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Surfing The ChannelThe Islands of the English Channelby Valerie SummersThe unique flavor of the Channel Islands incorporates British accents, French names and German bunkers. During the course of history, these islands have been a part of or occupied by these three nations. Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Miserables during his island exile called the Channel Islands “pieces of France which fell into the sea and were gathered up by England.” The largest, Jersey, still known for its dairy cows and once renowned for its knitwear, is now most distinguished as an international finance center. The monetary climate on Jersey is rarified. If you think getting into an exclusive organization is difficult, try becoming a resident of the island. Restrictions on the rival island of Guernsey, also famous for its cows, are not as severe. One does not have to be quite as wealthy to apply. Nearby, the tiny island of Sark, with its 591 residents, in contrast, offers a haven to escapees from the modern, materialistic world.
Next morning I began investigating the island’s attractions. My first stop, the world famous Jersey Zoo is not a zoo at all but is correctly named the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. Founded by Gerald Durrell, it is devoted to the protection and breeding of endangered species and their habitats. His legacy is concentrated in the 31 acres of landscaped grounds in Trinity where the zoo opened in the spring of 1959. His dream lives on in this wildlife haven where bears, orangutans, gorilla, golden lion tamartins and red footed tortoise roam in splendidly kept habitats. Volunteers and staff carry on Durell’s tradition of love, kindness and caring for these endangered creatures. My guide, celebrating 10 years as a volunteer, proudly showed me around, addressing many of the animals by name in the same tone as one would speak to a child. Famous for their love of flowers and gardens Brits at the Trust, have made life more beautiful both for the inhabitants and its visitors. Throughout my drives through the countryside, past medieval castles, green pastures, wooded valleys and flower filled gardens, German bunkers marred the idyllic setting. A tour of the German Underground Hospital in St. Lawrence, was at once an amazing engineering fete and a woeful trip into the nightmare of World War II. The complex of tunnels was planned as an artillery barracks to service long range and anti- aircraft guns situated on the high ground all around the complex. Inside, photographs lined the walls, a rare wartime film presentation was shown and constant reminders of the nazi occupation assaulted my senses.
I celebrated my last night in Jersey at the Michelin starred dining room of the Longueville Manor, a 13th century Norman manor house, converted into one of Europe’s most celebrated hotels. Before dining, I strolled through the hotels 15 acres of exquisite grounds, past the walled kitchen gardens and Victorian glasshouses where fruits, vegetables and herbs were being grown, assuring only the best and freshest for use in the kitchen. Upon entering the dining room, I immediately knew that choices were going to be difficult. Whether to dine in the sumptuous oak paneled room or the airy Garden Room became my first dilemma. The wine list was one of the most extensive I have seen, but the Master Sommelier made the selections easier. The tantalizing menu made me want to order one of everything but I decided on Grilled Jersey seabass with aromatic noodles, globe artichoke and French beans. Our meal continued with a presentation of more than 40 cheeses, aptly described by the restaurant’s resident cheese expert and concluded with a sinful dark chocolate and roast almond soufflé and a toast from the host inviting us to come back. Next morning I took a short flight to Guernsey via Aurigny Airlines in a plane that reminded me of a large yellow grasshopper. I checked into my comfortable room at the historic Old Government House Hotel . Built in the early 1700s originally as a grand residence in St. Peter Port, the Guernsey Government bought it in 1796. It became a permanent Government house for the Bailiwick which includes the islands of Alderney, Herm and Sark. For the next 46 years, successive Governors resided there until, in 1857, when John Gardner bought it and converted it into a hotel. Today, expanded and refurbished, it retains its old world charm with modern day conveniences. As I breakfasted in the stunning dining room I enjoyed an added bonus of a view of the coast of France. Eager to explore the island, my first stop took me to Hauteville House, where Victor Hugo lived for 15 years. The beauty of the island inspired Victor Hugo to pen Toilers of the Sea and complete the classic Les Miserables while in exile. In a guided tour through the elaborately and uniquely decorated house, I learned that Hugo’s ego was as big as his talent. Throughout the house, under Hugo’s direction, dinner plates appear on the ceiling and chairs stuck out of walls creating a unique decor. Everywhere his initials were carved or painted. The house remains much the same as when he lived there. I headed down the hill towards the commercial area of St. Peter Port and walked the cobbled streets and fancy boutiques and restaurants which line them. I discovered a charming waterfront walking town filled with history. This, the capital of Guernsey, enjoyed a great surge of development in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Many town houses and public building erected in the Georgian and Regency-style, make it one of the most picturesque towns in the British Isles.
