Jersey is an unusual island. It is located in the English Channel, which separates France and England, being the largest of all the Channel Islands. While Jersey is part of the British Crown Dependencies, it is not part of the UK.
Features of the island of Jersey
Together with a number of small islands that are nearby, Jersey has formed its own small state. In the country, the basis of the political system is parliamentary democracy, and the head is the governor, who is appointed by the British monarch. There are no political parties, no ministerial cabinet here. As for the administrative division, Jersey is composed of a dozen districts. The capital of a small country is Saint Helier.
From the economic point of view, the island of Jersey is a model of stability; it is an offshore zone, like the other Channel Islands.
What is the island famous for?
One of the attractions of the island is the jersey fabric, which began to be knitted here four centuries ago. Knitted fabric made of silk, cotton or other materials has become the basis for both outfits and simple everyday wear. In the sixteenth century, knitted vests and stockings were exported from Jersey to both England and France, which is why the island is now associated with knitting. Now the most popular are traditional fishing jerseys made of sheep's wool.
The most famous inhabitant of the island of Jersey was J. Darell, a writer and natural scientist. He advocated the preservation of rare species of animals by breeding them in a zoo with further resettlement in the natural environment. The foundation he founded helped save many species from extinction, and the large zoo he opened on the island of Jersey is still operating.
Interesting places in Jersey
Several medieval castles have been preserved on the island, which attract both scientists and tourists. Elizabeth Castle, built at the end of the 16th century, is also a historical museum with an exhibition about the history of Jersey. The nearby ancient Desert Chapel has been a place of pilgrimage since the 12th century.
In the 13th century, to protect against attacks from France, the fortified castle of Mont Orgel was built - the main attraction of the island. The castle belongs to a small list of ancient buildings in Britain that have survived to this day without significant changes. In contrast to it, only a few walls remain from the Grosnez castle, which was built on the island in the 14th century.
For tourists on the island, a museum of provincial life is open, where several typical farmhouses from past centuries are shown, and the tour is accompanied by costumed performances. It is also worth visiting a large lavender farm and visiting a working medieval mill, which was built at the beginning of the 14th century.
St. Matthew's Church is a truly unique place. The columns, the altar, the font and the crucifix are made of colored glass, and the famous Parisian jeweler René Lalique was engaged in their manufacture. After casting, all molds were destroyed by the artist so that no one would repeat the original design.
Since fishing has been and remains one of the main occupations of the local population, it is not surprising that the island has a maritime museum with a large exposition on the development of shipbuilding in Jersey. The shell garden with a huge number of original sculptures is one of the most beautiful local corners.
Perhaps the most depressing sight can be called the German underground hospital, built by the inhabitants of the island during the occupation and then turned into a museum.
Administrative-territorial structure
The island is subdivided into 12 parishes belonging to the Diocese of Coutances of the Roman Catholic Church. They are also units of the administrative-territorial division of Jersey. The most densely populated is the metropolitan parish of Saint Helier (Saint-Elie) and the adjoining parishes of Saint-Savior (Saint-Savert), Saint-Clement (Saint-Clément), Gorey and Saint-Aubin (Saint-Aubin).
Flora and fauna
The first thing that catches your eye here is a lot of birds. Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups: those that fly here for the winter and spend time on the fertile lands of the southern and southeastern coasts, and those that settle in the rocks of Jersey in spring and summer to breed. In autumn, marsh birds also appear on the island, looking for food in the coastal sands. Listing all types of feathered inhabitants of Jersey would take too much time, so it is perhaps worth mentioning only the most famous breeds. So, most often on the island you can see woodpeckers, pikas, green-eyed cormorants, terns, waders, kingfishers, herons, gulls and petrels. Of the rarest birds, it is worth mentioning owls, songbirds and canary finch.
As for animals, their diversity on the island is as great as the fantasy of Nature. First of all, this applies to local butterflies. Unfortunately, most of the fauna of Jersey is made up of rare species of animals. For example, the Red Squirrel has become an almost extinct inhabitant of the island, while the Green Lizard and the Agile Frog can only be seen in Owasna.
