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Guide to the island of Guernsey
A mere 20 minutes by air from Jersey, but worlds apart in character; the island of Guernsey is more laid back and far more determined to adhere to a more traditional way of life. Friendly rivalry between the two islands is legendary. Even Guernsey’s public telephone kiosks are a different colour; its police force wears different helmets; its bailiffs wear different robes, not to mention the distinctly different dialects spoken by the inhabitants of Guernsey!
Often dubbed ‘the friendly island’, Guernsey is renowned for its big welcome and for being the perfect short-break destination. Guernsey also provides a great base for Channel Island hopping and day trips by air or sea to France.
GUERNSEY AT A GLANCE…
LOCATION & SIZE:
Guernsey is the second largest Channel Island and lies in the Gulf of St Malo, approximately 121 km (75 miles) south of Weymouth on the south coast of England and 48 km (30 miles) west of France. Guernsey covers an area of around 63 square kilometres (24.3 square miles).
TRAVELLING TO GUERNSEY:
Several ferry companies and international airlines operate regular services to Guernsey from the UK and Europe; check out www.guernseytourism.com for further information.
GETTING AROUND:
Guernsey has a network of scheduled bus services (flat fare currently 50p). Wave & Smart cards are also available at £1.00, offering a saving of 60 percent. Car, motorcycle and bicycle hire outlets are plentiful; taxis are readily available (taxi ranks mainly located in St Peter Port). Getting around on foot is a pleasant alternative, with many clearly marked footpaths and signposts.
ACCOMMODATION:
Small family run guesthouses, B&Bs, world-class hotels, Guernsey’s got the lot; whatever accommodation you choose, you can be assured of a good reception. Families are particularly welcome.
EATING & DRINKING:
From family-friendly cafés, traditional pubs serving pub grub, bistro-style gastro-pubs to swanky bars and gourmet restaurants, you’ll be spoilt for choice, with menus featuring dishes made from home produced ingredients. Try the locally farmed mussels and lobsters or Breton-style plateau de fruits de mer, a delicious feast of local seafood.
WEATHER:
Guernsey enjoys milder winters and sunnier summers than the rest of Great Britain. Winds can be strong, making temperatures feel cooler; summer sea temperatures average 20°C (68°F); hottest, sunniest months are July and August.
SHOPPING:
Shopping in Guernsey is not that cheap, despite having no VAT, so do your research, first. Popular buys include perfume, wines, spirits, tobacco, jewellery, leather goods, electronic items and cameras. St Peter Port boasts many independent arts, crafts, antiques, jewellery, clothes and bookshops, etc. Head for The Arcade and Le Pollet for interesting gifts and souvenirs.
CRIME RATES:
Guernsey has low crime rates; most incidents are alcohol-related.
GUERNSEY CURRRENCY:
GBP sterling, UK cheques, cash and credit cards are all accepted. Guernsey has its own banknotes and coins which can only be used in Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Alderney, although all UK banks will exchange Guernsey notes for GBP sterling.
OUTDOOR PURSUITS:
Water sports, windsurfing, sailing, angling, swimming, cycling, walking, organised rambling, golfing, bird watching, Guernsey is a haven for lovers of the great outdoors. Guernsey has 27 beaches; access to the cliff-fringed south and east of the island is via wooded valleys and steep rock-cut steps.
ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE:
The Tourist Information Centre (North Esplanade, St Peter Port), www.guernseytouristboard.com has a ‘Monthly Diary of Events’; the St James Diary also provides details of exhibitions, concerts, poetry readings, lectures, etc.
MUST SEE & DO IN GUERNSEY
ST PETERS PORT:
the island’s capital, its winding, cobbled streets and captivating harbour-front is set against a backdrop of different architectural styles, predominantly late Georgian and Regency. St Peter Port has several buildings of historical interest, a diversity of top-notch boutiques and eateries; its café culture offers relaxation and an opportunity to absorb the buzzing harbour-side scene.
