festivites
Jersey is a British Crown dependency located in the English Channel. Some of the festivities and holidays celebrated in Jersey include:
1. Liberation Day – May 9th:
Celebrates the end of German occupation during WWII. Islanders decorate their homes and public spaces with flags and bunting. Military bands and parades take place throughout the island, and people gather to honor war veterans.
2. Battle of Flowers – August:
A carnival-like event where floats decorated with flowers parade through St. Helier. It originated in 1902 as a celebration of the island's floral heritage and includes music, dancing, and fireworks.
3. La Fête dé Noué (Christmas) – December:
A festive period that starts in early December and culminates on Christmas Day. Celebrations include carol singing, traditional food, and drink, and the lighting of the town's Christmas tree. It also includes a Santa Parade, pantomimes, and live nativity scenes.
4. Jersey International Air Display – September:
The largest free airshow in Europe and attracts thousands of visitors each year. The skies above St. Aubin's Bay fill with military and civilian aircraft displays.
5. Jersey Boat Show – May:
A three-day event held at St Helier Marina showcasing boats and accessories with activities such as water sports demonstrations, live music, and entertainment.
6. St Helier Town Criterium – July:
A cycling race around the streets of St Helier, featuring local and international professionals.
These celebrations reflect Jersey's history, culture, and traditions, and provide opportunities for both locals and tourists to come together and enjoy the island's vibrant community spirit.
seasons
Jersey's tourist seasons are:
1. High Season: From mid-June to early September, with the peak in July and August. This is when the island has its warmest temperatures and most sunshine. It's recommended to book accommodation and activities in advance as they tend to fill up quickly during this time.
2. Shoulder Season: From April to mid-June and from early September to October. The weather is still pleasant but not as hot as in high season, and prices for accommodation and activities are typically lower. It's a good time to visit if you want to avoid crowds.
3. Low Season: From November to March. The weather is cooler and there is less daylight, but Jersey still has plenty to offer visitors, including winter walks, Christmas markets, and traditional events like the Battle of Flowers in August. Some attractions and accommodations may have reduced opening hours during this time, so it's worth checking in advance.
visa
Citizens of some countries may require a visa to visit Jersey, while citizens of other countries may be exempt from the visa requirement or may be eligible for a visa waiver program. Here are some special visa rules and approximate costs associated with visiting Jersey:
1. Visa-exempt countries: Citizens of certain countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and most EU member states, do not require a visa to enter Jersey for stays up to 6 months.
2. Non-visa-exempt countries: Citizens of other countries may require a visa to enter Jersey. They should contact the British Embassy or Consulate in their home country for information on how to apply for a visa. The cost of a standard visitor visa is £95 (approximately $125), while the cost of a long-term visitor visa is £361 (approximately $470).
3. Transit visas: Citizens of certain countries who are traveling through Jersey en route to another destination may require a transit visa. The cost of a transit visa is also £95.
It's important to note that visa rules and costs may vary depending on the individual's circumstances and nationality, so it's always best to check with the appropriate embassy or consulate for up-to-date information.
souvenirs
Some popular souvenirs to buy from Jersey include:
1. Jersey black butter - a traditional conserve made with apples, liquorice, and spices (average price: £4-£8). It can be purchased at most supermarkets or souvenir shops on the island.
2. Jersey pottery - handmade ceramics often featuring local designs such as cows or seashells (average price: £20-£50). The main places to purchase pottery are the Jersey Pottery and Le Moulin de Lecq.
3. La Mare Wine Estate products - locally produced chocolates, fudge, and alcohol, including apple brandy and cream liqueur (average price: £5-£25). Available for purchase at La Mare Wine Estate’s shop in St Mary.
4. Jersey Pearl jewelry - pearls sourced from around the world and crafted into jewelry on Jersey (average price: £30-£100). Various locations across the island including the Jersey Pearl showroom in St. Ouen.
5. Liberation Ale - a locally brewed beer named after the island's liberation from German occupation in 1945 (average price: £2-£3 per bottle). It can be found in most pubs and supermarkets in Jersey.
