Jersey Treats

For many of us our first glimpse of Jersey was courtesy of BBC TV when Bergerac drove his burgundy Triumph Roadster along narrow, winding, green lanes in search of criminals. The eponymous detective series was a family favourite in many homes in the ’80s. It was in the house where Anna Hyman grew up.

I fought the urge of visiting the island for a long while, reckoning that it couldn’t possibly be that pretty. But how wrong I was. Jersey is gorgeous. Along with those leafy lanes are mellow Norman-style farm houses, a patchwork of tiny fields, French street names, fabulous beaches, lots of places to visit and fantastic food.

A little bit of background

Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands lies in the Bay of Mont St Michel, considerably nearer to France than to England. The islands were originally part of the land mass which included France and England. Neolithic man had a vast expanse of land on which to hunt woolly mammoths , which accounts for the number of dolmen and other Neolithic sites on the island.

At low tide visitors to St Ouen can still see evidence of the French forest which existed 10,000 years ago before the sea level rose and flooded the land, thereby forming the islands. Incidentally Jersey was the last to be formed, about 8000 years ago. The sea spared approximately 45.5sq miles of land creating an island some five miles long by nine miles wide.

The first settlers were from Brittany around 700. But it was the Normans who had the greatest impact on the islands following their annexation to the Duchy of Normandy in 933. (The Channel Islands had been prone to frequent attacks from pirates and Vikings. The Viking raids were only stopped by the intervention of Charles the Simple, a king of France, who offered the Viking chief land around Rouen.)

In 1066 when William the Conqueror conquered England, the islands, along with England came under Norman rule. Indeed, many of the Jersey family names date back to those early Norman-French inhabitants, as do much of its law, customs and the Jèrriais language which can still be heard today.

The islands actually remained part of the Duchy of Normandy until 1204 when King John lost a war with the French King Philippe-Auguste and by so doing also lost Normandy. The islanders were given a choice of either pledging allegiance to Normandy or to England. They chose England, King John having offered them the right to be governed by their own laws along with freedom from English taxes. He also appointed a warden (later Governor) to organise the Island’s defence. Today Jersey is termed a ‘Peculiar of the Crown’, a British Crown Dependency owing allegiance to the crown – not the UK parliament – but defended and represented internationally by the UK government. It is part of the British Isles, but is not part of Great Britain.

Over the centuries because of their proximity to France the islands were in constant risk of invasion resulting in the building of a number of defences. One of the most prominent fortifications is the huge Elizabeth Castle. Unfortunately in spite of the defences invasions were often successful.

But the invasion that was to have the greatest, and hardest, impact on Jersey was in the Second World War when the island was occupied by the Germans. Hitler, in his endeavour to build a fortress island ordered that massive fortifications be built both on Jersey and Guernsey. Conditions for the slave labourers involved in building them and indeed for the islanders under the occupation were harsh and appalling.

Jersey today

It must be 20 years since that first visit of mine to Jersey. In the intervening years I have returned several times, the most recent in March 2012 when I flew over to the island to learn about Jersey Royal potatoes and meet some of its food producers. Over the years Jersey has become much more sophisticated but there are still corners of quaint charm.

Twelve parishes make up the island, and St Helier, the island’s capital is one of them – an excellent example of that combination of quaint charm and sophistication.

St Helier

The ‘quaint charm’ of St Helier chiefly dates back to the second half of the 19th century. Older buildings had to be pulled down to allow the roads to be widened to facilitate the access of potato-laden trucks to the harbour. Consequently much of the town wears a Regency or Victorian face. The central streets were pedestrianized in the 1970s.

Liberation Square is the heart of the town in many respects. For it was here on 9 May 1945 that the flag was flown from the balcony of the Pomme d’Or Hotel marking the island’s liberation from the German occupation. Fifty years later the event was commemorated with the erection of a statue depicting islanders raising the British flag.

There are a few unusual sculptures in St Helier including Jersey cows in Beresford Street and a toad (crapaud) atop a column at Charing Cross. (A toad, or crapaud in French is the nickname for Jersey people – Jersey, the only Channel Island where toads can be found). Not far away in the Jardins de la Mer a sculpture depicts dolphins and swimmers playfully frolicking together in a fountain maize.

Not far from Liberation Square is Royal Square. Walk through it keeping eyes to the ground and look out for the letter V cleverly worked into the paving by J M Le Guyader, a stone mason, who in 1945 when making repairs to the square, surreptitiously worked a V for Victory into the pavement.

For examples of Victoriana make for the glass-covered, cast iron Central Market gloriously embellished with grapes, cows’ heads and fleur-de-lys, plus a large ornate fountain. The market has an interesting array of stalls ranging from food to bric-à-brac. Across the street is Beresford Market – otherwise known as Fish Market for very obvious reasons. The variety of seafood straight off the boats is a fish lover’s idea of heaven.

