive island, St Helier and villages map

£4.50

English

£8.50

English

Leisure Map 1:25,000 Map (OS Style Map) Comprehensive island and St Helier map

Channel Islands Way

This is Jersey DVD

A pictorial view of Jersey (approx 40 mins)

£9.99

English/ French

Street Atlas Pocket Guide

Official Jersey maps of town and island, full street index, colour maps

£5.25

English

Jersey Jaunts

33 circular walks

£5.95

English

2012 Calendar

12 images including Jersey’s famous cows, beaches, castles and Battle of Flowers

£4.95

English

Jersey Rambles

30 island walks for you to enjoy

£6.95

English

A Brief History of Jersey

Highlights of the island’s eventful history

£6.95

English

Channel Islands Way

Guide to the 115-mile walk around Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm.

£9.95

English

Jersey Pocket Guide

Includes practical advice on where to stay, dining out, what to see, what to do, cultural tips and how to get around

£4.99

English

North Coast Map

£1

English

Jersey Footpath Guide (South West Coast)

£2

English

‘What’s On’ guides** Apr-May June-July

August

Sept-Oct

FREE

Spring Walking Festival (12 - 19 May 2012)*

FREE

Autumn Walking Festival (15 - 22 Sept 2012)*

FREE

Wedding Guide

FREE

Island Tourist Map including Cycle Routes

FREE

Walk Jersey (English, French and German)

FREE

La Fête dé Noué (1 - 16 Dec 2012)*

FREE

Sub Total

* Available approximately one month before the event ** Available approximately two weeks before PERSONAL DETAILS

PAYMENT DETAILS

Address:

Sterling Cheque:

I wish to pay by: Visa: Credit Card No:

Handling Charge

£2.50

Total Cost Barclaycard:

Mastercard:

Maestro:

Carte Bleu:

(Cheques made payable to ‘Treasurer of the States’)

Card Holder’s Name:

Issue No:

Postcode:

Card Holder’s Signature:

Telephone:

email:

pureJersey

COST

Nov-Mar

Name:

QUANTITY

Expiry Date: Start Date: Security Code No:

(Last 3 digits – see reverse of card)

Total Amount:

(To Include handling fee)

Complete this order form and send the page and your payment to: Jersey Tourism, Liberation Place, St Helier, Jersey JE1 1BB. T 01534 448877. All despatches are subject to a £2.50 handling charge. Please allow 10 days from receipt of payment for delivery. Orders subject to availability. All information correct at time of print – December 2011.

Call in and see us sometime In fact, make it as soon as you arrive in Jersey. Get the most out of your stay by calling into our Visitor Centre at your first opportunity.

You normally have to pay a lot for expert advice. But not here at Liberation Place, close to the seafront in St Helier, where we’ll point you in all kinds of directions.

You can’t beat local knowledge. Bus information. Beach information. Attractions and places to visit. Outdoor and indoor activities. Walking and wildlife. Festivals and events... our friendly (and quite well-informed!) staff will be happy to help with all your enquiries.

Jersey Visitor Centre Liberation Place St Helier Jersey JE1 1BB T 01534 448877 F 01534 448898 email: info@jersey.com

Booking made easy Holidays and short breaks in Jersey are easy to arrange. Flights and ferry crossings are short, you’re dealing in pounds, not euros, and booking is swift and straightforward. See what’s on offer on the following pages and book direct.

You can also use the free JerseyLink service for advice and booking, available from Jersey Tourism on 01534 448888. Or book online at www.jersey.com

You’ll also be able to pick and choose from a big range of maps, guides and brochures, both free and for sale. And if you’re still undecided about where to stay, staff will book accommodation too (though you’ll find more than enough choice on the pages of this guide).

oon. s u o y e e s o t Hope

Explore Jersey and save money with the Jersey Pass MONT ORGUEIL CASTLE

JERSEY WAR TUNNELS

SAMARÈS MANOR

Admire MARITIME MUSEUM

DURRELL

Learn

Discover JERSEY LAVENDER FARM

Explore

Experience

Enjoy

“The Jersey Pass is a must have for any local or visitor to Jersey.”

With the Jersey Pass, you can visit the best that Jersey has to offer with one affordable pass.

You will be granted FREE entry to many of Jersey’s top attractions and you can also take advantage of lots of special offers - saving you money while you discover the heart of our very special island.

For more information and a full list of participating partners, please see our website.

What’s included: • Museums • Wildlife facilities • Heritage sites • Family attractions ...and much more!

Buy online now at www.jerseypass.com or contact the Jersey Tourism Visitor Centre on 01534 448877

book online at www.jersey.com

58/59

Accommodation

The AA and Visit Britain now assess hotels, guest accommodation and self-catering to the same criteria and award one to five stars or one to five pennants for campsites.

The rating reflects the overall quality of the experience.

Jersey ratings made easy H Acceptable – simple, practical, no frills HH Good – well presented and well run HHH Very good level of quality and comfort HHHH Excellent standard throughout HHHHH Exceptional with a degree of luxury

H AA Red Star Hotel H JQA or AA Gold Award

Outstanding examples in each star category are highlighted in red or yellow.

