Channel Islands, Archipelago in English Channel, United Kingdom
The Channel Islands include Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, featuring granite cliffs, sandy beaches, hidden coves, and coastal walking paths. Smaller islets like Herm and Jethou appear at low tide, offering additional landscapes that visitors can explore on foot or by boat.
The islands stayed loyal to the English Crown after losing Normandy in 1204, keeping their link while building independent governing systems. During World War Two, German forces occupied the territory, leaving bunkers and fortifications that still stand along the coast today.
Each island keeps Norman-French elements alive through local laws, place names, and festivals that celebrate medieval roots throughout the year. Communities maintain fishing and farming customs, while markets offer local produce like milk, potatoes, and seafood that residents have raised for generations.
Regular ferry links connect the islands with Portsmouth, Poole, and Saint-Malo, while airports in Jersey and Guernsey offer direct flights from London. Tides affect access to smaller islands and coastal paths, so visitors should consult local tide charts before planning walks or boat trips.
The smallest dependency, Sark, forbids motor vehicles, requiring residents and visitors to travel on foot, by bicycle, or in horse-drawn carriages. The islands issue their own postage stamps and banknotes that, while pounds sterling, are not accepted as payment on the British mainland.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
