Channel Islands Driving Holiday & Classic Car Tour

Just off the coast of France, the Channel Islands of Jersey & Guernsey have exquisite coastlines, shaded lanes and old-world charm. Not quite Britain and not quite France, the islands are proudly independent, self-governing British Crown dependencies that straddle the gap between the two. Their citizens owe their allegiance to Her Majesty, but some still speak local dialects that stem from medieval Norman French. The Channel Islands have longer, warmer and sunnier climes than the UK mainland, and therefore have sub-tropical plants and an amazing variety of bird life.

Enjoy four days exploring the Channel Islands with two nights each on Guernsey & Jersey, both in luxury hotels and the best on the islands. Both these small islands pack a lot in. Whilst the driving isn’t extensive it is jam-packed with lovely views, spectacular coastal scenery, with a rich and fascinating history and culture. There are bustling towns and pretty villages.

Guernsey offers a surprising amount of four-wheel action because, despite the island measuring only five miles by three and having a maximum speed limit of 35mph, it is crawling with motoring enthusiasts who indulge in everything from top-class hill-climbing to sand racing, karting and autocross. If you have the remotest interest in military and maritime history, Guernsey is a veritable theme park of coastal fortifications. The German sites survive intact because they were all surrendered in May 1945 without a shot being fired.

Highlights of the Channel Islands

Discover the Jersey War Tunnels – the island’s best and most poignant museum
Visit Hauteville House, Victor Hugo’s house where he wrote Les Misérables
See the German Occupation Museum – about Guernsey’s wartime experience
Visit Castle Cornet and Elizabeth Castle
See the neolithic burial mound of Hougue Bie – one of the 10 oldest buildings in the world!
Visit the Pallot Steam Museum, full of lovingly restored vintage and classic cars, locomotives, fire engines and farming machinery
See Sausmarez Manor, home to one of Guernsey’s most distinguished families for over 800 years
Enjoy sampling the wares of the La Mare Wine Estate
Exclusive tours of a fabulous private car collection and stunning gardens
Scenic drives around these two pretty islands

Price: £120 for the tour book (incl UK P&P)
Suggested hotel costs from £1,895 per room (two people), subject to room category, availability and time of year.
Duration: 4 nights
Mileage: 100 miles

Itinerary

May be subject to change.

Day 1:

Take the ferry from Poole to Guernsey. Drive into the centre of the island to visit to the Folk Museum. Spend the afternoon exploring St Peter Port, visiting the Castle Cornet, which has guarded the harbour for 800 years. Or visit Hautefort House, Victor Hugo’s home on Guernsey, where he wrote Les Misérables. Head to the hotel to check-in.

Day 2: 31 miles

After breakfast start today’s drive with the hillclimb course of Le Val des Terres. It’s a wonderful ascent, but the intimidating walls and countless bends must make it a handful at racing speed. At the top, you can marvel at the fact that top drivers head up the hill in just over 34 seconds during the race events!

Learn about the German occupation during the Second World War, at the fascinating La Valette Underground Military Museum. And if you can’t get enough of coastal fortifications, climb up to the Clarence Battery at Fort George, the key fortification of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During the German occupation, the site was used by Luftwaffe for radar operations. From here, continue south and then west. The German Occupation Museum and the Underground Military Hospital are both worth a visit.

Then follow the road to Guernsey’s picturesque west coast. As you turn north you’ll pass Fort Grey, a fabulous Martello Tower, with the cafe at Guernsey Coppercraft just opposite. This section of the drive is particularly enjoyable later in the day. Fort Hommet, yet another fascinating hotch-potch of a defensive building from across the centuries, is the perfect place for an evening stroll. There’s also a good beach-side cafe towards the north end of Vazon Bay. Follow the coast road as far as Le Grand Havre, then turn inland for the Guernsey Freesia Centre. Follow La Route du Braye down to the attractive fishing village of St Sampson. From here it’s just a couple of miles back to St Peter Port.

Day 3: 27 miles

Spend the morning exploring the island’s interior, including a visit to Sausmarez Manor. There is a late morning ferry, just an hour’s crossing time, from Guernsey to Jersey. Spend the afternoon exploring St Helier. Then check-in at the hotel.

Day 4: 37 miles

Enjoy a tour of the west of Jersey. Start the day with a visit to the Jersey War Tunnels, followed by a visit to the Moulin de Quetivel. Located in one of Jersey’s most picturesque valleys, it is the only surviving working water mill in the island.

See St Brelade Church, one of the twelve ancient parish churches on the island. Then follow the coast road round to the north west of the island, past two WWII German naval towers and on to Grosnez Castle, a ruined 14th-century castle with fantastic views across to the other Channel Islands.

Stroll along the wonderful beaches at Greve de Lecq then head on to the La Mare wine estate. Enjoy a guided tour around the beautiful vineyards, orchards, Cognac style distillery and chocolate production kitchen. Learn about La Mare’s wine, liqueurs and apple brandy and samples of the local wine, black butter and luxury chocolate.

Discover six centuries of Jersey’s rural life at Hamptonne Country Life Museum. Dating back to the 15th century the house and farm are brought to life with characters from the island’s past. Return to the hotel.

Day 5: 29 miles

Spend the morning touring the eastern part of Jersey. Explore the beautiful botanical gardens at Samarès Manor then take the coastal drive around the south-east peninsula and inland to La Hougue Bie burial mound. The site features one of Europe’s finest passage graves where you can learn about life in Jersey’s Neolithic community 6,000 years ago and it’s one of the 10 oldest building in the world, pre-dating the Egyptian Pyramids.

With fine views over the French coast, Mont Orgueil Castle has cast its imposing shadow over the beautiful fishing port of Gorey for more than 800 years, and is one of the finest examples of a medieval fortress in existence.

The route takes you to Jersey Zoo, established as the first ever conservation-themed zoo by naturalist and author Gerald Durrell. Then head to the Pallot Steam and Motor Museum where you can take a step back in time. Enjoy at leisure the vast and varied collection of steam locos and engines, vintage commercial, military and classic vehicles, bicycles and toys, tractors, barn engines, agricultural implements and other machinery, nostalgic photographs.

Take the ferry to England or France.

Accommodation

We have carefully selected two outstanding hotels – both considered to be the best on each island. On Guernsey, the Old Government House in St Peter Port is an elegant, classic, award-winning 5-star hotel, one of the oldest and most prestigious in the Channel Islands. It has a top restaurant, an excellent location and a relaxing spa.

Longueville Manor, just outside St Helier, Jersey is a 14th-century manor house is also a superb 5-star hotel. It features a 3 AA-Rosette restaurant, an outdoor pool with al fresco dining and cocktail bar. Longueville Manor sits in 18 acres of private woodland with its own tennis court, croquet lawn and jogging trails, just a mile from St Helier Beach.

Bespoke Fitted Luggage

Make packing for your next tour simple and easy. Classic Travelling Luggage offers bespoke fitted cases for a large range of classic and sports cars.

Channel Islands