For AA ratings, visit www.theAA.com or telephone: 01256 844455 For JQA ratings, visit www.qualityintourism.co.uk or telephone: 0845 300 6996 Key to Location Symbols F Coastal location G Countryside location R Town location

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Atlantic, St Brelade 744101 The Club Hotel & Spa, St Helier 876500

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Cristina, St Lawrence De France, St Saviour Golden Sands, St Brelade Greenhills, St Peter La Place, St Brelade L’Horizon, St Brelade Pomme D’Or, St Helier Radisson BLU, St Helier Royal Yacht, St Helier Savoy, St Helier Somerville, St Aubin St Brelade’s Bay, St Brelade

491911 614100 491911 481042 744261 743101 880110 671100 720511 727521 491911 746141

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Chateau La Chaire, St Martin

863354

www.chateau-la-chaire.co.uk

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722239

www.theinnjersey.com

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www.dolphinhoteljersey.com www.highlandshotel.com www.maisongorey.com www.millbrookhousehotel.com www.miramarjersey.com www.ch.je www.oaklandslodgehotel.com www.oldbankhousejersey.com www.oldcourthousejersey.com www.runnymedejersey.com hotel.sandranne@jerseymail.co.uk www.jersey.co.uk/hotels/sarum www.staffordhoteljersey.co.uk www.westhillhoteljersey.com www.westviewhoteljersey.com

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The Inn Boutique, St Helier

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Please contact Jersey Tourism on 01534 448877 or email info@jersey.com to receive the comprehensive booklet A Guide to Jersey for the Disabled.

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A list of registered accommodation is also available on www.jersey.com

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The Jersey Tourism Visitor Centre team of reservation officers are available to advise you on the full range of accommodation and can complete your booking for you. Telephone on 01534 448888 or book online at www.jersey.com

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JerseyLink is the official accommodation booking service of Jersey Tourism. It features the majority of Jersey’s hotels, guest houses and self-catering accommodation and offers many great deals and special offers. JerseyLink is a free service with no booking fees.

Longueville Manor, St Saviour 725501

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Hotels

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Hotel Registration and Grading

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Graded

Ambassadeur, St Clement Apollo, St Helier Beau Rivage, St Brelade Beachcombers, Grouville Beausite, Grouville Best Western Royal, St Helier Biarritz, St Brelade Hampshire, St Helier Les Charrieres, St Peter Mayfair, St Helier Merton, St Saviour Metropole, St Helier Monterey, St Helier Moorings, St Martin Norfolk Lodge, St Helier Old Court House, Grouville Ommaroo, St Helier Pontac House, St Clement Revere, St Helier Samares Coast, St Clement Shakespeare, St Clement Uplands, St Helier Water’s Edge Hotel, Trinity Windmills, St Brelade

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Dolphin, St Martin Highlands Hotel, St Brelade Maison Gorey, Grouville Millbrook House, St Helier Miramar, St Brelade Mountview, St Helier Oaklands Lodge, Trinity Old Bank House, Grouville Old Court House Inn, St Aubin Runnymede Court, St Helier Sandranne, St Helier Sarum, St Helier Stafford, St Helier Westhill, St Helier West View, St Mary

720887 722083 741049 721996 732827 735164 720317 723836 742163 742573 741568 745007 720807 741302 734834

www.alisterguesthouse.com R www.aucapricejersey.com F www.bonviveurjersey.com F www.deletang.je F www.kensingtonguesthouse.com R www.lorrainejersey.com R www.lyndhurstguesthouse.com F www.maisonchaussey.com F www.oceanwalk.co.uk F www.olandaguesthouse.com F www.jerseyisland.com/peterborough-house.html F www.porthole-cottage.com F www.seawoldguesthouse.co.uk F www.stmagloireguesthouse.com F www.surreylodge.com R

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Alister, St Helier Au Caprice, St Aubin Bon Viveur, St Aubin De L’Etang, St Helier Kensington, St Helier Lorraine, St Helier Lyndhurst, St Brelade Maison Chaussey, St Helier Ocean Walk, St Brelade Olanda, St Aubin Peterborough House, St Aubin Porthole Cottage, St Aubin Seawold, St Peter St Magloire, St Aubin Surrey Lodge, St Helier

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www.lesormesjersey.co.uk

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La Pulente Cottages & Villas, St Brelade Les Ormes Lodge & Leisure Village, St Brelade

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731171 www.guesthousejersey.com

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Amani, St Brelade

608062

www.amani-jersey.com

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Saco Merlin House, St Helier 0845 1220405 www.sacoapartments.co.uk Samares Manor, St Clement 870551 www.samaresmanor.com Undercliff, Trinity 863058 www.undercliffjersey.com

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Millbrook House, St Helier West View Hotel, St Mary

733036 481643

www.millbrookhousehotel.com www.westviewhoteljersey.com

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Camp Sites

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723948 www.jersey.co.uk/hotels/bromley 744275 www.thebulwark.je 748000 www.cardingtonhouse.com 730108 www.franklynguesthouse.co.uk 730663 www.havelockguesthouse.com 870145 peteralanmackay@jerseymail.co.uk 731877 murray81@hotmail.co.uk 727216 richelieulodge@jerseymail.co.uk 852642 www.rocquebergview.co.uk 732732 seacroft38@msn.com 732112 www.stfrancisjersey.com 730156 610017 www.thehavenguesthouse.com 735041 magda.pestana@wp.pl 632000 www.villaisisjersey.com 888877 www.wheatlandsjersey.com

