In
Jersey we stay for a week at the Hotel Le Charrieres
in the middle of the island near the town of St
Peter. From here we explore the island whose size belies its
variety of scenery. Enjoy sunny days, miles of golden beaches,
dramatic cliff scenery and rocky coves. Jersey is located just off
the coast of France in the English Channel - it seems like England
but with a taste of France.
.........................................................................................................................................................
Itinerary: Each
day our tour goes to some of the interesting and historic
highlights
and also includes a scenic drive to see Jersey's flower-filled
villages, golden beaches and rugged coasts.
Saturday: Arrive by air from London and transfer to
the hotel in time for dinner.
Sunday: Today's tour follows Jersey's spectacular
coastline which includes St. Brelade's bay, the rugged
north coast, Corbiere, St. Ouens, Gorey Harbour and Mont Orguiel,
We visit Mount Orgueil Castle which
dates back to the prehistoric period. Construction of the castle was undertaken in 1204 and was saved from
demolition by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1600. The castlewas then used as a prison where agitators from England
were sent
until in the 1700's it was in such ruins that it was unsuitable for either a prison or military barracks. Used
by German occupiers during WWII modern fortifications and camouflage
were added. It was then
handed over to the Jersey Heritage Trust
and has been restored.
Later in the day we see
Elizabeth Castle which was built in the 16th century when Sir
Walter Raleigh was Governor of Jersey. The castle is where an
exiled Charles II gave land- in the 'new territories'- to the
Governor
for Jersey's loyalty during the English Civil War. It is
now NEW JERSEY !!
Gronez Castle - On the cliffs
on the north west coast are the ruins of this 14th century
castle. A short stroll
further along the cliffs is an observation tower built during the
Nazi occupation. A little further along and you
will see a rock formation known as Le Pinacle. This rock
formation was a site of ritual worship during neolithic times.
You can often pick up Neolithic arrow heads on the nearby
excavation spoil heap.
Monday: An
interesting visit to the Jersey
War Tunnels. This is a
thought provoking place where prisoners laboured in slave-like
conditions to build tunnels. Originally designed to protect the
occupying Nazis during
WWII and, as D-Day approached as a hospital for military
casualties, it was never used for it's intended
purposes. Walk the tunnels which were once trodden by German
soldiers; discover what the Occupation was like from the
perspective of all those who lived through it; visit the War
Trail to see how nature is reclaiming land
once used as an artillery battery.
St. Matthew's Church or as it is popularly known The Glass
Church was created by René Lalique of Paris and is considered
to be one of the the finest examples of his work in Europe.
Tuesday: We have a full day in the capital,
St Helier starting with a visit to the Jersey Museum. This
award-winning local museum mixes modern interactive displays
with exhibits that tell the story of Jersey’s
past. Special exhibitions are held throughout the year and a
section of the building has been restored to show the house of a
wealthy shipbuilding family in the 18th and 19th centuries. The
Maritime Museum takes the sea
and Jersey's central relationship with it as its theme. The
museum has attracted widespread deserved
acclaim for its emphasis on ‘learning through doing’ –
visitors are not only allowed to touch the exhibits they
are encouraged to.
Wednesday: Today is a free day - an excursion to
Guernsey or Sark may be organised.
Thursday: We visit the Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust. Although
still called Jersey Zoo by many
islanders, this is a misrepresentation. It's raison
d'être is the conservation of endangered species.
Later in the day we have a tour through the vines, orchard and
the distillery followed by a tasting of La Mare's Jersey wines
and the famous Jersey Apple Brandy.
Friday: First to St. Saviour's Church, the birth and
resting place of the Jersey Lily - Lillie Langtry.
Samares Manor is a beautiful house, dating in part to Norman
times, surrounded by exceptional gardens
originally constructed in the 1920s by Sir James Knott.
The Japanese Garden, rock and water gardens,
formal gardens, large ponds with islands and camellia
plantations are the result of his passion. Talks on
herbs and their uses take place each week day and there is a
plant trail. Current projects include the recently designed
exotics garden which contains many exuberant plants, the hot
garden of Mediterranean style,
and the introduction of field walks through areas set aside for
wild flowers.
Hamptonne Country Life Museum
has faithfully restored houses from the 17th and 18th
Century,
Hamptonne is a window on island history and is brought to
life by the 'goodwyf', one of the Living History Characters.
Saturday: Depart on a flight back to London..
Cost per person: (based on
double occupancy) 899 GBP (Great
Britain pounds)
Single Supplement: no supplement (based on availability)
Extra charges for admissions to museums approximately 50 GBP
Includes flight from London Gatwick to Jersey return. Deduct 149
GBP for no flight.
|
| |
We stay for seven
nights at: Le Charrieres Country Hotel. It is
located in beautiful, quiet countryside in the centre of the
island near
the town of St Peter. Facilities include an indoor pool, spa
pool,
gym and sauna. The hotel has 41 rooms with private bath. |
