Guernsey is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. It lies roughly north of St Malo and to the west of the Cotentin Peninsula. With several smaller nearby islands, it forms a jurisdiction within the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency. The jurisdiction is made up of ten parishes on the island of Guernsey, three other inhabited islands (Herm, Jethou and Lihou), and many small islets and rocks. The jurisdiction is not part of the United Kingdom, although defence and most foreign relations are handled by the British Government.
The entire jurisdiction lies within the Common Travel Area of the British Isles and is not a member of the European Union, but has a special relationship with it, being treated as part of the European Community with access to the single market for the purposes of free trade in goods. Taken together with the separate jurisdictions of Alderney and Sark it forms the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The two Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey together form the geographical grouping known as the Channel Islands.
Tourism : Guernsey has been a tourist destination since at least the Victorian days, with the first tourist guide published in 1834. In the 19th Century, two rail companies (London and South Western Railway and Great Western Railway) ran competing boats from the UK mainland to St Peter Port, with a race to the only convenient berth. This was halted with the sinking of the SS Stella in 1899. Guernsey enters Britain in Bloom with St Martin Parish winning the small town category twice in 2006 and 2011, Saint Peter Port winning the large coastal category in 2014 and St Peter’s winning the small coastal prize in 2015. Herm has won Britain in Bloom categories several times: in 2002, 2008, and 2012, Herm won the Britain in Bloom Gold Award.
Acces : Coordinates: 49.4728, -2.5498 / Guernsey is located in the English Channel, off the coast of Normandy / By air : Flights to Guernsey from London Gatwick take only 45 minutes, with those from regional airports taking upwards of 30 minutes. Regular flights operate from major UK airports all year round, as well as some seasonal services from destinations further afield. By ferry : Ferries to Guernsey from the UK cross from Poole, taking around three hours. also seasonal ferries to and from Dielette, Granville and Barneville-Carteret on the Normandy coast of France ( island hopping day trips is available from Guernsey to Herm, Sark, Alderney and Jersey.)
The military history of the island has left a number of fortifications, including Castle Cornet, Fort Grey. Guernsey loophole towers and a large collection of German fortifications with a number of museums. The use of the roadstead in front of St Peter Port by over 100 cruise ships a year is bringing over 100,000 day trip passengers to the island each year
Attractions :
- BAIE DE LA JAONNEUSE ( A small cove at the north of Guernsey, near to Pembroke.)
- BATTERIE DOLLMAN GUN PIT ( Restored battery gun pit that houses the last of its type in Europe. ) Baie de Port Grat , The island’s beaches , Castle Cornet , Chateau des Marais ,Clarence Battery , Fort Doyle ,Fort Grey , Fort Hommet Gun Casemate Bunker , Fort Hommet Headland. Fort Le Marchant , Gate House Gallery , German military underground hospital ,German naval Signal HQ , German Occupation Museum ,Guernsey Museum at Candie, The Guille-Alles Library’,
- Jerbourg Peninsula ( Stunning views over the other islands and the French coast ) L’Ancresse Common ,La Claire Mare ( natural area of Guernsey’s west coast with reed beds, ponds, public hide, salt marsh and orchid meadows, also including Colin Best Nature Reserve and Les Anguillieres Marine Nature Reserve ) La Valette bathing pools , La Varde Passage Grave ( large and impressive megalithic structure ) Le Creux es Faies Passage Tomb ( Megalithic passage tomb )
- Le Gouffre ( breathtaking views of the south coast ) Le Trepied Megalithic Burial Chamber ( Passage Grave ) National Trust of Guernsey Folk & Costume Museum ,Pleinmont Observation Tower ,Priaulx Library ,Princess Royal Centre for Performing Arts ,Rousse Tower (loop-holed tower),Sausmarez Manor ,Table des Pions – The Fairy Ring ,The Guernsey Diamond Museum , The Little Chapel ( the smallest chapel in the world ) ,Vale Castle , Victor Hugo House ,Victoria Tower ,
- Clarence Battery : A Historic battery within a fort on the cliffs above the southern entrances to St Peter Port
Activities : Guernsey photo tours , Guided Walks , Daily coach trips , Island Taxi Tours , Meadow Court Farm Tours , rock-climbing,cycling, scuba-diving, kayaking, surfing, windsurfing and sailing ,boat trips around the island .
Go next : Jersey is the largest and southernmost of the Channel Islands. / Normandy
