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St. Martin
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St Martin, Guernsey, combines coastal walks, heritage gardens, dramatic cliffs, sheltered bays and peaceful Channel Islands scenery with local culture to explore.

Coastal landscapes

St Martin occupies the south-eastern corner of Guernsey, where steep lanes descend towards a succession of coves, headlands and sea views across the English Channel. The parish is best understood as a rural coastal district rather than a conventional town, with scattered hamlets, granite houses, pasture, woodland and winding roads linking places such as Jerbourg, Icart and Saints Bay. Coastal paths reveal a varied shoreline: cliffs rise above rocky inlets around Jerbourg Point, while Moulin Huet is known for its sheltered beach and associations with the landscape paintings of Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
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Heritage and gardens

The parish church of St Martin de Tours provides a historic centre for the community, while Sausmarez Manor brings together centuries of domestic history, subtropical planting and an outdoor sculpture collection. Inland lanes lead past traditional Guernsey homes and working farmland, showing a quieter side of the island beyond St Peter Port. German military remains, including fortifications around the south coast, add a twentieth-century layer to the landscape. St Martin’s appeal lies in the relationship between its paths, gardens, beaches and built heritage: short distances can lead from a country lane to a clifftop panorama or a small cove shaped by the island’s tides.

When is the best time to visit St. Martin?

Best: July–September · 19–20°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January1375
February1260
March1360
April1450
May1645
June1840
July (best)2040
August (best)2040
September (best)1945
October1750
November1565
December1375

Getting to and around St. Martin

How to get there

St Martin is reached through Guernsey’s wider transport network. Guernsey Airport is in the neighbouring parish of Forest and provides the principal air gateway for the island, with onward connections varying by season and operator. Sea travellers arrive through St Peter Port, whose harbour is connected by ferry services with destinations that can include the United Kingdom and nearby French islands, subject to changing timetables and conditions. From either gateway, St Martin is accessible by road, taxi, bicycle or local bus. There is no railway or long-distance coach network on Guernsey. Visitors should check current ferry, flight and bus arrangements before travelling, particularly outside the main summer season.

Transportation

St Martin is easiest to explore by a combination of walking and local bus travel. Coastal paths link much of the southern shoreline, but they include steep gradients, steps, exposed sections and uneven ground. Guernsey’s public buses connect the parish with St Peter Port, the airport and other parts of the island, although routes and frequencies vary. Taxis and hired cars provide greater flexibility for reaching scattered viewpoints, beaches and country lanes; driving requires care because roads can be narrow, winding and bounded by walls. Cycling is possible, but hills and traffic conditions should be considered. Parking is limited at some coastal sites, so arriving early or using public transport can be practical.

Best attractions in St. Martin

St Martin’s principal attractions are its coast, gardens and scattered heritage sites rather than a dense collection of museums. Sausmarez Manor combines a historic estate with subtropical gardens and an outdoor sculpture park, offering a cultivated contrast to the parish’s open headlands. At Jerbourg Point, paths lead across high cliffs and around remnants of German coastal defences, with broad views over the Channel and neighbouring islands in clear weather. Icart Point provides another dramatic walking landscape, while Moulin Huet offers a sheltered cove framed by granite rocks and steep slopes; its scenery was painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir during his stay in Guernsey. The parish church of St Martin de Tours adds a quieter cultural stop, and the lanes between these places reveal traditional houses, earth banks, fields and granite walls that are central to the character of the south-east island.

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Best landmarks in St. Martin

St Martin de Tours Church is the parish’s principal ecclesiastical landmark, representing the long continuity of Christian worship and community life in this part of Guernsey. Sausmarez Manor is a significant historic estate whose buildings and grounds reflect the island’s seigneurial and agricultural past, while its gardens demonstrate the possibilities created by Guernsey’s mild maritime climate. Along the coast, German bunkers, gun positions and observation structures form a stark twentieth-century layer around Jerbourg and other southern headlands. Moulin Huet is less a built monument than a cultural landmark: its cove became closely associated with Renoir’s Guernsey paintings and remains one of the island’s most recognisable coastal settings. Granite walls, traditional houses and old lanes complete the architectural character, linking everyday rural structures with the parish’s wider history.