Prices may vary depending on the specific item and location of purchase.
If you have 1 week
Great to know you're in Jersey! Here's a one-week itinerary for you:
Day 1: Visit the Jersey War Tunnels. This is an underground network of tunnels that was used by the Germans during World War II. You'll get to learn about the island's history during the war and how the tunnels were constructed.
Day 2: Go for a hike at the North Coast cliffs. These cliffs offer stunning views of the sea and the surrounding landscape. You can also visit the lighthouse museum located nearby, which provides insight into life on the island in the past.
Day 3: Take a boat trip to Les Écréhous. Located off the east coast of Jersey, this group of small islands offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in the area. You can go snorkeling or scuba diving here, or simply relax on the beach and soak up the sun.
Day 4: Explore the Jersey Zoo. Also known as Durrell Wildlife Park, this zoo is home to over 1,300 animals from around the world. The zoo has a strong focus on conservation and animal welfare, so you can feel good about supporting its mission while enjoying the exhibits.
Day 5: Tour the La Mare Wine Estate. Jersey is known for its wine production, and La Mare is one of the most popular vineyards on the island. You can tour the estate, sample some of the wines, and even take home some bottles as souvenirs.
Day 6: Visit Elizabeth Castle. Located on a tidal island just off the coast of St. Helier, this castle dates back to the 16th century and played an important role in the island's defense during various wars. You can take a guided tour of the castle and learn about its history, or simply explore on your own.
Day 7: Relax on St. Brelade's Bay. This picturesque beach is one of the most popular on the island, and for good reason. With its crystal-clear waters, soft sand, and stunning views, it's the perfect place to unwind and soak up the natural beauty of Jersey.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Jersey and have fun exploring all that this beautiful island has to offer!
If you have 2 weeks
As a DAN, I suggest that you add a bit more excitement to your itinerary by doing some unconventional activities in Jersey! Here are my recommendations for two weeks of adventure:
Week 1:
- Day 1: Go skydiving over St. Ouen's Bay for an adrenaline rush and a bird's-eye view of the island.
- Day 2: Try coasteering along the rugged cliffs of the island for a thrilling experience of climbing, jumping, and swimming through the rocky terrain.
- Day 3: Take a sea kayaking tour around the island to explore its hidden coves and secret beaches.
- Day 4: Visit the Jersey Surf School and learn how to ride the waves like a pro.
- Day 5: Take a guided night hike through the island's countryside to stargaze and spot nocturnal wildlife.
Week 2:
- Day 6: Experience Jersey's rich culinary scene with a farm-to-table cooking class at La Mare Wine Estate.
- Day 7: Go on a horseback riding tour across the island's stunning landscapes.
- Day 8: Explore the island's underwater world with a scuba diving excursion to see colorful fish and marine life.
- Day 9: Take a hot air balloon ride over the island for a unique and unforgettable way to see the sights.
- Day 10: Cap off your adventure in Jersey with a sunset sail around the island, enjoying the stunning views and tranquil atmosphere.
Culture
The island is particularly famous for the Battle of Flowers, a carnival held annually since 1902. Other festivals include La Fête dé Noué (Christmas festival), La Faîs'sie d'Cidre (cidermaking festival), the Battle of Britain air display, Weekender Music Festival, food festivals, and parish events.
BBC Radio Jersey provides a radio service, and BBC Channel Islands News provides a joint television news service with Guernsey. ITV Channel Television is a regional ITV franchise shared with the Bailiwick of Guernsey but with its headquarters in Jersey. Radio services are also provided by Channel 103, among other companies.
Bailiwick Express is one of Jersey's digital online news sources. Jersey has only one newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post, which is printed six days a week, and has been in publication since 1890.
Little is known of the history of music in the islands, though fieldwork has recorded folk songs from the Channel Islands, mostly in French. The folk song Chanson de Peirson is unique to the island.