Arts and crafts are abundant on the island and I enjoyed touring the workshops of the gold and silversmiths, woodcarvers, candlemakers, clockmakers and its famous knitwear weavers. The Little Chapel on the grounds of Les Vauxbelets College, built by the monk, Deodat, who decorated his miniature creation with thousands of pieces of broken china, produced one of the most outlandish mosaics I have ever seen. In opposition, reminders of the war were evident in the German Occupation Museum, the La Valette Underground Military Museum, the Underground Hospital at St. Andrews and several military towers and observation posts strategically placed throughout the island.
Life does not get much more secluded and idyllic than on Sark. A pleasant bike ride, a brief journey in a vintage horse drawn barouche or stroll down the undulating country road leads to the even more secluded Little Sark. To get there, one must first cross La Coupee, a narrow isthmus, with cliffs plunging down 250 feet to the sea, leading to the enchanting La Sablonnerie. This remote hotel and restaurant, formerly a 400 year old farmhouse, offers romantic, individually decorated guest rooms set amidst abundant gardens. Meals generally begin in the cozy bar where canapés are served to accompany a before meal drink. The extensive menu features the tenderest and freshest of lobster, oysters, and a variety of fish served with just picked vegetables, potatoes so delicious, they could be dessert and butter the color of papaya. Lamb and duck, fine cheeses and luscious sweets rounded out the bill of fare. The dramatic beauty of Sark offers unending opportunities for the artist, the nature lover and those seeking quiet, private times along country roads and quiet sandy beaches. To visit Sark is to experience a taste of bygone days. To live there one permanently steps back to a time untouched by the 21st century. The islands of the English Channel offer a respite from hectic city life. The pace is gentle and the surroundings, spectacular. Flora enthusiasts are enchanted by the woods, formal gardens and fields of wildflowers. History buffs may revisit WWII by way of its very visible reminders. The islands are a special piece of heaven…not quite French and not all English, but a charming blend of the best of both. For information: British Airways Jersey Tourism La Sablonnerie Hotel Longueville Manor Channel Islands Old Government House Hotel Sark Tourist Office States of Guernsey Tourist Board The Atlantic Hotel | |
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My visit to these three islands began in London where I boarded a British Airways flight to Jersey. My initial impression, as I drove to my hotel, seemed that life was easy and slow paced on the island. I arrived at the Atlantic Hotel a three story rambling white structure fronted by a koi pond and overlooking the Channel. The inviting bright and airy lobby provided comfortable seating arrangements scattered throughout. From the small balcony of my spacious, elegantly appointed room, I viewed expansive lawns, stately trees and colorful flowers surrounding a free form swimming pool. Later, I joined friends for dinner in the hotel dining room where the ambience, excellent service and exquisite cuisine of this Small Luxury Hotel dining room left nothing to be desired. I feasted on Gressingham duck with braised shallots and daringly topped my meal off with a luscious hot coconut and lemon soufflé with coconut ice cream. Sated and content, I knew my stay would allow me to easily slip into the island’s relaxed tempo.