On the high seas, the warm waters of St. Malo Bay support a variety of deep-dwelling creatures like fish. So are mammals. Most often here you can see several varieties of dolphins, whose number within the coast is about 100 individuals. Whales and Atlantic seals have also been sighted in the vicinity of the island. A lot of interesting things from the bright and diverse underwater life will be seen by those who are actively involved in scuba diving. In coastal waters, mainly sea bass and conger are found - the main prey of local fishermen. In addition, Jersey boasts a huge population of reptiles and amphibians.
The flora of Jersey is no less diverse. To date, only flowers on the island, there are several hundred varieties, not to mention trees and shrubs, which are represented by more than 200 species. It seems that the inhabitants of the island have made flowers a cult - they grow everywhere: in gardens, parks, greenhouses. Wildflowers are just as picturesquely scattered throughout Jersey. The most common plants of the island are heather, gorse, marsh St.
The fact that such a huge number of representatives of the living world lives on such a small piece of land makes Jersey a unique place of its kind, not only among the British Isles, but throughout the world.
Climate
The more southerly location of Jersey, as well as the protection from the bay of St. Malo, has led to the fact that the island has a temperate, mild climate. Compared to the rest of the British Isles, Jersey has warmer and sunnier weather throughout the year. The average annual temperature on the island is +11.5°С, and in summer the air warms up to +25 - +30°С.
Language
The main language of Jersey is English, although some of the inhabitants of the island, especially older people living in rural areas, still speak the so-called "Jerriais" - the island dialect of French - a mixture of Old Icelandic and the Norman dialect. Until the 1960s, the official language on the island was French, which is still used by lawyers in the courts to this day.
Religion
The dominant position in the religious life of Jersey is occupied by the Roman Catholic Church. The island was converted to Christianity in 538 by St. Markulf. Soon after this, Saint Helier arrived on the island, settled as a hermit in a cave on a secluded rock and in 555 was martyred at the hands of pirates armed with axes. In memory of him, the capital of Jersey, St. Helier, is named, the coat of arms of which depicts two crossed axes.
Economy
Jersey, like all the Channel Islands, is an offshore zone and has long been recognized as a kind of model of prosperity and stability.
There are no natural resources on the island. Jersey's permanent sources of income are activities as an offshore center (39% of GDP), tourism (35% of GDP), taxes on wealthy foreigners with a residence permit on the island (20% of GDP), as well as agriculture and small light industries ( a total of 6% of GDP). Fishing also plays an important role in the economy of Jersey.
The main type of tax on the island is income tax. Currently, its size for the inhabitants of the island is 20%. There are no taxes on property, capital gains, gift or inheritance.
Jersey is an international financial center with 73 banks, over 33,000 registered companies and over 100,000,000 pounds of deposit funds, 62% of which are held in foreign currencies. Along with the British pound sterling, there is also a local currency in circulation on the island. There is no control over foreign exchange transactions. There is only one type of company in Jersey and there is no distinction between a private company and a public company. Due to Jersey's close ties with the UK and the rest of Europe, the island enjoys the benefits of free trade and financial autonomy.
Even in the days of Napoleon, Jersey attracted immigrants who were looking for the benefits of such favorable conditions for financial activities. However, a fairly densely populated island can afford to accept only the “best of the best” for permanent residence. The candidates of modern immigrants are carefully studied. A residence permit on the island can only be obtained by someone who has liquid assets of at least £8,000,000 and whose stable annual income is at least £500,000. Thus, a maximum of 10 people move to the island every year.
The tourism sector is important for the island, not only because of the rather high profits, but also because of the opportunity to establish permanent connections. Around 1,000,000 tourists visit Jersey every year. The vast majority of them are British (about 80%), about 10% of tourists come from France and Germany, 2% are residents of other Channel Islands, and a very small part of tourists come here from all over the world. About 190 hotels are registered on the island, capable of accommodating more than 14,000 people at the same time.
Agriculture consistently provides about 5% of GDP. The main exports are dairy products, the meat of famous local cows, Jersey Royal potatoes, as well as a huge selection of horticultural crops and flowers.
Jersey has an excellent air transport system. The most frequent flights are to London; there are also regular connections to many European centers including Paris and Amsterdam. Water transport is used to import most goods and materials. Jersey's telecommunications system is based on the UK's digital network.
Currency
In Jersey, the English pound sterling and its own pound are in circulation, equal to the English pound. There is no currency control on the island.