R F F R F R F G F R R R F R R G

Aigretmont Farm, St Saviour 854865 Beauchamp Farm, St Martin 857065 www.quemardpm.com Biarritz, St Brelade 742239 www.biarritzhotel.co.uk Boscobel Country Apartments, St Peter 490100 www.boscobel.co.uk Brabant, Trinity 725259 www.freedomholidays.com Cherry Tree Apartments, St Helier 857232 Corbiere Phare, St Brelade 746127 www.corbierephare.com De Normandie, St Saviour 721347 www.channelhotels.com Discovery Bay, St Peter 484222 www.discoverybayjersey.com La Ferme du val Tocque, St Brelade 725259 www.freedomholidays.com La Place Country Cottages, St Peter 744261 www.luxuryselfcateringjersey.co.uk La Rocco, St Brelade 743378 www.laroccoapartments.com Le Hurel Farm, Trinity 725259 www.freedomholidays.com Les Roches, St Ouen 487856 www.lesroches.co.uk Liberty Apartments, St Helier 714700 www.libertyapartments.co.uk Merton Suites 724231 www.mertonsuites.com Mont Es Croix Cottage, St Brelade 491059 Officers Quarters, Greve de Lecq Barracks, St Mary 725259 www.freedomholidays.com Old Forge, St Clement 854176 Panama, St Helier 481643 www.panamajersey.com The Sail Loft, St Aubin 488143 www.jerseysailloft.co.uk

Camp Sites

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Beausite Hotel, Grouville Samares Coast Hotel, St Clement Uplands Hotel, St Helier Water’s Edge, Trinity Windmills Hotel, St Brelade

Bromley, St Helier Bulwark, St Aubin Cardington House, St Aubin Franklyn, St Helier Havelock, St Helier Huntley Lodge, St Helier Jaylana, St Helier Richelieu Lodge, St Saviour Rocqueberg View, St Clement Seacroft, St Helier St Francis, St Helier Thalatta, St Helier The Haven, St Helier Victoria House Villa Isis, St Helier Wheatlands, St Peter

Self-Catering

HH Avoca Villa, St Helier

9 4 5 7 16 5 10 10 9 9 5 15 11 6 19 18

2 0 0 2 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 6 0 5 2

Guest Accommodation

Beuvelande Camp Site, St Martin 853575 Bleu Soleil Camping, St Ouen 481007 Durrell Wildlife Camp 860000 Jersey Yurt Holidays, Cliffden 741350

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6 6 2/6 3/4

ns

1 2 1 2 2 0 1 0

www.campingjersey.com www.bleusoleilcamping.com www.durrellwildlife.org www.jerseyyurts.squarespace.com

so

18 12 15 16 10 14 12 12

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R,F R,F F F F F F G

2 8 4 5 3 0 11 1 1

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www.alhambrahotel.net www.bayviewjersey.com www.fairholmejersey.com www.harbourviewjersey.com www.labonnevieguesthousejersey.com www.princeofwalesjersey.com www.undercliffjersey.com www.villadorojersey.com

No

No

732128 720950 732194 741585 735955 482278 863058 862262

16 105 65 26 36 31 100 9 41

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Alhambra, St Helier Bay View, St Helier Fairholme, St Helier Harbour View, St Aubin La Bonne Vie, St Helier Prince of Wales, St Ouen Undercliff, Trinity Villa D’Oro, St Lawrence

R F R F F R R F G

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www.almorah.net www.ch.je www.morvanhotels.com www.maisondeslandes.co.uk www.marinahoteljersey.com www.jersey.co.uk/hotels/mornington www.norfolkhoteljersey.co.uk www.seascalehotel.com www.talanahotel.co.uk

Te l Pr eph efi o x ( ne 01 53 4) : W eb sit e

Eulah Country House, St Helier 626626 www.eulah.co.uk

Lo ca t io

9

HHHHH ò

721648 619600 873006 481683 724519 724452 632000 854395 730317

G G G G

400 150 48 12

860025 www.durrellwildlife.org

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24

498636 www.jerseyhostel.co.uk

G

48

Hostel Accommodation Durrell Wildlife Park Jersey Accommodation and Activity Centre, St Martin

book online at www.jersey.com

les

: G

Almorah, St Helier De Normandie Hotel, St Saviour Fort D’Auvergne, St Helier Maison des Landes, St Ouen Marina Metro, St Helier Mornington, St Helier Norfolk, St Helier Seascale, St Martin Talana, St Saviour

ò

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16 0 14 3

Te l Pr eph efi o x ( ne 01 53 4) : W eb sit e

La Haule Manor Hotel, St Brelade 741426 www.lahaulemanor.com Panorama, St Aubin 742429 www.panoramajersey.com

Te l Pr eph efi o x ( ne 01 53 4)

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Te l Pr eph efi o x ( ne 01 53 4) : W eb sit e

Guest Accommodation

Registered

60/61

General information For further information log on to www.jersey.com Jersey Tourism Liberation Place St Helier Jersey JE1 1BB T 01534 448877 F 01534 448898 email: info@jersey.com Bringing your Own Car Visitors must have an insurance certificate or an International Green Card, the vehicle registration document, a valid driving licence or International Driving Permit (UK International Driving Permits are not valid).

Photocopies are not acceptable. A nationality plate should be displayed on the back of your vehicle.

Buses and Other Transport Connex – It is easy to access all parts of the island using the local bus service, whose routes radiate from Liberation Station, St Helier. To obtain a copy of the current bus timetable, please visit www.mybus.je or call 01534 877772.

