Small islands with a big, exciting history
SITTING proud as punch in the bay of St Malo, the Channel Islands are far closer to France than England. So it’s no wonder they are a bit different — blending continental influences with quintessential Britishness.
Expect cream teas and croissants, Breton-beating seafood and traditional beach cafes, British currency and French place names.
To reach their fascinating heart this spring, hop over for the Channel Islands Heritage Festival ( March 25 to May 10), which celebrates the big history of this group of small islands with a packed diary of events.
The focus will be on all things maritime, with nautical tours and guided walks, lighthouses to visit, pirate adventures, vintage bus rides, twilight wartime bunker tours and much more.
LUSH, verdant and full of award-winning spa hotels, Jersey looks like a piece of Devon that ran away to sea and did rather well for itself. It is a heavenly isle for foodies, with crab shacks, trendy beachside cantinas and top-quality restaurants — including three with Michelin stars.
Jersey is made for walking or cycling breaks, offering staggering sea views over pink-tipped promontories.
Come over for Spring Walking, in March, when free guided walks will reveal the island’s secrets.
Delve into occupation and maritime history during the Heritage Festival. Or get wet, wet, wet on an aquatic adventure, pottering around by kayak or paddleboard in search of dolphins and seals off the beautiful beaches.
Idyllic Jersey was named Best Island In The British Isles by TripAdvisor last year. And with fast, car-carrying catamarans, ferries and flights, you can go from your desk to the beach in no time.
GORGEOUS Guernsey is ringed with sublime sands and has one of the largest tidal ranges in the world — so the beaches almost double in size at low tide. Relics of the German occupation make for intriguing viewing — with forts, observation towers and underground hospitals to explore. And fortifications from earlier eras abound, too.
Make a pilgrimage to the tiny, shellencrusted Little Chapel, or the subtropical gardens, while looking out for the blue post boxes and French road signs.
The Heritage Festival will feature a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Victor Hugo’s Toilers Of The Sea, including a banquet at Hugo’s home, Hauteville House, where he penned the classic.
This three-storey house is full of secret doors and bold interiors, with eccentric furniture made by Hugo or to his design, hidden cupboards, a secret staircase and clever tricks with light and mirrors.
What’s more, there are Famous Fivestyle foraging workshops, as well as a HistoryFest over the Easter weekend, with costumed characters, music and storytelling at Castle Cornet.