Channel Islands Honeymoon
Although
they lie just off the coast of France, the tiny Channel Islands are
British at heart—even though they're not really part of the United
Kingdom, but self-governing Crown dependencies. It's not just the
confluence of the French and British cultures that makes the Channel
Islands an intriguing honeymoon destination, though. It's also the
castles and lighthouses; hundreds of warm, sandy beaches; miles of
hiking and biking trails; horse-drawn carriages on car-free roads;
fortifications and underground tunnels left over from the German
occupation; lavish floral gardens and hundreds of varieties of
wildflowers; opera and art . . . we could go on, but you get the idea.
Read on for more specifics.
Is this honeymoon
idea for you?
Yes, if you’re interested in visiting a place
where British and French influences have created a
unique culture. Lots of interesting history (castles,
World War II bunkers, Neolithic burial sites, Victor
Hugo's home) and natural beauty (tons of flowers,
beaches, and dramatic cliffs) also make this an
attractive honeymoon destination. But if you're
looking for high adventure, city lights, or lots to do,
you may need to look elsewhere.
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Jersey
Avenue du Petit Mont . .
. Douet de la Mer . . . Jardin d'livet . . . . Perusing placenames
around Jersey, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was part of France. It
is, after all, only fourteen miles from the French coast. But although
Jersey retains much of its French heritage in Norman-style farmhouses,
narrow country lanes and French cuisine, Jersey just celebrated one
thousand years of allegiance to the British crown.
Guernsey
Riots of colorful flowers, the
picturesque streets of St. Peter Port, fine dining and music, historic
castles and forts, and sandy beaches and seaside cliffs—all in 25 square
miles—make Guernsey well worth considering as your honeymoon
destination.
Herm
This tiny island is leased, in its
entirety, by Adrian and Penny Heyworth from the States of Guernsey. At
just a mile and a half long by a mile wide, Herm boasts of having "no
cars, no crowds and definitely no stress." What it does have are several
restaurants, a tiny church, "self-catering" cottages for rent, a
campground, and a 40-room hotel, the WhiteHouse. Rolling fields, woods,
and sandy beaches are the island's main attractions.
Sark
Dramatic cliffs rising 350 feet
above the sea, abundant wildflowers and wildlife, freshly caught
seafood, and a total lack of automobiles—these are the highlights of
Sark, the smallest independent feudal state in Europe and one of the
smallest Channel Islands. At just three miles long by a mile and a half
wide, the island’s 500 or so residents get around on bicycle or foot,
while tourists often hire one of the many horse-drawn carriages
available for hire.
Alderney
The cobbled streets of St. Anne's and
sandy (but not crowded) beaches are among Alderney's many attractions.
"Unlike the other Channel Islands, Alderney as not been affected by
mainstream tourism," the Alderney tourism website boasts. Visit them for
more information on
Alderney.
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When we checked Channel Islands
websites, lodging ranged from about £4.50 per night (for a tent
campsite) to £950 per night for the most expensive accommodations, with
good hotel rooms and bed and breakfast inns running about £100 and up.
(At the time of this writing, $1.83 US = £1.00 GBP; check the currency
converters on our travel tools
page for current exchange rates) Airfare from New York City/Newark
varied widely depending on the season—more than $1000 per person during
the summer, but less than $500 per person during the winter.
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Surfing the Channel: The Islands of the English Channel
Valerie Summers recounts her trip to Jersey,
Guernsey, and Sark. Probably the best travel article about the Channel
Islands on the web. Includes pictures.
Giving peace a chance
Jim Keeble of the London
Telegraph finds cobblestone streets lined by quaint shops and a bit
of peace and quiet in Jersey, Guernsey, and Herm.
Channel
hopping
Donald Telfer paints a picture
of the Channel Islands with words. About St. Peter Port (Guernsey): "The
town rises gloriously from the harbour, its Roman arches, coloured
granite buildings and narrow medieval streets and passageways casting a
tall, dark and handsome backdrop to the sea."
The Lovely Channel Island of Alderney
Also read about this destination
on the web's best travel destination guides (Frommers, Rough Guides,
Lonely Planet, etc.), which you'll find on our
destinations guides
page.
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Your honeymoon story
Have you done this trip (whether on
your honeymoon or other travel)? We'd love to hear about your experience
so we can share it with others . . . just
drop us a line.
Last Updated:
August 18, 2004 |