Main Attractions
The heritage of Jersey is great: Neolithic graves, medieval castles, museums with the richest exposition, as well as places reminiscent of the five-year occupation of Jersey during the Second World War. There are a lot of churches on the island, many of them are very interesting, because their history goes back centuries.
Mont-Ogüey Castle and Elizabethan Castle - they are considered the most beautiful fortifications in Europe.
Medieval Grosnez Castle - the castle was built on an elevated promontory in the northwestern part of the island in the 14th century. Today it is only ruins. From the observation deck of the castle, the rest of the Channel Islands and the vast expanses of the Atlantic Ocean are perfectly visible.
The Jersey Museum - The winner of two national awards, the Jersey Museum uses state-of-the-art technology and impressive displays to educate visitors on the island's history, traditions, culture and industry.
The Nationally Awarded Maritime Museum offers visitors a new and rather exciting concept that combines historical exhibitions and a range of paintings and sculptures dedicated to the relationship of the people of Jersey with the sea: waves, sea travel, boat building and much more.
Ceramic Factory - You will be able to follow the entire cycle of making pottery. On the territory of the plant, in addition to the exhibition hall, there is also a museum dedicated to the history of pottery, as well as an artistic painting studio.
La Mare vineyards - in fact, La Mare produces not only excellent wine and the famous Jersey Calvados, which are offered to all guests to taste, but also traditional Jersey black butter, marmalades, jams, jellies, delicious fudge and even mustard. Another pride of the company is chocolate. Traditionally, visitors are offered to get acquainted with the manufacturing processes of all these products.
Jersey Zoo - is one of the best in the world, in a beautiful park square there is a station for growing endangered species of animals.
Lavender Farm - here you can watch the processes of its cultivation, collection, cleaning and drying. Walking through the lavender fields will bring a lot of pleasure. The souvenir shop sells products from the farm.
The Shell Garden is a unique park, the only one in the world where shells are collected. It has over a million copies. The garden has a gift shop selling shells and handmade souvenirs.
Story
Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands and has been known for nearly 8,000 years of history. Norman-style houses, narrow winding streets with French names - all this is a reflection of the island's fascinating and complex history, which has woven it into the fate of two great nations, England and France, for more than a millennium.
The oldest evidence of human life on the island, such as crude stone tools, dates scientists back to about 250,000 years ago, when hunting tribes used caves on the coast at St. Brelade for shelter. Artifacts from the prehistoric period, when Jersey was still part of the continent, can now be seen at low tide and in St. Owen Bay. The first settled communities appeared here in the Neolithic era, as today the ritual burial places known as dolmens remind.
Although Jersey was part of the vast Roman Empire, little mention was made of Jersey until the 11th century. It is only known that in the 6th century the hermit Helier, who was recognized as a saint, lived on the island. He lived and preached in that part of the island, which is located just south of the castle of Elizabeth, and was possibly killed by Saxon pirates. Six centuries later, a chapel was erected on one of the rocks in honor of the saint.
In the 9th century, the Vikings, also known as the Normans, began to attack the island, which had a huge impact on the life of the island. Throughout the 9th century, they plundered the island in the summer months, until finally the French king Charles the Simple decided to make a deal with them. As a result, in exchange for peace, the leader of the Normans, Rollo, received the lands that later became known as Rouen, the French province of Normandy. Many of the laws and customs of Jersey originated during the Norman period of 933-1204.
The Channel Islands remained politically linked to Brittany until 933, when the Norman duke William Longsworth seized the Cotentin Peninsula in northwestern France and the neighboring islands and annexed them to his dominions. In 1066, Duke William II of Normandy defeated King Harold II at the Battle of Hasting and became the new king of England, continuing to rule the French territories as a separate territory. In 1204 King Philip Augustus of France retook the Duchy of Normandy from King John of England, but the islands remained the property of the British crown. Since that moment, the Channel Islands have become the center of common interests of England and France. At the same time, the British royal fortress and military base of Mont Orgay was built.
During the Hundred Years' War of 1337-1453, Jersey was repeatedly attacked and even occupied for several years in the 1380s. Due to the strategic importance of the island for the English crown, its inhabitants were able to negotiate the most favorable conditions for their life from the king. In the years 1455-1485, during the War of the White and Scarlet Roses, Jersey was occupied by the French for seven years (1461-1468), and then, at the insistence of Sir Richard Harliston, was returned to England.
