Andy Mossack revisits Jersey to join in the celebrations of Jersey 80 years on from Liberation.
“The need to record overcame the need to forget,” said Sir Phillippe Bailhache, bailiff of Jersey in a short film about the German occupation during WW2. I was watching at the Maritime Museum & Occupation Tapestry Gallery in Jersey’s capital St. Helier.
It was a telling statement for me, because like many people perhaps, I knew very little about what life was really like during the five years Nazi Germany occupied the Channel Islands.
I genuinely thought it was something of a soft posting for the Germans stationed here when compared to the alternative of fighting on the Russian front. But the reality was quite different. Being only 12 miles from the French coast at Cherbourg while still close to the UK, the island was of immense strategic value to Hitler. So much so he sent crack troops from the 216th Infantry Division to hold it, some 27,000 men, and built heavy gun positions and some 1,200 bunkers, as a key part of his Atlantic Wall defence.
It was mainly constructed by thousands of forced labourers imported from eastern Europe and Russia.
Add to all this the regular incoming fire from Allied ships and planes in the English Channel and you begin to see life here was not easy for the islanders. Anyone not born on the island was considered illegal and most were deported to camps in Europe.
After the surrender, 65,000 mines and 20,000 tonnes of ammunition had to be dealt with. Some of the naval guns were so large they had to be dumped into the sea. 1,600 German prisoners were kept on the island to help clear it all away.
Phil Marret who runs Jersey War Tours with Kimberley Bichard told me while guiding me around the cavernous St Catherine’s bunker “to be honest, as kids we didn’t know how difficult life was here during the occupation. These bunkers were just great places for us to explore and play in”,
And that was the issue for the older Jersey generation. Another quote from the film – “Liberation Day was seen by many young islanders as just a day to have a party and drink a lot”.
The quite beautiful Occupation Tapestry created by islanders to mark the 50th anniversary of the Liberation (made using over 7.5 million stiches) was the turning point and seen as the right time to give young islanders a better insight into the island’s wartime history. The Gallery does a great job offering a fascinating insight into life under German rule.
Of course, the famous Jersey War Tunnels are always a must see for any visitor, it’s the best-preserved example of the occupation. And it’s good the Island also recognises the enormous pain and suffering the forced labourers endured here while building this and other fortifications, and you’ll find numerous memorials to them around the island.
This year Jersey is 80 Years on from Liberation and it’s come a long way since 1945. It may be small, but it still offers visitors, hikers, bikers, outdoor nature lovers, history buffs or just plain holidaymakers, an enormous opportunity to enjoy a break whatever the budget. .
Your TripReporter team has written many Jersey guides over the last few years, but we still find new things worth sharing. I was last in Jersey in 2018, so a catch up was long overdue. And catch up I did, so enjoy the ride!
To the South and West
This is where you’ll find Jersey’s best beaches. The natural vastness of St. Ouens Bay with its endless golden beach and the wild sand dunes of Les Mielles Nature Reserve. There are plenty of beach cafes along here, including Sands (great for breakfast and brunch) run by Joe Davies a former professional surfer, and Le Braye Bistro run by the Baker family for over 10 years.
If you want a taste of Middle Earth, you need to see La Corbière Lighthouse. Perched on the tip of Jersey’s south-west corner, it has sat on this tidal island for over 150 years and is only accessible at low tide. But once the sea departs in the morning, you can walk along the causeway and discover a landscape reminiscent of Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. Beware though, the tide starts to creep back around 3pm so don’t hang around too long or you shall not pass!
Just a few minutes further on the magnificent St. Brelade’s Bay appears. One of the island’s most popular beaches, it has all the amenities you’ll need to rent and there’s plenty of restaurants and cafes. The ancient St. Brelade’s Church is well worth a stop as is the Fisherman’s Chapel next to it. It was also used during the war as a German cemetery.
Eastward Ho!
Le Hougue Bie is a fascinating place. It is home to a neolithic passage grave considered to be one of the 10 oldest buildings in the world! If you are able, you can crawl through the tunnel to the burial chamber. There’s a medieval chapel on mound above it and a small museum documenting the incredible find by detectorists of a 2,000-year-old Celtic hoard of 70,000 coins and gold jewellery. There’s also a replica of a neolithic thatched longhouse built using only tools available during that period. You’ll also find a German bunker that chronicles the stories of numerous eastern European wartime labour workers.