Caravans/Motorhomes Caravans/motorhomes can only be accommodated on the following sites for a maximum of one month during the summer season: Beuvelande 01534 853575, Rozel Camp Site 01534 855200 and Bleu Soleil Campsite 01534 481007. For further information and Licensing Applications please contact the campsites above or Jersey Tourism – 01534 448877.

Currency All major debit and credit cards are widely accepted. Sterling is the currency of the island.

Chip & Pin is widely used in the island. Euros are accepted in a limited number of outlets.

There is no counter service for Building Societies in Jersey but there are Link Card machines in St Helier, St Saviour, St Peter and Red Houses.

Please check with your own society regarding Jersey cash transactions before you leave, as these differ from the UK. Pensions from the UK can no longer be withdrawn on the island.

Customs Allowances As Jersey is not part of the EU you can still purchase your duty-free items en route to and from the island. For further information please refer to www.jersey.com Electricity 240 volts AC UK sockets only.

pureJersey

Facilities for the Disabled You can use your Blue Badge and Radar key in the island. A comprehensive booklet ‘A Guide to Jersey for the Disabled’ is available from Jersey Tourism or online at www.jersey.com Hearing Resource Centre 01534 623030, Fax 01534 623031. www.health.gov.je Insurance Like any time away from home, a visit to Jersey should be accompanied by appropriate holiday insurance for all travelling passengers.

Most operators will provide insurance on request or you can arrange it directly with your own insurers.

Jersey Blind Society Westlea Centre, Rue de Huquet, St Martin JE3 6HL. 01534 864689.

Licensing Hours At the discretion of the proprietor, certain public bars are open between 0900 - 2300 hrs weekdays and 1100 - 2300 hrs on Sunday to persons over 18. Children under the age of 18 are allowed in up to 2100 hrs if accompanied by an adult.

Parking Payment is required in advance for parking in St Helier, parts of St Aubin, St Brelade and Gorey and wherever the parking signage is displayed. This is done by paycards you can purchase from many outlets but not in the car parks themselves. Payment is required Monday to Saturday 0800 – 1700 hrs excluding Bank Holidays - always check Parking signs for details. Details are available from car hire venues and Jersey Tourism.

Passports No passport is required for visitors travelling from the British Isles and the Republic of Ireland. All airline passengers must have a valid photo ID. However, a passport is required when travelling to France from Jersey. The Jersey Passport Office: 01534 448000.

Pets Pets can travel freely from the British Isles and the Republic of Ireland (please check with your chosen airline in advance). For other areas ‘Pets Passport Scheme’ regulations apply. From May to September between 1030 and 1800 hrs dogs on beaches must be on a lead. For further information log on to www.jersey.com

Public Holidays The same as the UK, with the addition of Liberation Day, 9th May. Shopping The markets and some shops are closed on Thursday afternoons, otherwise normal shopping hours apply, usually 0900 – 1730 hrs.

There is no general Sunday opening in Jersey.

Smoking Restrictions Please enquire at time of booking if smoking rooms are available at your chosen accommodation as smoking is generally banned in all enclosed public places across the island.

Telephones The code for Jersey is 01534 from the British Isles and +44 1534 from any other country.

Mobile networks require a roaming facility plus international dialling code and some ‘Pay as you Go’ phones do not operate in Jersey. Please check with your provider.

Vehicle Hire Full details of car, motorbike, scooter and cycle hire are available from Jersey Tourism or please visit www.jersey.com Visitors’ Medical Treatment UK visitors to Jersey who fall ill or have an accident will have to pay for some of the health services and treatment that they receive.

Emergency treatment provided within Jersey’s A & E department and the main hospital is free of charge. However, outpatients’ appointments, GP visits and any other health related services are chargeable. UK visitors are advised to take out health insurance before travelling to the island.

People with existing travel or health insurance policies are advised to check that the policy covers travel to the Channel Islands. For further information call the Customer Services Centre on 01534 445500.

Renal Dialysis The General Hospital Renal Unit, Gloucester Street, St Helier, provides holiday dialysis throughout the year. Advance booking is essential. E111 does not apply.

01534 622126.

Travelling to Jersey Air Travel to Jersey from the UK and other Channel Islands Aberdeen Alderney Belfast City Belfast International Birmingham Blackpool Bournemouth Bristol Cardiff Cork Doncaster Dublin Dundee Durham Tees East Midlands Edinburgh Exeter Glasgow Gloucester Guernsey Humberside Inverness Isle of Man Leeds Bradford Liverpool London City London Gatwick London Luton London Southend Manchester Manston Newcastle Norwich Oxford Southampton

Flybe* Aurigny Flybe* Jet2* Flybe Jet2* Blue Islands Blue Islands Flybe Flybe* Aer Lingus* Flybe* Aer Lingus* CI Travel Group* CI Travel Group* Flybe* Bmibaby Flybe Flybe Easyjet* Flybe* Manx2* Aurigny Blue Islands CI Travel Group* Flybe* CI Travel Group* Flybe* Blue Islands Flybe Jet2* Easyjet Blue Islands British Airways Flybe Flybe Easyjet* Blue Islands Flybe CI Travel Group* Flybe Flybe* CI Travel Group* Blue Islands Flybe