In the 16th century, the inhabitants of the island adopted Protestantism, and life became extremely ascetic. A new fortress was built at that time to protect the bay of Sainte-Aubin. A people's militia was organized, and each church parish received two cannons, which were usually kept in the walls of temples. One of the cannons can be seen today at the foot of Beaumont Hill. During the same period, knitwear production reached such proportions on the island that Jersey's ability to produce its own food was threatened. As a result, laws were passed strictly regulating who, with whom and when could knit. Another extremely fruitful occupation of the inhabitants of the island was fishing. The boats left Jersey in February-March after a solemn service in the church of St. Brelade and returned back only in September-October.
In the 1640s, England was fragmented by civil war, and hostilities also spread to Scotland and Ireland. Jersey was also divided by civil strife: the sympathy of one part of its inhabitants was on the side of parliament, and the supporters of George Carteret supported the king. The future King Charles II visited the island twice: first in 1646 and again in 1649 after the execution of his father. The Parliamentarians eventually captured Jersey in 1651, and in gratitude for their help during their exile, Charles II rewarded George Carteret with a vast landholding in the North American English colonies, which he promptly named New Jersey. By the end of the 17th century, Jersey had developed strong ties with the Americas. Many of its inhabitants immigrated to New England and Northeast Canada, and traders from the island created thriving trading empires in Newfoundland and Gaspe.
The 18th century was a period of political tension between Britain and France, as the growing ambitions of the two major powers clashed across the world. Because of its location, Jersey was constantly under martial law. New attempts to capture the island were made during the American War of Independence. In 1779, the Prince of the German Duchy of Nassau tried to land his troops in St. Owen Bay. The attempt was unsuccessful. In 1781, an army led by Baron de Roullecourt captured St. Helier, but was quickly defeated by British forces led by Major Peirson. A brief peace was followed by the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Wars, which changed Jersey forever when it ended. The large number of English-speaking soldiers and retired officers stationed on the island, as well as laborers who arrived here in the 1820s, led to the fact that Jersey was gradually saturated with English-speaking culture. At the same time, the island became one of the largest shipbuilding centers in the British Isles. More than 900 ships were built here. In the late 19th century, the island's farmers began to capitalize on the cultivation of two luxuries, Jersey cows and Jersey Royal potatoes. And if one of them was the result of careful selection and labor-intensive cultivation, then the other appeared by accident.
The 20th century in the history of Jersey is marked by the occupation of the island by German troops in 1940-1945. As a result, about 8,000 of its inhabitants were evacuated, 1,200 people were sent to camps in Germany, more than 300 people were sentenced to prison and concentration camps in continental Europe. Therefore, Liberation Day - May 9 - is now celebrated here as a public holiday. Finally, the event that had the greatest impact on modern life in Jersey was the intensive development of the island's financial industry in the 1960s.
In 1979, the modern flag of Jersey appeared - a red diagonal cross on a white background with three zloty lions on a red coat of arms topped with a gold crown in the upper triangle. He replaced the old flag, which did not have a coat of arms with a crown.
I will interrupt briefly the story about Peru to share the latest news. A week ago we moved to the island of Jersey, which, although it belongs to Great Britain, is located only twenty kilometers from the coast of France. Initially, we, like any nature lover from the post-Soviet countries, knew exactly one fact about this island - 50 years ago, Gerald Durrell founded his zoo on it. At that time, it was a completely unique zoo, created not for entertainment and enrichment purposes, but solely for the conservation and reproduction of animal species endangered in the wild. Now ecology has become fashionable, and it has ceased to be the only one of its kind, but still remains unique in a number of ways.Well, in general, in my opinion, for a post-Soviet (I repeat, but that’s how it happened) naturalist-ecologist who grew up on Darrell’s books, visiting his zoo is like an old-school communist to ride in Lenin’s armored car across Red Square. Touch the legend, yeah
The house is made of Jersey granite - the main building material of the island.
So we simply could not miss such a chance. I got all my knowledge about the island exclusively from Darrell's books, and he wrote almost nothing about it. In addition, there are quite a lot of rich people here, and some of them breed cows. Usually I collect much more information about the point of the proposed trip, but this time somehow it didn’t work out. Therefore, all impressions are unbiased and first-hand.