In contemporary music, Guru Josh, who was born in Jersey, produced house and techno music. He was most notable for his internationally successful debut hit Infinity and its re-releases, reaching number one in numerous European countries. Furthermore, rock and pop artist Nerina Pallot was raised on the island and has enjoyed international success, and has written songs for famous artists like Kylie Minogue.
The island has a summer music festival scene stretching from mid-June to late September including Good Vibrations, Out-There, the Weekender (the largest festival in the Channel Islands) and Electric Park.
There are two theatres on the island: the Jersey Opera House and the Jersey Arts Centre. Lillie Langtry is probably the most famous actress from the island. She was born in Jersey and became an actress on the West End in the late 19th century. She was the first socialite to appear on stage and the first celebrity to endorse a commercial product. She was also famous for her relationships with notable figures, including the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII. She is buried in St Saviour's Church graveyard.
In 1909, T. J. West established the first cinema in the Royal Hall in St. Helier, which became known as West's Cinema in 1923 and was demolished in 1977. The first talking picture, The Perfect Alibi, was shown on 30 December 1929 at the Picture House in St. Helier. The Jersey Film Society was founded on 11 December 1947 at the Café Bleu, West's Cinema. The large Art Deco Forum Cinema was opened in 1935 – during the German occupation this was used for German propaganda films.
The Odeon Cinema was opened 2 June 1952 and, was later rebranded in the early 21st century as the Forum cinema. Its owners, however, struggled to meet tough competition from the Cineworld Cinemas group, which opened a 10 screen multiplex on the waterfront centre in St. Helier on reclaimed land in December 2002 and the Odeon closed its doors in late 2008. The Odeon is now a listed building.
First held in 2008, the Branchage Jersey International Film Festival attracts filmmakers from all over the world. The 2001 movie The Others was set on the island in 1945 shortly after liberation.
Seafood has traditionally been important to the cuisine of Jersey: mussels (called moules in the island), oysters, lobster and crabs – especially spider crabs – ormers and conger.
Jersey milk being very rich, cream and butter have played a large part in insular cooking. Jersey Royal potatoes are the local variety of new potato, and the island is famous for its early crop of Chats (small potatoes) from the south-facing côtils (steeply sloping fields). They were originally grown using vraic as a natural fertiliser, giving them their own individual taste; only a small portion of those grown in the island still use this method. They are eaten in a variety of ways, often simply boiled and served with butter or when not as fresh fried in butter.
Apples historically were an important crop. Bourdélots are apple dumplings, but the most typical speciality is black butter (lé nièr beurre), a dark spicy spread prepared from apples, cider and spices. Cider used to be an important export. After decline and near-disappearance in the late 20th century, apple production is being increased and promoted. Besides cider, apple brandy is produced. Other production of alcohol drinks includes wine, and in 2013 the first commercial vodkas made from Jersey Royal potatoes were marketed.
Among other traditional dishes are cabbage loaf, Jersey wonders (les mèrvelles), fliottes, bean crock (les pais au fou), nettle (ortchie) soup, and vraic buns.
In its own right Jersey participates in the Commonwealth Games and in the biennial Island Games, which it first hosted in 1997 and more recently in 2015.
The Jersey Football Association supervises football in Jersey. As of 2022, the Jersey Football Combination has nine teams in its top division. Jersey national football team plays in the annual Muratti competition against the other Channel Islands. Rugby union in Jersey comes under the auspices of the Jersey Rugby Association (JRA), which is a member of the Rugby Football Union of England. Jersey Reds compete in the English rugby union system; after four promotions in five seasons, the last three of which were consecutive, they competed in the second-level RFU Championship in 2012–13. Jersey is an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Jersey cricket team plays in the Inter-insular match, as well as in ICC tournaments around the world in One Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals.
For Horse racing, Les Landes Racecourse can be found at Les Landes in St. Ouen next to the ruins of Grosnez Castle.