0871 700 2000 01481 822886 0871 700 2000 0871 226 1737 0871 700 2000 0871 226 1737 0845 620 2122 0845 620 2122 0871 700 2000 0871 700 2000 0871 718 5000 0871 700 2000 0871 718 5000 01534 496600 01534 496600 0871 700 2000 0905 828 2828 0871 700 2000 0871 700 2000 0871 244 2366 0871 700 2000 0871 200 0440 01481 822886 0845 620 2122 01534 496600 0871 700 2000 01534 496600 0871 700 2000 0845 620 2122 0871 700 2000 0871 886 1737 0871 244 2366 0845 620 2122 0844 493 0787 0871 700 2000 0871 700 2000 0871 244 2366 0845 620 2122 0871 700 2000 01534 496600 0871 700 2000 0871 700 2000 01534 496600 0845 620 2122 0871 700 2000

Sea Travel to Jersey from the UK and other Channel Islands Guernsey

www.flybe.com www.aurigny.com www.flybe.com www.jet2.com www.flybe.com www.jet2.com www.blueislands.com www.blueislands.com www.flybe.com www.flybe.com www.aerlingus.com www.flybe.com www.aerlingus.com www.jerseytravel.com www.jerseytravel.com www.flybe.com www.bmibaby.com www.flybe.com www.flybe.com www.easyjet.com www.flybe.com www.manx2.com www.aurigny.com www.blueislands.com www.jerseytravel.com www.flybe.com www.jerseytravel.com www.flybe.com www.blueislands.com www.flybe.com www.jet2.com www.easyjet.com www.blueislands.com www.ba.com www.flybe.com www.flybe.com www.easyjet.com www.blueislands.com www.flybe.com www.jerseytravel.com www.flybe.com www.flybe.com www.jerseytravel.com www.blueislands.com www.flybe.com

Poole Portsmouth Sark Weymouth

Condor Ferries Manche Iles Express Condor Ferries Condor Ferries Manche Iles Express* Condor Ferries

0845 609 1024 01534 880756 0845 609 1024 0845 609 1024 01534 880756 0845 609 1024

www.condorferries.com www.manche-iles-express.com www.condorferries.com www.condorferries.com www.manche-iles-express.com www.condorferries.com

Condor Ferries

0845 609 1024

www.condorferries.com

Manche Iles Express

01534 880756

www.manche-iles-express.com

Sea Travel to/from France Saint Malo (Brittany) Granville & Carteret (Normandy)

* Seasonal service

Additional Departures Many airlines offer connecting flights from the majority of UK airports.

Please contact airline direct for details.

Seasonal Charters Many tour operators also offer seasonal charter flights from a choice of UK regional airports. For more information about services to Jersey in your area please visit ‘Transport’ information pages on www.jersey.com or call our Visitor Services on 01534 448877.

DISCLAIMER All travel details are correct at time of going to press (December 2011) and may change during the course of the year. Please check schedules and departure points before finalising any arrangements by visiting www.jersey.com or by contacting your local ABTA bonded travel agent.

Jersey Tourism cannot be held responsible for any changes, errors or omissions.

Tour Operators – Jersey Specialists Year-round air & sea packages, short break, flight & accommodation only Hotel only, air & sea packages including low cost airlines Year-round air & sea packages, short break, flight & accommodation only Year-round sea packages & short breaks Year-round air & sea packages, short breaks, flight & accommodation only Year-round air packages, short breaks & accommodation only Year-round air & sea packages, short breaks & accommodation only Year-round air & sea packages, short breaks, flight & accommodation only Year-round air & sea packages Hotel, self-catering, camping, car hire, air & sea packages including low cost airlines Year-round air & sea packages, short breaks & accommodation only Year-round air & sea packages, short breaks & accommodation only Year-round air & sea packages, short breaks & accommodation only

Airways Holidays Channel Islands Direct Channel Islands Travel Service Condorbreaks.com Discover Jersey Flyjersey.com Jersey Travel Service Lewis’s Holidays Modern Holidays Premier Holidays Preston Holidays Travelsmith TRAVTEL

0844 415 6651 0844 493 7095 01534 496600 0845 230 3241 0844 415 6653 0845 230 3240 0844 770 8082 0844 415 6652 01534 735511 0844 493 7531 0844 770 8084 01621 784666 01534 496640

www.airwaysholidays.com www.channelislandsdirect.co.uk www.jerseytravel.com www.condorbreaks.com www.discoverjersey.com www.flyjersey.com www.jerseytravelservice.co.uk

Authentic Adventures Bakers Dolphin British Airways Holidays Channel Islands Arrivals Co-op Breaks Courtney’s Jersey David Urquhart Sky Travel Explore Glenton Holidays H F Holidays Island Getaways Leger Holidays Little Escapes Mann Link OSET Travel Prestige Holidays Saga Holidays Shearings Holidays The Royal Blind Society of the UK The UK Holiday Group 3X Travel Titan HiTours Travel House Group Travel Solutions Zenith Holidays

01453 823328 01934 415000 0844 493 0787 01534 731163 0844 553 3509 01912 322777 0845 711 2233 0845 867 9377 0800 024 2424 0845 470 8558 01983 721111 0844 686 2424 01534 869078 01624 628574 01628 525189 01425 480600 0800 096 0085 01942 244246 01903 857023 01603 886700 0871 434 1410 0800 988 5823 0800 988 1721 0289 045 5030 01737 852242

www.authenticadventures.co.uk www.bakersdolphin.com www.britishairways.com www.channelescapes.com www.co-opbreaks.co.uk www.air-savers.com www.davidurquhart.com www.explore.co.uk www.glentonholidays.co.uk www.hfholidays.co.uk www.islandgetaways.co.uk www.leger.co.uk www.littleescapes.com www.ortg.co.uk www.o-s-e-t.co.uk www.prestigeholidays.co.uk www.saga.co.uk/holidays www.shearings.com www.royalblindsociety.org www.theukholidaygroup.com www.3xtravel.co.uk www.titantravel.co.uk www.thgholidays.co.uk www.travel-solutions.co.uk www.zenithholidays.co.uk

