Saint Peter Port

Understand

In 1066 William Duke of Normandy gained the crown of England, so his descendants ruled many parts of France as well as ruling England. A series of wars, and peace treaties followed by more wars, wrested European territory away from England to the growing Kingdom of France, until all that remained were the Channel Islands. And so they remain today. The Bailiwick of Guernsey, like that of Jersey, is therefore a "Crown Dependency". They are not subject to the UK parliament or legislation or - crucially - taxation in any way, and were never part of the EU, but they cede control of defence and most international affairs to the UK. The rules of this arrangement are unwritten and all parties have shied away from testing them. Although Guernsey and Jersey share many similarities, they are as constitutionally separate from each other as they are from mainland Britain, and there is no political entity called the "Channel Islands".

Guernsey grew up as a fishing port but from 1700 found that smuggling paid better, as mainland taxes rose sharply. Even more lucrative was piracy (illegal) and privateering (much the same thing, but legal if it was against the King's enemies). The islands were occasionally fought over (for instance during the English Civil Wars), but more often they were heavily fortified against invasions that never came. One such phase was during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, another was during the German occupation of the Second World War. So as they were…

Get in

Entry regulations are the same as for Jersey, see Channel Islands#Get in.

See Alderney, Sark and Herm for routes to those islands. Unless you have your own boat, Herm is always reached via Guernsey. Reaching Alderney and Sark is usually so but they do have some connections to Jersey and the UK and French mainlands.

Get around

thumb | 400px | Castle Cornet Buses ply most of the island roads, all converging on St Peter Port, for a flat fare of £1.60, just pay contactless on bus. To tour around the island (e.g., to circumnavigate it on Routes 91 or 92) you need a Day Pass, one day for £10 or two for £11. There are three late night routes, to Bordeaux Harbour, Grandes Rocques and Pleinmont, flat fare £2.50. A Puffinpass is a pre-payment card for £15, topped up in multiples of £5.

Car hire is available at the airport from Hertz, Avis, Europcar and Hallmark. Best pre-book as their fleets are small and will sell out in peak periods.

Bike hire is available from Adventure Cycles. Other shops do sales and repairs but don't hire.

See

Guernsey Tapestry is now displayed within Castle Cornet. It's a millennium community project: each panel was embroidered by a different parish and depicts a century in the island's life. Royal Courthouse on St James St has housed the Bailiwick's courts since 1803, so you just admire the exterior. thumb | 300px | Hauteville House or "Ivy Castle" is what's left of a Norman moated castle. The ruin was re-fortified in the Napoleonic wars then again fell into ruin as the Governor's garden, a pigsty and liquor distillery. A bunker was built under German occupation. The surrounds are a nature reserve, accessible 24 hours. La Vallette Underground Military Museum is a collection of occupation memorabilia in wartime tunnels half a mile south of town. thumb | 300px | Sausmarez Manor The Little Chapel half a mile west of the underground hospital is an oddity, just 16 ft long by 9 ft wide, covered in a mosaic of seashells, pebbles, and broken china. Its creator Brother Déodat Antoine was aiming for something like Lourdes, but twice demolished his work as unsatisfactory; the third and present version was built 1923–1939. at the southeast tip of the island is about the best of many scenic clifftop strolls along the south and east coasts. It's an obvious defensive position and Jerbourg's structures range from the Neolithic to the occupation of World War II. is a small tidal island off L'Erée headland, reached by a 1300 ft (400 m) causeway at low tide. Lihou and L'Erée are a wetland natur…

Do

thumb | 300px | German Underground Hospital Beaches: over two dozen, those to the north and west being flat and sandy, those east rocky. The south has little coves beneath the cliffs, scenic (Renoir enjoyed painting them) but access is not as easy. West, looking towards Lihou island, are Rocquaine & Portelet Bay, L’Eree, Vazon Bay (which has surfing), Cobo Bay and Grandes Rocques. North are Port Soif (beware currents), Portinfer, Port Grat, Le Grande Havre, Chouet Bay, Ladies Bay, and Pembroke & L’Ancresse Bays - these latter are breezy and popular for windsurfing. East around St Peter Port are Bordeaux, Belle Greve Bay, Havelet, Soldiers Bay, Fermain Bay and Marble Bay (Le Pied du Mur). South around St Martin are Petit Port, Moulin Huet, Saints Bay, Le Jaonnet Bay (the trickiest to access) and Petit Bot. Dogs are not allowed May-Sept on Fermain, Petit Bot, L’Eree, northern end of Vazon, Port Soif, Cobo, and L’Ancresse & Pembroke. Golf: Royal Guernsey GC and L'Ancresse share a course at the north tip of the island. Golf19 is part of St Pierre Park Hotel. La Grande Mare on Vazon Bay is part of that hotel. Live arts: St James Centre is on College St in St Peter Port. Princess Royal Centre is two miles northwest on St Ozouets Rd. Cinema: those in St Peter Port remain closed in 2022. Mallard Cinema is just south of the airport. Work or study: see Channel Islands#Work as the two Bailiwicks have similar regulations.

Buy

Money: The Guernsey pound is on parity with British pound sterling. Notes from Jersey, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man are also accepted in Guernsey. Guernsey pounds are not accepted in the UK, so change them for UK pounds before leaving the islands, although they can be paid in over the counter at British banks. Cash machines may offer a choice of which local or Sterling currency.

Eat

Cream teas are a Guernsey tradition, to take to the beach or eat in. The many outlets include Victoria Cafe in Candie Gardens, the kiosks in Saint's Bay, Port Soif or Portelet Bay (this one is more accessible for wheelchair users); or splurge at Old Government House Hotel. St Peter Port options also include Pier 17, Sawatdi, White Rock Cafe and Le Petit Bistro. Out of town try The Rockmount at Cobo Bay or Crabby Jack's at Vazon Bay, for sunset dining. On the east coast, which is better early in the day, is Fermain Beach Cafe.

Drink

thumb | 300px | Renoir painted Guernsey beach life The waterfront in St Peter Port is the main strip of pubs. Wheadon's Gin is a London-style dry gin from a micro distillery within Bella Luce Hotel. They offer tours and tastings Wednesday & Friday at 6PM, £20, booking essential, . Guernsey doesn't have a vineyard but has two breweries, both on St Georges Esplanade in St Peter Port: Randalls, and White Rock which is also a gin distillery. Tours possible, enquire locally.

Sleep

thumb | 300px | Fort Grey thumb | 300px | Farmhouse on Lihou St Peter Port other hotels include Yacht Inn (more like a sports bar with rooms), Pandora, Ziggurat and La Piette. Out of town hotels are mostly along the sandy western beaches. They include Cobo Bay, Driftwood Inn and The Imperial. La Grande Mare golf resort has not re-opened as of Oct 2024. are self-catering cottages at Camps du Moulin, St Martin's. Campsites are mostly to the north, at La Bailloterie, Vaugrat, Fauxquets Valley and Guernsey Glamping.

Respect

Don't refer to the UK as "The mainland" when in Guernsey. The UK is not the mainland of Guernsey.