The island is really small, so I decided to walk from the airport to the zoo (15 kilometers in total, although I went on the way to the capital). The first thing that caught my eye was that there are no sidewalks here at all. Rather, there is only in the capital, and then only in the center. The rest of the territory is covered with excellent motor roads, exactly one lane in each direction, with no shoulders at all, meandering between fields and hills. So walking is somehow not very comfortable, but you can - the drivers are surprisingly polite. Not only will no one honk, but they even overtake a pedestrian only in the oncoming lane, so as not to pass closer than a meter from him. If other cars are driving along it, they line up behind and crawl at the speed of a pedestrian, patiently waiting for a light.
And the cars here are cooler than even in our fairly well-to-do Ascot. The number of Ferraris per capita exceeds all conceivable limits. The most sophisticated Aston Martins, open jaguars of the latest model, refurbished retro cars growling in a bass voice with brand new engines - and all this beauty creeps after the only pedestrian on the island. I waited for a couple of hours, and then somehow I got used to it. Apparently, that's the way it is here.
The second extremely unusual sight - almost the entire island is plowed under the fields (except for the areas left for pastures for cows) - and now all these fields are covered with a wonderful smooth polyethylene. The edges of the tape are dug into the ground, the surface is covered with round holes for ventilation, the tape is perfectly stretched and shines under the sun. Weird spectacle. Moreover, quite steep slopes are also plowed and wrapped in polyethylene, I would think three times before deciding to just go down such a slope, and they somehow plow it. As it turned out, only potatoes are grown in these fields. Looks like it's some special kind, I don't know. From an ordinary potato to a Ferrari, it would take a long time to save ...
In general, there are exactly two types of business on the island - growing potatoes and breeding Jersey dairy cows. Well, you can still fish. This is probably a very profitable business, because almost everyone lives here very chic. Although, of course, now the island is a tax-free zone, but most of the estates were built 150-200 years ago, and then it was unlikely that fortunes were made on financial fraud ...
The third interesting observation is that street names are exclusively French. Like the names of most estates. Moreover, in the area where we settled, the streets evoke exclusively gastronomic associations (I don’t know French at all, and I don’t know how to read their language correctly, so maybe in reality everything is completely different), but we live on the Rue de Bouillon, on the one hand passing into the Rue de Biscuit, and on the other - in the Chalet d'Olivier.
The island of Jersey prints its own money. The stores gladly accept English pounds, but only Jersey pounds with a wonderful portrait of a cow are given for change. The opposite, unfortunately, is not valid - in England, the Jersey currency will first have to be exchanged at a bank.
And, of course, one cannot fail to mention the sea. The shores here are mostly steep, either with sheer cliffs to the very water, or steep slopes overgrown with heather and thorns. But the underwater part is very gentle, and at low tide, several hundred meters of the bottom are exposed in places, where it is rocky, where it is pebbly, and where it is sandy. On the sandbanks at low tide, the Jerseys walk their dogs - in principle, a wise decision. Firstly, there is simply nowhere else for them to run around on the island - everything is private and plowed up, secondly, the owner will certainly walk the dog on time until the sea returns, and thirdly, there are no problems with traces of their vital activity, all this hassle with bags and urns - the sea will take everything away.
Anemones and other animals in a puddle at low tide
Jersey Island
Ideal place for family holidays
. treasure trove of natural beauty
. safety
. clean beaches, rocks, sand dunes
. picturesque countryside
. many restaurants
. attractions and sports for all ages
History and culture of Jersey
Tours
general information
The island of Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands, located off the coast of France, about 160 km south of England and only 20 km from the nearest point in France - Sainte. Few.
The island is 14 km long and 8 km wide. Together with the islands of Ecrehous rocks and Les Minquiers and the attached small islets, it forms the jurisdiction of Jersey (about 140 sq. km.).
The capital is Saint Helier - 25,000 people.
The more southerly location of Jersey, as well as the protection from St. Malo Bay, has led to the fact that the island has a temperate, mild climate. Compared to the rest of the British Isles, Jersey has warmer and sunnier weather throughout the year.
Average annual temperature is +11.5°С, and in summer the air warms up to +25 - +30°С.
Best time to go: May to September.