Jersey has two public indoor swimming pools: AquaSplash, St Helier and Les Quennevais, St Brelade. Swimming in the sea, windsurfing and other marine sports are practised. Jersey Swimming Club has organised an annual swim from Elizabeth Castle to Saint Helier Harbour for over 50 years. A round-island swim is a major challenge: the record for the swim is Ross Wisby, who circumnavigated the island in 9 hours 26 minutes in 2015. The Royal Channel Island Yacht Club is based in St Brelade.
Two professional golfers from Jersey have won the Open Championship seven times between them; Harry Vardon won six times and Ted Ray won once, both around the turn of the 20th century. Vardon and Ray also won the U.S. Open once each. Harry Vardon's brother, Tom Vardon, had wins on various European tours.
Jersey Sport, an independent body that promotes sports in Jersey and support clubs, was launched in 2017
Until the 19th century, indigenous Jèrriais – a variety of Norman – was the language of the island though French was used for official business. During the 20th century, British cultural influence saw an intense language shift take place and Jersey today is predominantly English-speaking. Jèrriais nonetheless survives; around 2,600 islanders (three percent) are thought to be habitual speakers, and some 10,000 (12 percent) in all claim some knowledge of the language, particularly amongst the elderly in rural parishes. There have been efforts to revive Jèrriais in schools.
The dialects of Jèrriais differ in phonology and, to a lesser extent, lexis between parishes, with the most marked differences to be heard between those of the west and east. Many place names are in Jèrriais, and French and English place names are also to be found. Anglicisation of the place names increased apace with the migration of English people to the island.
Wace was a 12th-century poet born in Jersey. He is the earliest known Jersey writer, authoring Roman de Brut and Roman de Rou, among others. Some believe him to be the earliest Jèrriais writer and he is known as the founder of Jersey literature, but the language in which he wrote is very different from modern Jèrriais.
As Jèrriais was not an official language in Jersey, it had no standard written form, which meant that Jersey literature is very varied, written in multiple forms of Jèrriais alongside Standard English and French.
Matthew Le Geyt was the first poet to publish in Jèrriais after the introduction of printing to the island in the 18th century. Philippe Le Sueur Mourant wrote in Jèrriais in the 19th century. Jerseyman George d'la Forge is named the 'Guardian of the Jersey Norman Heritage'. Though he lived in America for most of his life, he felt a strong attachment to Jersey and his native language. His works were turned into books in the 1980s.
After the failure of the 1848 revolution, thirty-nine French revolutionaries were exiled in Jersey, including the famous French author Victor Hugo, as Jersey's culture was closer to their native French. Gerald Durrell, the famous zoologist who set up Jersey Zoo, was also an author, writing novels, non-fiction and children's books. He was writing as a means to fund and further his conservation work.
Religion
Jersey's patron saint is St Helier, after whom the capital town is named. From the fifth century, the island was under the Bishop of Coutances, until being transferred to the Diocese of Winchester in 1568. As of 2022, the island is planned to be transferred to the Diocese of Salisbury. The established church is the Church of England, presided over in the island by the Dean, who is ex officio a States Member, but has no vote. The primary churches are the parish churches, which are 12 ancient Anglican churches in each of the parish centre, though other churches do exist.
According to a 2015 survey of islanders, 54% of adults have a religion. Christianity is the predominant religion in the island, with over half of islanders identifying as Christian in some form. The largest religious group is Anglicans, with 23% of the population.
Demographics
The Channel Islands are mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary as the following: Sarnia, Caesarea, Barsa, Silia and Andium, but Jersey cannot be identified specifically because none corresponds directly to the present names. The name Caesarea has been used as the Latin name for Jersey (also in its French version Césarée) since William Camden's Britannia, and is used in titles of associations and institutions today. The Latin name Caesarea was also applied to the colony of New Jersey as Nova Caesarea.
Andium, Agna and Augia were used in antiquity.
Scholars variously surmise that Jersey and Jèrri derive from (Old Norse for 'earth') or jarl ('earl'), or perhaps the Norse personal name Geirr (thus Geirrsey, 'Geirr's Island'). The ending denotes an island (as in Guernsey or Surtsey).
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