Painting and photography holidays Air & sea packages Year-round air packages, short breaks, flight & accommodation only Year-round air & sea breaks of any duration Year-round air & sea packages & short breaks Seasonal departures from Newcastle Air packages from Scotland Walking tour specialist Year-round air & sea packages Walking & cycling holidays Year round air and sea packages Air & sea packages Year-round air & sea packages Isle of Man departures Year round air and sea packages Year round air and sea packages Packaged breaks with set departures dates throughout the year Year-round air & sea packages Year-round air & sea packages for blind and visually impaired travellers Year-round air & sea packages Year-round packages by sea Year-round air & sea packages Year round air packages Northern Ireland departures Activity holidays

01 629 2000 00 353 (0) 21 485 1700 01 833 5100

www.celtichorizontours.com www.travelnet.ie www.rorymcdyertravel.ie

Groups and individual packages by air Groups and individual packages by air Groups and individual packages by air

0845 268 0773 01534 725259 01534 633304 01534 488144

www.cottages4you.co.uk www.freedomholidays.com www.jerseyheritage.org www.macoles.com

Self-catering specialists Year-round air & sea packages Year-round accommodation at various Heritage sites Year-round air & sea packages

www.modernhotels.com www.premierholidays.co.uk www.prestonholidays.co.uk www.travelsmith.co.uk

Jersey Specialists in Ireland Celtic Horizon Tours J Barter Travel Rory McDyer Travel Ltd

Self-Catering Specialists Country Holidays Freedom Holidays Jersey Heritage Macole’s Self-Catering Holidays

book online at www.jersey.com

62/63

Sorel La Grève au Lançon (Plémont)

Le Fosse Vicq Plémont

Creux GREVE DE de Lasse LECQ Greve de Lecq

B56

ut

de

e

Le Pinacle

B34

Model Aircraft Field

Le Pulec

La Ro ute

de M i

Vin

ch

K

ele

B53

C117

St.Ouen's Manor

La Ville de L'Eglise

es iell

La Mielle de Morville

eS t.

u ue R ong La L

Ou

aMaizin! Maze Adventure Park en & Craft Centre L B69

Bon Air

e

Hamptonne A10

C112

B26

de ran

l ssi gno

ont R o

Le M

Sand Dunes

B43

ue La R

St. Brelade Rou

Red Houses Sir Winston Churchill Park

Les Creux Country Park

B35

WC

La Rosière

WC

alk W

St Brelade's Parish Church Fishermen's Chapel

La Moye

B83

ST. BRELADE'S BAY

Cycle Hire Railway Wa lk

WC

Harbour Gallery

OUAISNE BAY

K

WC

St Matthew's (Glass) Church

ST. AUBIN'S BAY

St Brelade's Parish Hall

St Aubin's Harbour Low Tide Walk Only

K

Royal C.I. Yacht Club

WC

BEAUPORT

La Landes du Ouest

Shell Garden

B57

Bouilly Port

Mont Fiquet

WC

Ouaisné Common

St. Aubin's Fort

BELCROUTE BAY

WC

FIQUET BAY

Portelet Portelet Common

K

île au Guerdain PORTELET BAY île Percée

Note to walkers All persons using footpaths or walks shown do so at their own risk. Neither States of Jersey Planning and Environment nor Jersey Tourism can accept responsibility for any personal injury. It is recommended that all children should always be accompanied by an adult.

Noirmont Noirmont Command Bunker

G Main Road

Route Principale Hauptverkehrstrassen

'B' Road

Route Catégorie 'B' Verkehrstrassen

'C' Road

Route Catégorie 'C' C - Weg

Minor Road

Autre Route Nebenstrassen

Green Lane

Chemins de Randonnée

64

Footpath

Sentier Pédestre Fussweg

Castle / House

Fort

Church

Gardens

Château / Maison Burg / Schloss

Fort Festung

Horse Racing

Jet Ski

Hospital

Mast

Courses hippiques Pferderennen

Ski de Gicleur Strahl Ski

Bowls

Pétanque Bowls

Église Kirche

Jardins Gartenanlage

Camping

Camping Campingplatz

Canoeing

Canoë-kayak Kanufahren

Car Park Parking Parkplatz

Car Park (disabled)

Parking (handicapés) Parkplatz (für Rollstuhlfahrer)