How to get there:
45 minute flight from Paris or London to the airport on the island
Direct charters from Germany, Switzerland and Holland
High-speed ferry (1 hour) from the French port of Saint. Few.
High speed ferry (3 hours) from the English ports of Poole, Portsmouth and Weymouth
If you fly only to the island of Jersey: British Airways ticket Moscow-Jersey with an exchange of planes in London, you also need to move from Heathrow to Gatwick. Usually a good ticket for the price. Flight from London to Jersey 45 min.
From London: almost every 2 hours 2 companies from Gatwick: British and Flybe, from Stansted - 1 flight daily, and there are also several flights a week from Luton.
There are flights from almost all cities in the UK and from Dublin, so it's convenient to connect to any route.
3 hours by ferry from the southern cities of England: Poole and Weymos, and an overnight ferry from Portsmoos
Daily (except Saturday) flight from Paris (45 min)
2 times a week - Wednesday and Saturday from Düsseldorf.
Where to stay
You are offered a wide choice: from small cozy boarding houses, mini-hotels, family cottages to hotels of the highest category. Many of these boarding houses and hotels are located near St. Helier, the capital of Jersey, and its shops: prices are low because Jersey has low duties and taxes.
For elite tourism, the island offers accommodation in the most romantic and original buildings - ancient castles or palaces dating back to the 15th-18th centuries.
These hotels, category 4-5 *, are equipped with everything you need, but at the same time retain the spirit of antiquity, as they created a primordial design - antique furniture, old tapestries and paintings.
Some hotels have 4-room villas, with a private garden and hotel service.
Excellent service, exquisite food and wines - all this makes these hotels the best of the best among upscale English hotels.
Vacation on the island
Beaches in Jersey
The coastline of the island stretches for 80 km and everyone can find a bay to their liking. The beaches are sandy, with the exception of the north of the island, where small bays are located among the cliffs and stones. The beaches of the island will satisfy any, even the most demanding taste. On some you can relax calmly, while others seem to be created for water sports, it’s a lot of fun here, largely due to the numerous cafes located on them.
Jersey cuisine
A subject of particular passion in Jersey is dining in restaurants and pubs. Across the island, you will find the freshest seafood, fish and succulent vegetables grown on local farms on the menu. Decide for yourself where you want to dine: in one of the quaint old pubs or friendly bistros, or maybe you will choose one of the restaurants highly regarded by gourmets.
Tastes of Jersey
Vineyards of La Mare La mare
A tour of an old feudal farm, an apple orchard and vineyards, excellent wine and the famous Calvados, which all guests are offered to taste.
Don't forget to try traditional Jersey black butter, marmalades, toffees, jams and chutneys.
Sport
Jersey - ideal conditions for water sports
air surfing
deep sea fishing
Diving,
Windsurfing,
Sailing
Canoe
paragliders
Surfing
Jet and water skiing
Squash, billiards, bowling, golf, car racing, horseback riding, tennis, cricket, gyms ... and this is not a complete list, but they are all at your service.
Fans of more extreme sports can get aircraft driving lessons.
Walking and cycling. Well-marked trails along the coastline of the island will take you deep into history and legend.
See the coast of France visible on the horizon, other Channel Islands and rocky islets that add to the charm of the seascape.
The amplitude of the tide here is one of the largest in the world, in some places it reaches 12 meters, and when the tide begins, the coast changes dramatically before our eyes, the size of the island almost doubles.
Hundreds of kilometers of narrow rural paths that take you inland, into wooded areas, and green paths where pedestrians, cyclists and horseback riders are given priority over cars, which are prohibited on this island from exceeding a speed of 24 kilometers per hour.
History of Jersey
The history of Jersey is here in its stones. From the 250,000-year-old La Cotte cave, to the Neolithic dolmens and dwellings of the ancient Scandinavians, or Normans, as they became known after they settled Normandy and the Channel Islands.
The sixth Duke of Normandy William conquered England, he became King William I of England,
and since then Jersey has remained loyal to the English Crown.
The toast to the monarch at official banquets is: "To the Queen and our Duke."
Jersey remains an independent island, and its current visitors can see numerous defensive structures - evidence of a distant past. Jersey is not part of the United Kingdom. The island has its own legal system, its own parliament and its own currency (1 Jersey Pound = 1 British Pound). The island of Jersey, a self-governing autonomous territory, is an offshore zone. Jersey's main areas of income are financial services and tourism.