St Helier has two terrific museums both well worth a visit:

The Jersey Museum and Art Gallery tells the 250,000 year history of Jersey and also includes a beautifully restored Victorian Merchant’s House complete with traditional gas lamps and period furniture. Along with the museum artefacts there are also some good paintings including one of my favourite Millais paintings – the portrait of one of Jersey’s most famous daughters Lillie Langtry. Dressed in a simple black dress this renowned beauty and actress holds a lily, but the flower is actually a Guernsey not a Jersey lily! She was the first performer to appear on stage at the opening of the Jersey Opera House in 1900. The museum is also home to a brasserie that serves very good coffee and lunches. www.jerseyheritage.org

Equally as impressive is the Maritime Museum down on the harbour. It is wonderfully hands on with lots of interactive exhibits and displays. It is also home to the Occupation Tapestry made by the people of Jersey to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Island’s liberation. The 12 panels of the tapestry tell the story of life there during the Second World War. www.jerseyheritage.org

St Helier has a fair variety of shops ranging from small independents to high street names and even a couple of small department stores. To bring the shopping experience up to date make for Liberty Wharf. Housed in an old warehouse is the town’s new sophisticated shopping mall. And the modern glass building on Liberation Place? It’s the headquarters of Jersey Tourism. www.jersey.com .

On an earlier visit I had toured Jersey with the help of the buses that ran from the old bus station. Time has moved on bringing with it high-tec. Most of today’s comprehensive island bus service runs from the modern Liberation Station at Liberty Wharf equipped with seating, information display screens, café and information desk.

An Island Explorer is a sensible acquisition; it allows unlimited travel on any of the island’s bus network. www.mybus.je . Purchasing a Jersey Pass is a good money-saving idea too. It gives free access to many of the attractions. www.jerseypass.com

Out and about

Originally the main castle on Jersey had been Mont Orgueil, perched high above the pretty harbour at Gorey, but with the advent of gunpowder and cannons it was too vulnerable to attacks.

However, a rocky outcrop in St Aubin’s Bay provided a good alternative site. Elizabeth Castle is truly massive and it could quite easily take the best part of a day to explore it all. Originally the site of the Abbey of St Helier its construction as a castle began in the 16th century.  It was the official residence of Sir Walter Rayleigh, Governor of Jersey 1600-03, who named it after his Queen. Over the centuries it has played a considerable role in the history of Jersey. Living History demonstrations take place regularly. Visitors can walk to the island if the tide is out; take a boat if it is in! www.jerseyheritage.org

On the wild side

In 1959 Gerald Durrell, naturalist, conservationist and author, established a ‘zoo’ on Jersey. But this was to be no ordinary zoo; his aim was to breed animals in captivity to protect declining wildlife populations. Today the Durrell Wildlife Park is a world leader not only in conservation work but also the way it looks after its animals. Overhead in the trees silvery marmosets and black lion tamarins leap and play ranging free, there are no fences for them. They rarely wander far from home.

Endangered species are being built up so that with any luck they can be returned to the wild, but for others like the gorillas and orang-utans the park is their home. The orang-utans are fun but my favourites are the gorillas.

The park is also into sustainability, recycling as much as possible. They have also created an organic garden to help feed the animals. The Durrell Wildlife Park is not only educational, it also makes for a great day out www.durrell.org

The Occupation

Incredibly haunting and moving the Jersey War Tunnels act as a reminder of the five-year German occupation of Jersey. The tunnel complex, formerly known as Höhlgangsanlage 8 (Ho8), took almost three and a half years to build. It was dug out by forced and slave labourers from all over Europe, some of whom died from the terrible hardship they were made to endure. Today the galleries retell the story of those five dreadful years including evacuation, deportation, captivity and siege, and the eventual liberation. www.jerseywartunnels.com

Neolithic and the Middle Ages

Traces of Neolithic settlements are much in evidence on Jersey. La Hougue Bie burial chamber dates back 6000 years. I’m not very tall but even I have to stoop low when I make my way along the long and gloomy tunnel into the huge man-made mound. It is said that on the spring and summer equinoxes the sun’s rays penetrate into the inner chamber. www.jerseyheritage.org

Still in the past, but a more recent past, is Hamptonne. Buildings have been recorded there since 1445. I find it fascinating to wander round the farm buildings and workshops to see how life was lived in bygone days. www.jerseyheritage.org

Orchids too

Orchids are a passion of mine but I try not to go too often to the Eric Young Orchid Foundation because I’m jealous. Why can’t I grow such fabulous blooms?

Jersey for free

The island has frequent festivals and events that needn’t cost a penny, including for instance the Liberation Day festival on 9 May, the pre-Christmas festival 1 -16 December, the August flower festival, the September International Air Display and the fabulous food festival in May (though admittedly some of its events do incur a charge) .

And don’t forget the tiny fisherman’s chapel at St Brélade and St Matthew’s church with its beautiful Lalique glass.

There are lots of free guided walks in Spring and Autumn. Or just set off on your own to discover the beautiful beaches and the enchanting Green Lanes (there’s over 50 miles of them and the speed limit is a stately 15mph – walkers, horse riders and cyclists having priority over vehicles). From green lanes to the coast Jersey offers incredible cliffs, exposed bays, sandy beaches and rocky coves easily accessible by road or on foot. Jersey experiences the third largest tidal range in the world, so much so that at each low water the island doubles in size!

Still to be seen

I’ve not been to Samarès Manor yet. The house dates back to Norman times and sounds lovely; neither have I been to the lavender farm nor the ruins of Grosnez Castle; and whilst I’ve driven past it several times I’ve not yet stopped off at Le Moulin de Quétivel to see flour being ground and whilst I’ve admired it many times from afar I’ve not stood on the ramparts of Mont Orguieil either. Any excuse to return to this gorgeous island – not that I need one!