Love island
its maze of courtyards and chambers with stories of shifting loyalties.
Crossing the island we lunch at the Jersey Lavender Farm where the food was terrific and the gardens pleasant for a short stroll. Then we head underground to explore Jersey War Tunnels, built using slave labour for the Nazi forces who occupied the island between 1940 and 1945.
The story of how the island and its inhabitants found themselves adrift in the unpredictable tides of war is vividly brought to life in an immersive and quite moving way.
The beach beckons and time for an hour of basking on the white sands of St Aubin’s Bay. Beach access is a doddle – on our mid-July visit there was plenty of cheap parking close to the sand and good facilities – public loos you actually want to use.
We slink into St Helier for some sophistication, dining at Bond Street Social at No 10. I try the catch of the day, sea bass and scallops in lobster sauce, with – what else – Jersey potatoes, all crispy skin and buttery melting flesh. Karen enjoys the three-course dinner with a starter of crispy, salty beef strips, roast chicken and a vanilla and Jersey black butter affogato to finish.
Next morning, we linger for a swim and early morning steam before checking out of the charming Beausite Hotel in Grouville. Time for a packed final lap of the island before our evening ferry home. We start at La Hougue Bie – tunnelling (again) into a neolithic burial chamber that predates Stonehenge. The historic site boasts a recreated longhouse and an exhibition on the largest Celtic hoard ever found.
Then we weave along narrow lanes towards Jersey’s rocky north coast to sample some of its miles of stunning coastal walks. We stare down into the Devil’s Hole from a winding path and cliff top perch before walking back to the Priory Inn and the workshop of glassmaker Glyn Burton, who shows us the magic of his craft and tells us stories of life on the islands.
With our ferry check-in looming we head back to St Helier and find ourselves in the city’s sparkling waterfront development.
We were told there are three islands: the one tourists see, the tax haven and the locals’ island. In fact there always seems to be another corner to turn with a different island to find – a coastal playground fringed in sand, a garden criss-crossed with tracks and trails, or a warren of history, culture and cuisine. Perhaps that’s why they use the Jèrriais phrase:
À bétôt et à la préchaine
– goodbye and until next time.
‘‘ There are three islands: one tourists see, the tax haven and the locals’ island