On a more tranquil note, The Jersey Walking Experience featured free guided walks through St. Catherine’s Woods, a two hour hike through woodlands, along Green Lanes and the seashore. Other options included a leisurely stroll around the little nature reserve of La Mielle de Morville, a special treat for bird watchers and orchid lovers or a coastal ramble with stunning ocean views. The delightful and knowledgeable guide made it a special treat. 
Out of the countryside, driving along the shore and siting the picture postcard Elizabeth Castle, I arrived at the island’s main town of St. Helier. I wandered the streets lined with all sorts of enticing shopping opportunities. Among them was one of the most attractive Farmer’s Markets anywhere replete with fresh fish, produce and flowers. Just off the main promenade, Royal Square, housing government buildings, offered a tranquil respite. In sharp contrast to the relaxed lifestyle of Jersey, a focal point of the city, Phillip Jackson’s life sized Liberation statue in St. Helier’s Liberation Square and the Occupation Museum were additional reminders of German occupation. Across the street, next door to the hands on Maritime Museum, the handmade Occupation Tapestry depicts life during the war years. Fortunately, Jersey has returned to a place of peace and beauty.
A short walk along the marina, the landmark Castle Cornet, dating from the 12th century, is one of the island’s main tourist attractions. Protecting the St. Peter Port harbor, the invincible fortress resisted attack from several Gaelic onslaught s over the centuries. During a civil war in the 1600s the Castle hurled more than 10,000 cannon shots into the town until surrendering. This was the last Royalist fortress in the British Isles to yield to the Parliamentarians. During the Occupation of 1940-45, the Germans maintained Castle Cornet as a fortress and added massive gun emplacements and other fortifications built for Hitler’s “Atlantic Wall.” The Hatton Gallery of historic paintings, the Maritime Museum, the Armory and among the castles most visited attractions. A noonday canon firing by crimson jacketed guardsmen brought a crowd of onlookers.
Guernsey could well be called the Island of Flowers for they grow in abundance, both fields of wildflowers and in manicured gardens. The west coast boasts fields of Orchids and the island is also famous for its freesias. One of the loveliest gardens is at the Sausmarez Manor, where Peter de Sausmarez took me on a guided tour of the woodland gardens and sculpture trail. I strolled by a small lake, down paths lined with the vibrant colors of giant rhododendrons. Sculptures, both fanciful and classical, both large and small dotted the garden creating an artistic blending of art and nature. Visitors sat beneath umbrellas sipping refreshing drinks on a small terrace overlooking the lake. The island’s’ only stately home, Sausmarez Manor, has been the seat of the de Sausmarez family for more than 750 years. A tour through the house evoked the feeling of the life and times of this prestigious family with portraits, period furnishings and an extensive doll house collection. 
Early the next morning I boarded the ferry bound for the island of Sark. Just 22 miles west of the Normandy coast of France, lies the smallest and most unspoiled of the major Channel Islands. Approaching the island of Sark by ferry, one small area permitted access to the island, reachable only by boat. Once at the top, the scenery did an amazing about face. I encountered a wooded countryside rich with lush foliage, trees, blue, white and yellow wild flowers and a welcoming atmosphere. Although all Sarkees speak English, for many years, they spoke Norman-French patois, now a dying language. The sea air was invigorating and fresh is an inadequate term for describing the food of Sark which is picked, churned or caught daily. The pace is leisurely and everyone appeared robust and relaxed. The 591 members of the self sufficient population of the island include three teachers, one doctor, many artisans and conservationists with no lawyers or accountants. Modes of transportation consist of bicycles, horse drawn carts and walking. As one resident commented. “You don’t wait around for someone else to get something done here. There is no someone else.”
I, along with other visitors and residents reveled in nature and enjoyed wandering through the flower filled walled gardens of the 17th century Seigneurie which Michael Beaumont, the Seigneur who rules Sark today, calls home. The charming Beaumont, formerly a guided weapons engineer with the British Aircraft Corporation, now resides in a manor house filled with photographs of royalty and dignitaries who have visited the island. The island is the smallest community with its own legislature under the crown.