| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 22/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 50 |
| Copyright: Other |
Jerseyby Jane Archer
Discover an appetite for life in the slow lane
Island boasts fine cuisine and culture
AS SOMEONE who is used to motorway driving, I admit my chief concern about my self-drive trip to Jersey was whether I would be able to stay within the 40mph speed limit.In fact, it was not a major problem. Most of the roads on the island are leafy lanes where you cannot go too fast, while any preconceptions of St Helier as a quaint harbour town were quickly shattered by the departments stores and high-street outlets – and the traffic.
Come at the wrong time of day – rush hour – and the town has congestion to rival any on the mainland.
However, all my other preconceptions held good. The island is small – just nine miles by five – so nowhere is very far and you do get that feeling of being in a very close-knit community where life is conducted at a far slower pace than on the mainland.
With more time, I would have liked to try the Green Lanes, a network of lanes where cyclists have priority over cars, but with the clock ticking I decided instead to spend the first day exploring the coast by car.
It is not very far in miles but it took a full day as there were so many places to stop.
I liked the small bays best – Bouley Bay and Bonne Nuit Bay were my favourites – but they were busy, even in early summer.
St Brelade’s Bay was nice, but so packed with people that I headed off to St Ouen’s Bay – a large expanse of beach good for ball games.
Day two was devoted to attractions and despite reservations, because I do not like wild animals behind bars, I headed for Jersey Zoo, home of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
It was set up by the zoologist Gerald Durrell in 1959 to save animals from extinction and you do get a feeling of space for the animals rather than the cramped surroundings normally associated with a zoo.
From here, I headed to Gorey, dominated by the towering Mont Orgueil Castle.
There is a great view across the bay from this attraction but my main memory of the castle is climbing a lot of steps.
Thankfully, the next stop, Jersey Pottery, was not quite so demanding.
Here you can see potters at work and buy some of their wares. There is also a restaurant which is considered one of the best on the island – if you like fish, that is.
The piled-high fruits de mer platters are so impressive that lots of people take photos before tucking into their feast.
The high quality food at Jersey Pottery restaurant is the rule, rather than the exception.
I ate in a variety of restaurants in the evenings and pubs during the day and they all had good food in common.
It is no surprise that the island hosts an annual international food festival for one week in May.
Prices were in line with what you would pay for a meal in a good restaurant on the mainland. At Jersey Pottery, lunch for one with wine costs from about £21.
Back on the attractions trail, I stopped at the Maritime Museum in St Helier. This tells the history, traditions and culture of Jersey with plenty of interactive displays – children love it.
The Occupation Tapestry next door features 12 panels telling the story of the German occupation of Jersey during World War II.
Just 15mins drive from St Helier, the final stop of the day was the Living Legend, a multi-media presentation of the history of the island – a clever, populist approach that appeals to all ages.
I stayed at the Hotel de France, which is one of the best known properties on the island.
It was nice but very busy and lacked the island feel that might have been enjoyed at one of the many smaller, more rural properties.
Jersey: the beaches and bays are a popular family attraction
Factfile
Top attractions
German Underground Hospital: hewn out of the rock by slave labour during the occupation.
Maritime Museum: history of the island from perspective of the sea.
Elizabeth Castle: in St Aubin’s Bay, accessed by causeway at low tide, or former World War II vehicles at high tide.
Jersey Pottery: with restaurant.
La Mere Vineyards: new interactive vineyard story for 2000 and exhibitions on wine.