This is Guernsey...

‘Picturesque' is the word for the little island of Guernsey. Arriving by ferry, the town of St Peter Port opens up to view. Pastel coloured buildings climb away from the sea, jostling together in narrow cobbled streets. Boats fill the harbour; the fish market sells fish. Castle Cornet, in the main a creation of Henry VIII, stands sentinel on a tiny island: once a bastion of Royalist support in the face of Parliamentarian Guernsey, it is now reached by a long granite pier, haunt of small boys and amateur fishermen.

This is Guernsey, English speaking, yet some people still speak Guernsiaise, a patois based on the French spoken in the Middle Ages.



A short climb up a quiet street devoid of traffic leads to Hauteville House, Victor Hugo's sanctuary for 15 years after he fled France. The walls and ceilings are covered with carpets; furniture of dark, intricately carved wood is integral with the building. One ceiling is lined with ceramics; another room with tiles. The darkroom is hidden in a cupboard. The winter garden is a conservatory with inspirational views of the islands. A glass eyrie at the top is where this literary giant wrote, standing at a writing desk.

It was here that he wrote several of his most famous works: notably ‘Les Miserables' and the work he devoted to the people of Guernsey, ‘The Toilers of the Sea': "I dedicate this book to the rock of hospitality, to this corner of old Norman land where resides the noble little people of the sea, to the Island of Guernsey, severe and yet gentle...".

Guernsey's harsh, rugged cliffs, combined with gentle inland scenery; hidden coves and sandy beaches; a profusion of plant life growing abundantly in a mild climate; gentle, friendly people. Inspirational. Picturesque. Inviting.