Cricket Cricket Cricket

Fishing Pêche Angeln

Football Football Fußball

Go Kart Racing Carting Gokart-Bahn

Golf Golf Golf

German Occ. Site

Site de l’occupation allemande Im 2. WK unter deutscher Besatzung

Hôpital Krankenhaus K

Pylône Mast

Motor (cycle) Racing

Lighthouse

M Museum

Jersey Tower

National Trust for Jersey

Phare Leuchtturm

Course automobile (ou moto) Auto- / Motorradrennen

Musée Museum NT

Tour de Jersey Jersey Tower

Rugby

Swimming

Viewpoint

Picnic

School

Tennis

Water Skiing

Pique-nique Picknick

Rugby Rugby

École Schule

PO

Kiosk

Marchand de glaces Kiosk

Nature Reserve Réserve naturelle Naturschutzgebiet

National Trust de Jersey National Trust für Jersey

Post Office

Bureau de poste Postamt

Prehistoric Site

Site préhistorique Prähistorische Stätte

Riding Stables Centre équestre Reiterhof

Sports Field

Terrain de sport Sportplatz

Sub Aqua

Plongée sous-marine Tauchen

Surfing

Surf Wellenreiten

K

A2

Sand First Tow Racing

K

B66

K

WC

K

WC

Bel Royal

St Aubin

t on

La Corbière Radio Tower

A13

WC

ay ilw

B25 La Haule A1

Synagogue

B44

Kingdom Hall

Mont des Vignes

irm No de

WC

Beaumont A12

des Mans

The P Belv Te Coronation Millbro Park WC

A11

t

e Rout

Corbière Lighthouse

A13

Ra

Low Tide Walk Only

au mo n

B43

A10 B59

ncfief

B25

nge te Ora

C107

The Grove

Rout e

Jersey Lavender Reg’s Garden Farm

WC

B89

Wheatlands Golf Course

La Ru St .

M Re

NT

B36

B36

La Moye Golf Course

La Corbière

Route d e Fra

ST. BRELADE

Quennevais Leisure Centre

Petit Port

B43

Ville Emphrie

B58

Les Landes

D R

Parish Hall

Jersey War Tunnels

Le Moulin de Quétivel

A12

Jersey Bowl Jersey Rugby & Hockey Clubs B42

Les Ormes Leisure Village / Adventure Centre

La Moye Les Quennevais Common

La Pulente

St Lawrence Parish Church

Pet er's Valley

Be de

K K

St Peter’s Garden Centre

B36

Airport

Mo nt à la Brune

Sand Dunes

WC

St Peter's Parish Church & Hall

B41

ST. PETER

Les Mielles Golf and Country Club B41

WC

B32 ilé

B35

C124

St .

Mont du Jub

Sand Racing

ST. LAWRENCE

C113

NT

ST. OUEN'S BAY

Morel Farm

A11

re ier

s

lle

Mie

NT

NT

S

t. P

C106

s Le

St. Ouen's Pond

e

M

Le Rât

Living Legend

C112

B26

d te Rou

Val de La Mare Reservoir

C119

NT

aG

B35

K

B32

C106

NT

B50

Carrefour Selous

ra

d ute Ro

es M

Kempt Tower

aV all ée The Elms

A12 La G

A10

Jersey Goldsmiths & Lion Park

NT

e nd

Ville au Bas

St Ouen's Parish Church

n

B39

l

ST. OUEN

La Crabière

B26 de

Dolmen du Mont Grantez

ed o ut eR

Barge Aground

Le Canné

. Jea

B33

St Mary's Parish Church

Catherine Best Jewellery B32

St de

St Mary's Parish Hall

Rue

de La R s L ou av te eu rs

B53

du M arais

te ou aR

Parish Hall

C103

La

NT

nd Gra

K

Judith Quérée Garden

St Ouen's Parish Hall

La

Jersey Pearl Channel Islands Military Museum WC

C115 Rou te

ue du Pont

l al W

Les Pres

La R

a

C114 C122 Battle of Flowers Museum B64

B40

Léoville

Ro ute de T rod ez

a

Se

La Villaise B35

St John's Parish Church

B5

C104

ST. MARY B65

ST. JO

C101

toc u q et

B33

B55 Bleu Soleil Campsite

L

La Mare Wine Estate

NT

Crabbé

Les Landes L'É

WC

M

llais

ey

NT

Rifle Range

WC

z

B34

L'Étacq

Barracks Interpretation Centre

C100

Va ll

de

Les Pallières

ier

Glyn Glass Wear

Les Reuses

aur ent

nte

ur

Devil's Hole

Portinfer

Ro

Ville la Bas

Douet de la Mer

Mo

e Ru La

Les Landes

ST. JOHN'S BAY

Creux Gabourel

C105

B55

Rue de la Poi

WC

Mourier Bay

eS t. L

WC

Moto Cross

Creux Gros

ute d

K

La Grande Ro

Grosnez Castle (ruins)

Race Course

Go Kart Racing

L

Grosnez

Ronez

La Houle

Natation Schwimmen

Tennis Tennis WC

Toilets

Toilettes Toiletten

Point de vue Aussichtspunkt

Ski nautique Wasserski

Wind-surfing Planche à voile Windsurfen

WC

Toilets (disabled)

Yachting

Accommodation

Zoo

Toilettes (handicapés) Toiletten (für Rollstuhlfahrer)

Hébergement Unterkünfte

Navigation de plaisance Segeln

Zoo Zoo

England Belle Hougue

Wolf's Caves

Les Ruaux

Frémont K WC

52 Rou

te d

es

Highest Point in Jersey

B67

Les Camps du Chemin

A8

Route d'

Le Claire Stables

Tour de Rozel

Eb en ez er

Les Croix

Hill Climb Site

A9

Trinity Parish Church

B27

Jean

ec e de B La Ru

e

RJA&HS Royal Jersey Showground Ville à l'Evêque

B51

t he

Pallot Steam, Motor & General Museum

C118 Island Centre Stone

A8

C93

Saie Harbour

B31

ès Pico t

TRINITY

B31

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (Zoo)

