Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Experience

Visit the island that inspired both book and film. Follow in the footsteps of the well beloved members of the “Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society”. Learn about the lives during the occupation, admire the stunning landscapes and explore the neighbouring islands.

 

Day One - Arrival in Guernsey

Arrive by ferry from Poole following the journey Juliet embarked on when travelling from England to Guernsey for the first time. Sail past the most northern of the Channel Islands, Alderney, and onwards to pretty Guernsey. Don't miss the views onto Sark and Herm on the way to the harbour.

The harbour town of St Peter Port is widely regarded to be the Channel Islands' most beautiful town and has retained lots of its Norman heritage. You will soon see why Juliet fell in love with this place almost instantly.

On arrival in Guernsey, you are met by your local guide and transferred to your chosen hotel for check-in.

Day Two - Full Day Tour

The tour will begin by following the beautiful Guernsey coastline passing through Val de Terre, the former garrison of Fort George and Sausmarez Manor, whose subtropical gardens have been recommended by the Royal Horicultural Society. Not only is the manor mentioned in the novel, it is also considered to have been the loose model upon which the main house in the book was based.

The tour will then continue along the west coast of the island, taking in its many picturesque beaches such as Perelle Bay, Vazon Bay, and Cobo Bay, perhaps the most popular of the beaches along the west coast. 

Next, the group will visit the Little Chapel, which is beautifully decorated with seashells, pebbles and colourful pieces of broken china and thought to be the smallest chapel in the world. This is where Dawsey took Juliet on one of their tours showing the island.

During your tour, you will see many of the fortifications that were built during the times of the occupation, and which Juliet would have found when visiting shortly after the war. There are still many witnesses of these dark times living in Guernsey that can give a vivid recollection of how life was between 1940 and 1945.

Time allowing you can also visit the German Military Underground Hospital, also featured in the book. The German Military Underground Hospital in Guernsey is the largest remaining structure from the German Occupation of the Channel Islands. Almost invisible from the surface, the tunnel complex covers 7,000 square metres and was hewn out of solid rock by slave workers for the German forces. The work started on this huge complex in 1944 when the D-Day landings occured and it looked likely that considerable German casualties might need to be cared for. The hospital was never finished.

 

Day Three - St Peter Port & Herm Island

Take a morning stroll through St Peter Port, and learn about its rich history dating back to Norman times. You will start at Candie Gardens, award winning, restored Victorian gardens with splendid views across St Peter Port harbour. Candie Gardens offer a rare example of a late 19th century public flower garden and are home to the oldest known heated glass-houses in the British Isles, which date back to the late 18th century.

The capital itself consists of lovely cobbled streets, steep steps and narrow lanes lined by old shop fronts and impressive houses. Walk the streets that saw the German soldiers parading through after landing in Guernsey in 1940. Follow Juliet's footsteps on her numerous walks to the post office and see the hotel whose roof Dawsey helped to fix. The former Crown Hotel, now the Ship & Crown pub, is ideal to finish off the town walk with a cold beverage or hearty lunch.

In the afternoon, you can go to the little island of Herm. Herm is an untouched haven of idyllic white sand beaches, secluded bays, green commons, sand dunes and spectacular cliff walks. Herm island is only 3 miles from the coast of Guernsey and measures just a mile and a half long and half a mile wide. Herm's main village consists of a charming cluster of cottages, restaurants and a traditional pub and gift shops. Despite its size, there is plenty to see in Herm, such as the tiny 11th century chapel and its beautiful stained glass windows, Neolithic tombs, oxen shoeing stocks dating back to the residency of Trappist monks in the 1800s and one of the smallest prisons in the world.

Day Four - Sark

Six miles east of Guernsey and only 20 miles from the coast of France lies Sark, the smallest of the four main Channel Islands and the last feudal state in Europe

With no cars on the island - except tractors - and a residential population of a mere 600 people, it is easy to see how the island has earned its reputation as a 'step back in time'. This absence of vehicles creates a leisurely and relaxed pace of life, which entices visitors back to Sark year after year.

Sightseeing can be done on foot, by bike, or from a horse and carriage, with a mixture of the three perhaps best enabling visitors to experience everything that the island has to offer.

In addition to the selection of quaint shops and cafés to be found in the island's main village, you will discover beautiful scenery with an abundance of wildflowers and sea birds, as well as the island's 22 miles of stunning coastline and dramatic cliffs, concealing picturesque inlets and secluded bays. A visit to the famous La Seignuerie Gardens, one of the finest formal gardens in the Channel Islands, can also be arranged.

In the evening, you will enjoy a splendid farewell dinner back in Guernsey at the 5-star Old Government House Hotel. Inspired by recipes from the occupation (remember the famous Potato Peel Pie), the hotel has created a unique menu to commemorate the resourcefulness and meals of that time.

 

Day Five - Departure from Guernsey

You will have to bid farewell to the beautiful island of Guernsey.

Your local guide will accompany you to the harbour or airport for your departure.

 

The Itinerary Includes

Day 1	Ferry from Poole to Guernsey + meet & greet by an English speaking guide + transfers to the hotel and assisted check-in.
Day 2	Coach and guide all day + visit of Sausmarez Manor house and subtropical gardens.
Day 3	Guide all day + return transfers + return ferry to Herm.
Day 4	Guide all day + return transfers + return ferry to Sark + return tractor transfers to/from village + entry to Seigneurie gardens + farewell dinner at the Old Government House Hotel.
Day 5	Escorted transfer to the harbour + ferry to Poole.

 

Price based on 4-star hotel: from £675 per person

Price based on 3-star hotel: from £598 per person

 

Some more...?

• Why not extend your stay in Guernsey to 7 nights? Enjoy two full-day tours in Guernsey with selected visits plus a day at leisure for clients to explore Guernsey at their own pace.
• Visit Hauteville House, the home of Victor Hugo while residing in Guernsey for 15 years during his exile.
• Learn about 1000 years of local history during a visit of the Guernsey Tapestry.
• Visit Priaulx Library, a unique visitor centre for the study of the island's history and genealogy. The library also offers special group tours on request, which can be included in the itinerary.
• Take in the breath-taking scenery during a coastal walk. This can also be organised as a group activity.