Festivals
28 - 29 March Flower Festival The Royal Society invites you to spring exhibitions, competitions and theatrical performances www.royaljersey.co.uk
May 2-4 Exhibition - sale of yachts and boats A colorful event for the whole family, including an exhibition of the latest models of yachts, boats and other marine vehicles, accompanied by music and entertainment. jerseyboatshow.com
May 16 and August 20 Festival-Fair of picturesque
of the fishing settlement of Gorey At the foot of the ancient castle there will be shops with a variety of seafood and not only delicacies, as well as attractions and concerts for the whole family. jersey.com/food
May 23-25 Cheese Festival World Jersey Cheese Festival You will be shown and told about the traditional methods of cheese production, not forgetting the tasting, accompanied by the traditional Sider. Music and entertainment throughout the festival. www.royaljersey.co.uk
5-7 June Jersey Festival of Motoring Classic car racing, vintage car exhibition, treasure hunt, local inventor fair, rock climbing
First week of July Sea festival
Stunning maritime parade and costume show in the harbor of Sainte. Heliera. Songs of sailors, sea competitions and local delicacies.
August 13-14 Carnival: "Flower battle" Undoubtedly, this is one of the most exciting carnivals in Europe. Carriages decorated with garlands, dancers, musicians and clowns create an amazing atmosphere of happiness and joy. www.battleofflowers.com
5-6 September Jersey Live Music Festival A colorful kaleidoscope of British and international music. 48 hours of music takes over the entire island. www.jerseylive.org.uk
10 September International Air Parade The sky over the island of Jersey turns into a scene for planes performing dangerous stunts.
The Jersey Air Parade is one of the few free air shows in Europe.
jerseyairdisplay.org.uk
25-26 September Motorcycle Racing Jersey For all fans of motorsports and just good cars: unforgettable racing from mini to the best sports cars in the world.
jerseymotorsport.com
October 22-24 Sider and Black Oil Festival You are invited to a fun party, nightly apple harvest and traditional preparation of local apple products.
www.nationaltrustjersey.org.uk
November 28- December 14 christmas festival Choose from a varied program of parades, performances, street performances, sales fairs and colorful decorations for Christmas and New Years.
Education in Jersey
It is possible to combine business with pleasure,
or rather rest with an increase in the level of English for you or your children.
High quality English language training
at the College of St. Brelade, located above the picturesque harbor
and 10 minutes drive from the capital of the island, Sainte. Heliera.
Summer tuition may include accommodation with a local English-speaking family.
Your choice: summer and year-round English courses
for children (10-18 years old) and adults, as well as English language courses with various specializations
(finance, medicine, technical sciences, etc.) for adults from 2 to 48 weeks.
Contact Information
It is important to note that the excursion program will be organized at the request of customers.
. It is possible to receive individual tourists and organized groups.
. All services are provided in Russian.
. It is possible to combine with a trip to the UK and France.
. On an individual order, it is possible to organize business meetings in the financial industry, as well as English language training.
For more information about Jersey, please visit the following websites:
jersey.com
www.thisisjersey.com
jerseyinsight.com
Jersey article - http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1379988,00.htm
The island is a crown property Great Britain and is part of the Channel Islands, located in the English Channel, connecting the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. This is the largest island of the archipelago, which, together with the tiny land adjacent to it, forms a colorful oasis of lush green vegetation with an abundance of all kinds of plants, as well as rare birds and animals. Sitting between France and the UK, Jersey combines the culture and traditions of both countries, and the locals speak French and English equally.
Peculiarities
In Europe, the island is known as a popular offshore zone, where taxes are very low and the banking system is profitable, which attracts the attention of many large financial corporations from all over the world. The islanders, on the other hand, prefer to earn money by renting their apartments, renting them out to visiting guest workers who fly here to earn money, although the majority are still employed in such areas as agriculture and farming. Among other features of the island, it is worth noting that there is left-hand traffic, blue telephone boxes (in England they are known to be red), rather high prices (including accommodation and meals) and very tasty sweets.
general information
The area of Jersey is small and is only 116 square meters. km. The population is about 90,000 people. The currencies used are the Jersey Pound and the British Pound Sterling. Local time is 2 hours behind Moscow time in summer and 3 hours in winter. The time zone is UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 in summer. The telephone code of the country is +44-1534.
