A sparkling jewel in the English Channel

Aug 24 2008 by Roger Domeneghetti, Sunday Sun

IT may be tiny, but Guernsey is packed with delights, as ROD MADILL discovered.

IT was only when I was leaving Guernsey that I appreciated its real beauty.

With the sun setting on a cloudless, scorching day and casting a red glow across the horizon, the plane gave me a bird’s-eye view of golden sandy beaches, dramatic cliff tops and secluded bays with stunning views across the English Channel and towards the French coast just 27 miles away.

It brought home to me the many and varied delights of this small Channel island, bounded by cliffs at one end and beaches at the other. In the middle sits St Peter Port, a capital rich in history.

The island’s history is its unique selling point. It draws on centuries of first French and then English occupation to offer something different.

Guernsey folks speak English (but only since 1926) yet the street names are all in French. It is British but not part of the United Kingdom, European but not part of the EU.

It feels like home (even the money is the same) yet it’s like going abroad with the island enjoying more sunshine hours than mainland Britain.

The island’s history is reflected in its architecture. Street after street of magnificent Georgian and Victorian buildings are a reminder of the days when Guernsey was an important trading centre and a refuge for wealthy French residents fleeing revolution.

Writer Victor Hugo spent 14 years on the island from 1856-1870. His home, Hauteville House, is open to the public and visitors can see the room where he completed Les Miserables.

The house is one of many museums and places of interest which dot the island and track its history. The German Occupation Museum tells the story of Guernsey’s struggles during World War II under the rule of the Third Reich.

And don’t miss The Little Chapel . . . possibly the smallest in the world. It was built by Brother Déodat who started work in March 1914. His plan was to create a miniature version of the famous grotto and basilica at Lourdes in France. The Chapel is beautifully decorated with seashells, pebbles and colourful pieces of broken china.

If you prefer the outdoors, Guernsey has 27 beautiful bays with quiet unspoiled beaches where you can lie undisturbed or indulge in some watersports. It also has 28 miles of cliff-top walks for the really energetic. Walkers are well rewarded for their efforts with some wonderful views.

Another option is to visit one of the other islands which make up the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Herm is home to about 50 people, so there’s little chance of having to fight for space on one of its long unspoiled beaches.

Alderney is a countryside haven lying 23 miles north east of Guernsey, while Sark is a step back in time. There are no cars, no tarmac and therefore no noise. Horse and carriage is the main means of transport. All three can be reached by ferry from Guernsey.

After your day of culture or sightseeing , it’s time to explore St Peter Port. The town is guarded by the impressive Castle Cornet. Built in the 1200s after King John lost Normandy, it has been taken by the French, was a Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War and was occupied by the Germans. It now houses four museums, three period gardens and a music festival in July.

Once into the town, enjoy the sights and the relaxed pace of life. Take a long, lazy lunch or a leisurely dinner on one of the many excellent restaurants. Guernsey proudly boasts you won’t find fast food chains because its own family-run establishments are so good. Rumour has it there was a Burger King once, but it closed due to lack of trade.

There’s plenty of other things Guernsey people are proud to tell you that you won’t find on the island . . . coffee shop chains, zoos, theme parks, amusement arcades, hotel chains, traffic hassle (the speed limit is 35mph). It’s what makes the place so special, so distinct and so unlike your average British seaside town.

The shopping area does feature some chain stores but also plenty of local shops who take advantage of something else Guernsey doesn’t have — VAT — to keep their prices down.

The centre of St Peter Port also houses a huge marina for visitors who come under their own steam or on one of the cruise liners which regularly dock there.

They recognise Guernsey as a place that delights in being different, in stressing what it doesn’t have as a reason to visit just as much as what it does have.

5 Things to do

1 - GO for a cycle . . . the roads are quite flat and car-free and it’s 23 miles round the whole island.

2 - SEE the beautiful Candie Gardens in St Peter Port.

3 - TAKE a trip back to World War Two at the Occupation museum.

4 - THE Royal fortress of Castle Cornet has stood guard over St Peter Port and its harbour for eight centuries. It was under siege during the English Civil War.

5 - POP into the Guernsey museum with its collection relating to the Story of Guernsey.

Fact file

FLYBE flies daily to Guernsey from Birmingham from £54.99pp including taxes, www.flybe.com.

DEPARTURES are also available from Gatwick, Southampton, Exeter, Norwich, Leeds and Manchester airports and the island is served by ferries.

ROB MADILL stayed at the 3-star Les Rocquettes Hotel, St Peter Port which has rooms from £39pppn including breakfast, www.lesrocquettesguernsey.com

MORE information from VisitGuernsey, Tel: 01481-723552 or log onto www.visitguernsey.com

IF you come from the UK, you won’t need a passport, but all carriers will require some form of photographic identification.