Victor Hugo’s House (38 Hauteville, St Peter Port): Also called Maison Victor Hugo and Hauteville House, a mesmerising memorial to the eccentric poet, writer and political refugee who fled to the Channel Islands, in 1852. Expelled from Jersey, Victor Hugo moved to Guernsey where he first rented 20 Hauteville, then purchased the property for his mistress, Juliette Drouet. He later bought 38 Hauteville; the ornate, outlandish, Parisian-style décor reflects his imaginative and eccentric personality; the house also provides superb panoramic views of St Peter Port.
CASTLE CORNET & MUSEUMS:
commanding position overlooking the harbour and town of St Peter Port, this ancient royal fortress, built by the English in 1204, is today a popular venue for important island events.
National Trust of Guernsey Victorian Shop & Parlour (26 Cornet Street, St Peter Port): possibly the earliest building still standing within the boundaries of the medieval town.
Guernsey Freesia Centre (Route Carre, St Sampson’s): smell freesias at different stages in their growth cycle; view videos of the history of Guernsey’s cut-flower industry.
La Valette Underground Military Museum (La Valette, St Peter Port): the complex of tunnels, a refuelling stop for U-boats during the German Occupation, was built by slave labour; now also houses the Guernsey Aquarium.
DID YOU THAT …
Guernsey is divided into 10 parishes including the Parish of St Peter Port.
Although part of Great Britain, the island is self-governing, with its own postage stamps and Guernsey currency; Guernsey is also responsible for administering the Channel Islands of Alderney, Sark and Herm.
Because of its favourable tax climate, many financial establishments have set up in Guernsey. Today, financial services account for around 55 percent of Guernsey’s GDP.
Apart from Guernsey cows, the island’s best known export until recently was tomatoes, the famous ‘Guernsey toms’. Today, the island’s chief export is cut-flowers, mainly freesias, roses and carnations. Guernsey celebrates the annual Battle of the Flowers, in August.
The traditional Guernsey jumper (very different from the Jersey jumper) is still popular in seafaring communities, worldwide, for its water repellent yarn and warmth.
Guernsey’s rich pagan heritage is evident in the many pagan-related road and place names and ancient pagan sites of worship, still dotted around the island; many parish churches are built on former sites of pagan worship.
Often dubbed ‘the friendly island’, Guernsey is renowned for its big welcome and for being the perfect short-break destination. Guernsey also provides a great base for Channel Island hopping and day trips by air or sea to France.
GUERNSEY AT A GLANCE…
LOCATION & SIZE:
Guernsey is the second largest Channel Island and lies in the Gulf of St Malo, approximately 121 km (75 miles) south of Weymouth on the south coast of England and 48 km (30 miles) west of France. Guernsey covers an area of around 63 square kilometres (24.3 square miles).
TRAVELLING TO GUERNSEY:
Several ferry companies and international airlines operate regular services to Guernsey from the UK and Europe; check out www.guernseytourism.com for further information.
GETTING AROUND:
Guernsey has a network of scheduled bus services (flat fare currently 50p). Wave & Smart cards are also available at £1.00, offering a saving of 60 percent. Car, motorcycle and bicycle hire outlets are plentiful; taxis are readily available (taxi ranks mainly located in St Peter Port). Getting around on foot is a pleasant alternative, with many clearly marked footpaths and signposts.
ACCOMMODATION:
Small family run guesthouses, B&Bs, world-class hotels, Guernsey’s got the lot; whatever accommodation you choose, you can be assured of a good reception. Families are particularly welcome.
EATING & DRINKING:
From family-friendly cafés, traditional pubs serving pub grub, bistro-style gastro-pubs to swanky bars and gourmet restaurants, you’ll be spoilt for choice, with menus featuring dishes made from home produced ingredients. Try the locally farmed mussels and lobsters or Breton-style plateau de fruits de mer, a delicious feast of local seafood.
WEATHER:
Guernsey enjoys milder winters and sunnier summers than the rest of Great Britain. Winds can be strong, making temperatures feel cooler; summer sea temperatures average 20°C (68°F); hottest, sunniest months are July and August.