A brief excursion into history
According to researchers, the history of the island began more than 250,000 years ago, but the first more or less reliable historical data related to these lands date back to the 9th-11th centuries. In 1204, after King Philip Augustus of France conquered the Duchy of Normandy from John of England, Jersey became a sphere of mutual interest between France and England, which periodically resulted in armed conflicts and permanent wars. The island was finally saturated with British culture at the beginning of the 19th century, after the defeat of Napoleon's army, when the families of British officers, laborers and retired soldiers poured here in a crowd. It was that period that set Jersey on a further path for development and acquiring its current status. During the Second World War, the island was occupied by German troops, as a result of which the local population suffered greatly. On May 9, 1945, the country was liberated from the Nazi occupation, and this day is now celebrated as a public holiday. In the 60s of the last century, the economic industry began to develop rapidly here, which subsequently had an impact on the level of the country as a whole.
Climate
Jersey has a temperate mild climate. Compared to other British Isles, it is much warmer here and the average annual air temperature is about +11 degrees. In summer, the thermometer can rise to +30. Winters are warm, with little precipitation throughout the year. The weather is stable and has many sunny days. The best time of the year to visit the island is from May to September.
Visa and customs regulations
To enter the country, you must have a visa, which can be issued at the British Embassy. When you first apply to the British Embassy, a multivisa is issued for a period of 180 days.
How to get there
There are no direct flights from Russia and Ukraine to Jersey Airport, but flights with transfers in London are possible. You can get to the island by ferry from the English cities of Poole, Portsmouth or Weymouth, as well as from the French Saint-Malo.
Transport
It is very convenient to travel around the island by car or bicycle. Both can be rented at the rental point. Regular buses operate as public transport, moving between all 12 districts. In the central bus fleet of Liberation Station, as well as in numerous shops and shops, you should purchase special brochures with schedules and directions for bus routes.
Jersey is of great interest to travel enthusiasts. Its main natural attraction is the magnificent Durrell Zoo, founded in 1959 by the English naturalist, scientist and writer Gerald Durrell. This private area, with an area of over 129,000 sq. m, fully adapted to the life of rare representatives of the animal environment, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, gorillas, orangutans, spectacled bears and dozens of other species. All residents of the zoo are housed in natural enclosures abounding in vegetation and thick green grass, which makes the territory more like wild tropical jungle forests. This place is unique in that the animals are taken care of first and only then the economic and tourist component. Among other interesting places of the island, the vineyards of La Mar stand out, where they produce wonderful wine, the amazing garden of Shells, numbering millions of specimens and the extraordinary lavender farms, with their incredibly beautiful fields. It is also worth visiting the Jersey Island Museum, which acquaints guests with the history of these places, a ceramic factory where you can see how local craftsmen make pottery, a maritime museum and the legendary underground tunnel Jersey War Tunnels, dug by prisoners of war during the Second World War. In addition to sightseeing, it is recommended to walk around the territory of the local port, go to a pub, go fishing or participate in one of the festive events that are often held on the island and are vigorously celebrated by the locals.
Jersey is divided into 12 administrative districts, each of which is a city or town. The central one is Saint Helier, which has the status of the capital of the island. The city got its name in honor of the hermit-ascetic Saint Helier, who lived on these lands in the 6th century. He was a zealous Christian, endowed with the gift of healing and managed to help many people before he was hacked to death with the axes of pirates who landed on the island in 555. Two axes on the coat of arms of the city just symbolize those events. The urban area is just over 10 sq. km, which is home to almost a third of the total population of the island. The role of the main attraction of the capital is played by Elizabeth's castle built at the end of the 16th century and flaunting on a small island in St. Aubin Bay. The majestic gray walls of the castle look especially bright and colorful against the background of the azure sea waters approaching its foot. Also noteworthy are the parliament building and the chapel of St. Helier, built right in the rock. A great place for walking is the city park with a monument to King George II. It is from here in Jersey that it is customary to measure distances.
Jersey is not very well known in the post-Soviet space, but in Europe it is popular with a significant number of tourists, the bulk of whom predictably represent France and the UK. However, interest in the island is increasing every year and Jersey is becoming more and more distinct on the tourist map of the world.