Back to Phil at Jersey War Tours for my St. Catherine’s Bunker tour. It is an extraordinary walk through a giant fortification and tunnel complex that was literally blasted out of the cliff face. It had been converted into a fish farm for many years after the war before being taken back and restored as a piece of war history. Have a peer into some authentic bunker optics and see if you can spot any sea traffic, while on a clear day you can see the Normandy coast. There’s also a fearsome display of WW2 firepower you can handle safely and plenty of information about the strategic importance of this fortification.
Just opposite is something very different. Cole McLean runs the Sauna Society A wood-burning mobile sauna, 100% sustainable, parked by the water’s edge of St Catherine’s Breakwater. Book a session and enjoy a therapeutic sweat whilst gazing out to the sea from the huge picture window. You can pop out to the sea to cool off or spend time relaxing in a nearby deckchair. All you need is swimming gear and a towel. Genius.
Continue on down to the fishing port of Gorey where the magnificent Mont Orqueil Castle has been a silent sentinel overlooking the port for over 800 years. It is said to be one of the finest medieval castles still standing in the world. It’s another Game of Thrones moment wandering around the ancient halls and nooks and crannies. Walk up the stone steps to the top tower for a glorious view of the port and the ocean. Kids can roleplay dressing up in medieval costumes and storming those battlements!
The Rugged North
Jersey’s northern coastline is a veritable biker, hiker and walking heaven. Its towering clifftop trails offer up breathtaking vistas everywhere you look. For the more adventurous you can tackle some of the trickier paths down and discover some delightful hidden coves.
From the northwest tip at Grosnez Castle to the top of the east coast at Rozel Harbour the full north coast trail is a scintillating 15-mile trek for those of you who like a challenge. But there are many easy to follow circular walks along the northern way. This is mostly protected national park with nothing but wild heather, gorse and plenty of German fortifications to explore including the vast Battery Moltke.
Unmissable favourite local bays are Plémont Bay (large number of steps to beach) Grève de Lecq Beach, Bonne Nuit and Bouley Bay (home of scuba diving on Jersey).
St. Helier, the Capital.
Finally, don’t miss out exploring St. Helier. It is a busy capital but there are plenty of worthwhile places to visit. I’ve already mentioned the Maritime Museum & Occupation Tapestry Gallery, have look around the Central Market and Beresford Fish Market. The Jersey Museum, Art gallery and Victorian House are all in one place right next to the quite excellent The Yard café.
They say Jersey’s history has been shaped by the sea, and the sheer number of her ancient castles are evidence of that. They are magnificent, but so too is the island itself. The stunning sandy bays, the tiny, rugged coves, the inland scenery and the beautiful villages.
It never fails to seduce me.
Tell me more about Jersey 80 Years on from Liberation.
For more information on the places mentioned in Jersey 80 Years on from Liberation and much more please got to Visit Jersey the official tourist portal.
Heritage Pass
Save money with the Heritage Pass, offering free 7 day entry to all 12 Jersey Heritage site on the island, Adults 17-64 £48.85 Seniors 65+ £40.25 Cild/Student 6-17 £29.60 Family Pass ” adults 2 Children £134.15
Recommended Restaurants
Sands Beach Cafe Great for relaxed brunch by the beach.
The Driftwood Café Right on Archirondel Beach and owned by fishermen so expect excellent rod to plate.
The Moorings Hotel & Restaurant Right on Gorey harbour, a family-owned local favourite.
Salty Dog Café, Bar and Bistro Excellent south east Asian inspired resto in St.Aubin, Jersey’s foodie capital.
Le Braye Bistro Great resto for sunsets right on the immense St Ouen’s Bay. Also open for breakfast and dinner.
Where to Stay
Hotel Cristina is a lovely **** hotel perched high above St. Helier in St Lawrence. Fantastic views, excellent outdoor pool and the Indigo Restaurant there is also very good.
Airport Parking with APH
Airport Parking and Hotels offers a wide range of parking and overnight hotel stays at all major UK airports. One week of Meet & Greet airport parking at London Luton costs from just £69.99. For the latest prices and to book, call 01342 859442