SHOPPING:
Shopping in Guernsey is not that cheap, despite having no VAT, so do your research, first. Popular buys include perfume, wines, spirits, tobacco, jewellery, leather goods, electronic items and cameras. St Peter Port boasts many independent arts, crafts, antiques, jewellery, clothes and bookshops, etc. Head for The Arcade and Le Pollet for interesting gifts and souvenirs.
CRIME RATES:
Guernsey has low crime rates; most incidents are alcohol-related.
GUERNSEY CURRRENCY:
GBP sterling, UK cheques, cash and credit cards are all accepted. Guernsey has its own banknotes and coins which can only be used in Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Alderney, although all UK banks will exchange Guernsey notes for GBP sterling.
OUTDOOR PURSUITS:
Water sports, windsurfing, sailing, angling, swimming, cycling, walking, organised rambling, golfing, bird watching, Guernsey is a haven for lovers of the great outdoors. Guernsey has 27 beaches; access to the cliff-fringed south and east of the island is via wooded valleys and steep rock-cut steps.
ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE:
The Tourist Information Centre (North Esplanade, St Peter Port), www.guernseytouristboard.com has a ‘Monthly Diary of Events’; the St James Diary also provides details of exhibitions, concerts, poetry readings, lectures, etc.
MUST SEE & DO IN GUERNSEY
ST PETERS PORT:
the island’s capital, its winding, cobbled streets and captivating harbour-front is set against a backdrop of different architectural styles, predominantly late Georgian and Regency. St Peter Port has several buildings of historical interest, a diversity of top-notch boutiques and eateries; its café culture offers relaxation and an opportunity to absorb the buzzing harbour-side scene.
Victor Hugo’s House (38 Hauteville, St Peter Port): Also called Maison Victor Hugo and Hauteville House, a mesmerising memorial to the eccentric poet, writer and political refugee who fled to the Channel Islands, in 1852. Expelled from Jersey, Victor Hugo moved to Guernsey where he first rented 20 Hauteville, then purchased the property for his mistress, Juliette Drouet. He later bought 38 Hauteville; the ornate, outlandish, Parisian-style décor reflects his imaginative and eccentric personality; the house also provides superb panoramic views of St Peter Port.
CASTLE CORNET & MUSEUMS:
commanding position overlooking the harbour and town of St Peter Port, this ancient royal fortress, built by the English in 1204, is today a popular venue for important island events.
National Trust of Guernsey Victorian Shop & Parlour (26 Cornet Street, St Peter Port): possibly the earliest building still standing within the boundaries of the medieval town.
Guernsey Freesia Centre (Route Carre, St Sampson’s): smell freesias at different stages in their growth cycle; view videos of the history of Guernsey’s cut-flower industry.
La Valette Underground Military Museum (La Valette, St Peter Port): the complex of tunnels, a refuelling stop for U-boats during the German Occupation, was built by slave labour; now also houses the Guernsey Aquarium.
DID YOU THAT …
Guernsey is divided into 10 parishes including the Parish of St Peter Port.
Although part of Great Britain, the island is self-governing, with its own postage stamps and Guernsey currency; Guernsey is also responsible for administering the Channel Islands of Alderney, Sark and Herm.
Because of its favourable tax climate, many financial establishments have set up in Guernsey. Today, financial services account for around 55 percent of Guernsey’s GDP.
Apart from Guernsey cows, the island’s best known export until recently was tomatoes, the famous ‘Guernsey toms’. Today, the island’s chief export is cut-flowers, mainly freesias, roses and carnations. Guernsey celebrates the annual Battle of the Flowers, in August.
The traditional Guernsey jumper (very different from the Jersey jumper) is still popular in seafaring communities, worldwide, for its water repellent yarn and warmth.
Guernsey’s rich pagan heritage is evident in the many pagan-related road and place names and ancient pagan sites of worship, still dotted around the island; many parish churches are built on former sites of pagan worship.
