Jersey

Jersey, United Kingdom

The southernmost and largest of the Channel Islands - Jersey - has much to offer with its fine blend of English and French influences. Quaint fishing villages dot the island's coastline: St Aubin, for example, boasts marvellous sandy beaches and a collection of dramatic craggy coastal walks. Festivals play a big a part in island life and barely a month goes by without a local seasonal event being celebrated. The capital is St Helier and whilst small, it is a cosmopolitan harbour town.

Population:

100,080

Currency:

Pound Sterling (JEP) £1 = 100 pence

Jersey has its own currency tied to the British Pound. All United Kingdom notes and coins are legal tender.

Emergency Numbers:

Police, Fire Brigade and Ambulance: 999 and 112

Opening Hours:

Shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday 9:00 - 17:30. During summer the opening hours may be extended. Thursday is traditionally late night shopping and stores are open until 20:00. Shops are open on Sundays at their own discretion, normally between 11:00 - 16:00.

Newspapers:

Jersey Evening Post, JEP

The Island

Jersey has been hotly contested through the centuries. Its strategic position between France and Britain has left a long legacy of fascinating historical sites. Here you can find medieval castles such as Mont Orgueil at Gorey and the evocative Jersey War Tunnels at St Lawrence created by German occupying forces during the Second World War.

Today, Jersey is a unique and intriguing destination for both exploring and relaxing. Within the beautiful and varied coastline, the island has a gentle verdant green countryside rich in all kinds of flora and fauna. Split into 12 parishes, Jersey takes on its English persona very much with villages based around the parish church and the local pub all connected by leafy lanes ideally suited to cyclists and hikers.

Along the way there are some fine vistas across rich woodland. Here you can also see fields that grow both the famous Jersey Royal Potato crop and provide pasture for cute doe-eyed Jersey cattle that supply the unique and deliciously rich dairy produce famously used in the Jersey cream tea.

Jersey is truly a contrasting place, despite being only 116 square kilometres in size. Its isolation as an island and the reliance on land and sea create a genuine feeling that a visit to Jersey is a trip back in time to a more idyllic, less complicated world. St Helier, the capital, has an atmosphere and surroundings that assume a confident, affluent air of fine hotels and dining. Here you can also find luxury marinas and high-end shopping, mostly inspired by its high earning residents and its well established status as an off-shore banking centre.

Do & See

For such a small island there is a wealth of attractions and activities to suit just about every age and taste here. History lovers of all periods will definitely find something of interest ranging from the Neolithic monument at La Hougue Bie to the legacy of preserved fortifications of the German occupation scattered around the island.

The south is dominated by golden sweeps of fine sandy beaches such as St Aubin’s and St Brelade’s, while some of the world’s best surfing and wake-boarding can be found on St Ouen’s Bay on the west coast.

In complete contrast, the north of the island is one dramatic cliff and headlands that shelter hidden coves and tiny fishing harbours such as Rozel and Bonne Nuit Bay. This is also one of the best places to observe bird life and, like the rest of the island, the area is interspersed with former German fortifications.

Dining

Surrounded by the sea, it is no surprise that Jersey is well known for its fish dishes and a range of quality seafood, with scallops, spider crabs, lobster and oysters taking the front seat. Other fish that feature high on seasonal menus include thick white monkfish, tasty bass and Jersey plaice, often eaten with a salad of locally grown lettuce, tomatoes and peppers.

National specialities include Bean Crock, a variation on the French Cassoulet, La Soupe d’Anguilles (conger eel soup) and Fiottes (balls of flour, sugar and eggs, cooked in milk).

The island is, of course, famous for the Jersey Royal potatoes. Try the unique Black Butter - made from local apples, its darkly sweet taste can be enjoyed straight off the spoon or as an accompaniment to cheese, Jersey ice cream or just toast. To finish off, try local apple brandy or a cream liqueur, or a Jersey produced wine from La Mare vineyards.

Cafes

Taking a day time break from the day’s exertions, explorations or relaxations is a pleasurable affair in Jersey - whether it is with a traditional pot of tea with a slice of homemade cake topped with some fresh local strawberries and Jersey cream, Jersey Wonders (a deep fried doughnut-like a cake) or perhaps even a sandwich with locally caught fresh crab.