Saint Malo Marina

Jersey shores are a real eye-catcher

WITH the island nestling just 14 miles off the French coast in the bay of St Malo, visitors to Jersey could be forgiven for thinking they are actually in France.

Virtually every hamlet and every street has French names. But the allegiance of residents to the United Kingdom is evident at every turn, not least the spectacular statue of islanders waving the Union Jack in Liberation Square in the main town of St Helier to commemorate its release from the bondage of the invading German army in May 1945.

My first visit to this beautiful island just nine miles long and five wide was all too short.

One can easily understand why it is a popular destination for UK visitors wanting to enjoy some sunshine in the summer yet not wanting to travel too far from home.

Daffodils were in full bloom, blossom on the trees and early Jersey potatoes were being harvested on my two-day break in early March, flying from Inverness via Gatwick and onwards to St Helier.

The earlier onset of spring in Jersey was evidence enough that the island was moving swiftly towards a summer which boasts average temperatures of 20C - just the sort of weather where young families can enjoy the delights of a traditional seaside holiday and for the elderly and middle-aged tourists to sit back and take life at a gentler pace.

A hired car got us round most of the island during our short stay. But a reliable and inexpensive island bus service is an option.

The maximum speed limit is 40mph. It is not a place you would want to drive at speed anyway. There is so much to take the eye with historic buildings, contrasting architecture and stunning coastline.

The island has 360 miles of roadway and 100 miles of designated cycle routes.

Of its resident population of 90,500, 50 per cent are native islanders, 30 per cent British and 20 per cent other nationalities.

Apart from the beauty and contrasts of its spectacular coastline, which provides ample opportunity for those who like to explore on foot, the island is awash with history of conflicts from Norman times through to Napoleonic times and the German occupation during the World War II.

It was fascinating to find fortifications at strategic coastal promontories, used to repel invaders, beside modern day defences constructed by the invading German army using forced and slave labour.

The story of that period of Jersey's history is best told at the Jersey War Tunnels, just a few miles from St Helier. Constructed between 1941 and 1945, the tunnels were excavated as a bombproof storage and repair facility before being transformed into a hospital.

Oceania Marina Europe Cruise – Part 4 | Cruise Passenger

Since my last blog we’ve visited the famous port city of St. Malo, the historic village of Dinan, the French capital of Paris….and had a bit of a high seas drama. Not bad in a couple of days, eh?

First St. Malo and Dinan……after a morning at sea and a bit of a late arrival, we went on a shore excursion to an extremely old and famous village in Brittany called Dinan. The old quarter is housed inside the ramparts of castle walls, and to say there’s a photo op on virtually every corner you turn isn’t an understatement. We walked its narrow, cobbled streets, browsed at its art galleries and souvenir shops, had coffee, and marvelled at the architecture and churches.

Back in St. Malo hours later, it was fast approaching 6pm and we had a few hours to explore this fascinating walled medieval city perched on the Atlantic, and the top tourist site in Brittany (according to our guide earlier). Also picturesque, we walked its impressive ramparts end to end, offering views of the off shore islands, the ship at anchor outside the harbour and the expanse of the ocean beyond.

It’s rugged and exposed – we saw photographs in a shop which showed how big the surf can get here also, projecting wildly beyond the city walls. Eventually a combination of cold and fatigue got the better of us, so we took a tender back to the ship and enjoyed the view from afar.

Our next port of call was Honfleur, near Le Havre, and from there we took a long, full-day excursion to Paris…another trip down memory lane for Ben and me, as one of the last places we visited before moving back to Australia just over 13 years ago. It was a bit of a gamble to go…..a long bus ride there and back and a quick fire tour of one or Europe’s most expansive, impressive and grandiose cities, but it was well worth the effort.

We started with a bus ride through the green and pretty Normandy countryside, just shy of three hours including a “comfort” stop about half an hour outside of the city. Arriving around 11.30 we then saw some of the sights….unfortunately it was drive-by only – no op to stop – but for those who hadn’t been to Paris before they got to see Notre Dam, the Eiffel Tower, Place de Vendome and some other famous landmarks before being dropped off for an hour and 15 minutes of free time.

We were in the area of the Paris Opera, so headed for a simple cafe for a classic baguette with chicken and salad, and then explored the area briefly before heading back to the bus for some more landmark sightseeing. This time, however, the driver negotiated a couple of stops, one at the Place de Concorde and the other briefly at a spot which affords a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower – it was only for five minutes, but we got the shots and everyone seemed happy enough.

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