Joanna Booth discovers the wildlife, history and French cuisine of the Channel Islands
In the 19th century, the writer Victor Hugo called the Channel Islands ‘little pieces of France cast into the sea and picked up by England’. The influence of both countries remains part of their charm today.
The islands combine the French climate with the British pound and the English language with French cuisine. All have great beaches, bracing rural walks and cultural sights, which makes them particularly popular with the 45-plus market and ideal for families.
Jersey: High life and the high seas
Even if you haven’t got the money to move there, a visit to Jersey provides a taste of glitz and glamour.
There are plenty of plush hotels including boutique properties and larger chains, spas for pampering, a wine estate and luxury shops aplenty in St Helier.
It also has two Michelin-starred restaurants – Bohemia in St Helier and Ocean at the Atlantic Hotel in St Brelade.
Sea-based activities such as jet-skiing, wakeboarding and sea-kayaking are all popular. The island’s tidal range is one of the largest in the world, and its landmass grows by a third when the tide is out.
Accommodation: There’s a huge range of options all over the island, from posh hotels to self-catering. Campsites are only open for the summer season.
Activities: Jersey has a rich history with many castles and museums to visit.
Guernsey: Tradition and history
From museums and castles to underground Second World War military hospitals and the house of French author Victor Hugo, visitors can trace the history of Guernsey.
The island is also home to one of the oldest man-made structures in Europe, Les Fouillages burial mound, built by Neolithic man.
For a quick historic overview, the Guernsey tapestry illustrates 1,000 years of history in 10 embroidered panels.
The island is also great for traditional beach holidays. Kids can play on the safe sandy beaches, and pedestrians and horses have right of way over cars.
Accommodation: There are no international hotel brands. Instead choose a boutique property – perhaps a room in a renovated traditional granite barn.
Activities: There are 27 bays with beautiful beaches and 28 miles of clifftop walks to keep nature lovers happy.
Alderney: Dramatic and diverse
From the minute they bump down the grass runway to the wooden airport building, kids have a whale of a time in Alderney.
Around every corner there’s a new setting to explore, from abandoned Second World War tunnels to clifftop fortresses. Look out for ships from the lighthouse, ride on the toy railway and spot blonde hedgehogs.
Accommodation: As well as hotels and guest houses, visitors can also stay in a lighthouse and a fort.
Activities: Surf, sail or go sea fishing, walk the long Bray breakwater, or take tea among the cobbled streets of St Anne’s.
Sark: Quirky and unspoilt
Sark offers breathtaking scenery, diverse sea and bird life and huge cream teas – but there’s also a wealth of weirdness to be found. Visitors looking for something a bit different will love being met at the ferry by a horse and carriage.
Until now a feudal state, Sark is on the way to becoming Europe’s newest democracy. Hopefully it will retain its eccentricities, including the world’s smallest jail and a sheep racing event in July, where the jockeys are teddy bears.
Accommodation: Sark has five hotels, 10 bed and breakfasts, 17 self-catering properties and two campsites.
Activities: The Seigneur’s manor house and gardens, smugglers’ caves, natural pools and unspoilt landscapes.
Getting there
Air: British Airways, BMI, Flybe, Air Southwest, Bmibaby, Thomsonfly, VLM, Blue Islands, Aer Lingus, Manx2 and easyJet fly from all over the UK to Jersey.
Aurigny Air Services, Flybe and Blue Islands fly to Guernsey from eight UK airports. Alderney has its own airport, with scheduled flights from Southampton and Shoreham and connections from Guernsey.
Ferry: Condor Ferries operates from Poole, Weymouth and Portsmouth to Jersey and Guernsey. A high-speed catamaran runs between Guernsey and Alderney from April to September.
The Isle of Sark Shipping Company sails between Sark and Guernsey up to five times a day, and there are multiple catamaran departures per day from St Peter’s Port in Guernsey to Herm.