B46

chon

fant

de

La G K

Gr an

A8

A7

B61

ST. HELIER

lle

A1

Low Tide Walk Only

Opera House

Town Hall

Parish Church

Jersey Marina M Museum M Marina Fort Regent A17 Occupation Tapestry & Maritime Museum A4

M Elizabeth Castle

tin ar

Ro ut

nd e

A4

. Cle

Havre Des Pas Power Station

WC

G La

ment's Ro a

K WC

Dolmen du Mont Ubé

Le Rocquier A5

Le Haguais

Green Island

S

em Cl

e nt

Route de

c Fauvi ue du La R

Le Hurel

B49 Pontac

La Grande Rout ed

St Clement's Parish Hall

e la

C111 Cô te

B37 La Rocque

ST. CLEMENT'S BAY Le Nez

K

A4

Fauvic

Le Hocq

A4

Samarès

WC

ROYAL BAY OF GROUVILLE

A5

La G ra nde

B48

Le Marais Estate

Fort William

Royal Jersey Golf Club Fort Henry

A3

e Ru on àD

Grouville Parish Church & Hall

St Clement's Parish Church

Samarès Manor

Le Squez

Gorey Harbour

Ville ès Renauds

GROUVILLE

o ad Lo eR nguevill

NT

d

Gorey K

ST. CLEMENT

F.B.Fields

tte ze d'A ve re

ST. HELIER HARBOUR

B37

A3

Jersey Recreation St Grounds

WC

WC

B37

K

Dicq

Mont Orgueil Castle

A3

B46

A6 B24 Longueville

Le Saut Geoffroi WC

K

Pottery

La

A3

Anne Port

NT

B30

Gorey Jersey Village

Queen's Valley Reservoir

ad Ro

Howard Davis Park Bagot

WC

Faldouet Dolmen

lons s Sab e de ut Ro

The Waterfront Centre

ST. SAVIOUR

B29

YHA

an de La Gr

Les Jardins de la Mer

te A7 ga Ba Jersey Arts Centre

B28

St. Saviour's Hospital

C109

A6

A9

la Hougue Bie

M La Hougue Bie

Government House

B60

A1

uet

Bellozanne WC

e te d Rou

B28 St Saviour's Parish Church & Hall

de Faldo

A9

te ou eR nd

Town Mills

Ville ès Nouaux

Ransom’s Garden Centre

La

Archirondel

WC

Gr a

Beuvelande Camping Site

B46

a Five Gr Oaks La

K

C108

B30

M t. eS

ST. CATHERINE'S BAY

B29

La

Mont a l'Abbé

ds

ux Va

me Da

Vaux

ST. HELIER

ed

La Rue à la

Grande Route de la Trinité

es

Pottery vedere errace ook B27

d

Life Boat Station

B62

A6

Grands Vaux Reservoir

La

Va llé e

NT

B91

Ville ès Gaudins

Maufant

Belval Cove

St Catherine’s Wood

Public Hall St Martin's Parish Church

M St.

St Catherine's Breakwater WC

B38

Rue au de la Ma Cro istre ix

A6 C110 rtin a

B46

Sir Francis Cook Gallery

K

Verclut

B30

de Mau

Mont Co

La

Route

A9

A8

FLIQUET BAY WC

ST. MARTIN

Eric Young Orchid Foundation

Millbrook eservoir

La Coupe

B91

C110

Victoria Village

Becquet Vincent

Ville ès Nouaux

B31

NT

Rozel Camping Park

C93

Les Augrès Manor

La Croix

To The Ecrehous

K

B38

B30

La Rue Hougue des ttes

B27

WC

Rozel

C95

Le Becquet Servais (Sion)

uelle de Claire

wer

La Rue

La Grande Route de la Trinité

BSJA Showground

La Grande Route de St .

B50

Parish Hall

ROZEL BAY

Jardin d'Olivet

C102

France

Le Sauchet

Fort Leicester K BOULEY BAY L’Etaquerel Fort WC L'Etaquerel

NT

A8

Dannemarche Reservoir

NT

C97

B63

Issu A9 es

Handois Reservoir

Alderney

Vicard

NT

B63

t.

NT

Mont Mado

Guernsey

Petit Port

La Crête

ran de Ro ute

C99

OHN

BONNE NUIT La Crête Fort Giffard Bay

DANGER LARGE TIDAL FLOW Take care when walking at low tide

A4 WC

La Rocque Harbour

To Seymour Tower

To Icho Tower

To Les Minquers

Icho Tower

book online at www.jersey.com

For further information visit:

www.jersey.com Jersey Tourism Liberation Place St Helier Jersey JE1 1BB T 01534 448877 F 01534 448898 email: info@jersey.com Whilst every effort has been made to provide accurate information, the publishers can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. All rights reserved. Material in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without the permission of Jersey Tourism.

All information correct at time of print – December 2011

Designed and published by: www.sheardhudson.com Cover image: On the way to St Ouen’s Bay Photography: Durrell Wildlife, Goff Associates Ltd, Grand Jersey, Hotel de France, Jersey Goldsmiths, Jersey Heritage, Jersey Tourism, L’Horizon Hotel & Spa, Liberty Wharf, Société Jersiaise, The Club Hotel & Spa Please recycle We ask that when you have finished with your copy of pureJersey you do your bit for the environment by either recycling it or passing it on to a friend.