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Best restaurants in St. Martin

Dining in St Martin is shaped by Guernsey’s coastal setting, small-scale farming and proximity to St Peter Port rather than by a large restaurant quarter. Menus may feature local seafood, crab, lobster, mussels and sustainably caught fish, alongside dairy products and vegetables grown in the island’s mild climate. Guernsey’s traditional gâche, a fruit bread, is associated with home baking and is often encountered in cafés and bakeries, while bean jar reflects the island’s older domestic cooking traditions. The parish has a mixture of country pubs, cafés and restaurants, with further choice in nearby St Peter Port. Eating near the southern coast often means a relaxed setting close to lanes or sea views; visitors should expect seasonal opening patterns and check arrangements in advance, especially outside the busiest months.

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Best bars in St. Martin

St Martin has a restrained evening scene centred on country pubs, hotel bars and relaxed restaurants rather than nightclubs. Social life is generally low-key, with visitors and residents gathering for local ales, wine, conversation and meals after coastal walks. The parish’s rural roads mean that evening travel should be planned carefully, particularly if returning from isolated dining locations without a car. For live entertainment, a wider choice of pubs, bars, cultural events and performance venues is found in St Peter Port, which is accessible from St Martin by taxi or bus when services operate. Guernsey’s evenings are also well suited to non-drinking activities, including sunset walks, seasonal events and harbour-side dining. Venues and events can vary considerably by season, so current local information is useful.

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Best nightclubs in St. Martin

St Martin has a restrained evening scene centred on country pubs, hotel bars and relaxed restaurants rather than nightclubs. Social life is generally low-key, with visitors and residents gathering for local ales, wine, conversation and meals after coastal walks. The parish’s rural roads mean that evening travel should be planned carefully, particularly if returning from isolated dining locations without a car. For live entertainment, a wider choice of pubs, bars, cultural events and performance venues is found in St Peter Port, which is accessible from St Martin by taxi or bus when services operate. Guernsey’s evenings are also well suited to non-drinking activities, including sunset walks, seasonal events and harbour-side dining. Venues and events can vary considerably by season, so current local information is useful.

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Best shops in St. Martin

Shopping in St Martin is limited and local in character, with the emphasis on farm produce, gifts, crafts and provisions rather than large retail streets. Sausmarez Manor and other visitor-oriented sites may provide opportunities to browse locally made objects, artwork, garden-related goods or Guernsey products, while small parish shops and cafés serve practical needs. For broader retail choice, St Peter Port has the island’s principal shopping streets, independent businesses and market traditions. Visitors looking for distinctive purchases can consider Guernsey dairy products, locally produced food, handmade ceramics, textiles, artwork and souvenirs inspired by the island’s maritime landscape. As stock and opening patterns vary, especially during the quieter season, shopping is best approached as part of a wider visit to gardens, villages and the coast rather than as a dedicated retail excursion within St Martin.

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St. Martin essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the pound sterling, and Guernsey also issues its own notes and coins, which circulate alongside United Kingdom sterling within the Bailiwick. Guernsey notes and coins may not be readily accepted in the United Kingdom, so visitors should spend or exchange them before leaving. Cards and contactless payments are commonly used in established shops, restaurants and visitor businesses, but smaller outlets, rural kiosks and some transport situations may prefer or require cash. ATMs are available around the island, though carrying a modest amount of sterling is sensible when walking in less built-up parts of St Martin. International cards may apply their own exchange or transaction charges.
Safety
St Martin is generally suited to independent exploration, but its coastal terrain requires care. Clifftop paths can be exposed, slippery or uneven, and the combination of wind, rain and steep drops makes sensible footwear important. Keep well back from cliff edges, supervise children closely and avoid entering sea caves or rocky areas without checking conditions. Tides can cut off routes around beaches and coves. On roads, take care on narrow lanes with limited visibility, whether walking, cycling or driving. Normal precautions for belongings are appropriate, particularly at busy viewpoints and during events. Weather can change quickly, so a waterproof layer and a charged phone are useful on longer walks.
Emergency Situations
Dial 999 or 112 for police, fire or ambulance emergencies in Guernsey. Give the operator the parish, road name, nearby landmark or coastal-path location, as rural lanes and cliff areas can be difficult to identify quickly. On the coast, describe the nearest headland, bay, access point or signposted path and stay away from unstable edges while waiting for assistance. For urgent medical needs, ambulance services can direct visitors to the appropriate hospital care in Guernsey. Pharmacies and ordinary medical services are intended for non-emergency needs. Travel insurance should cover medical treatment and evacuation arrangements where relevant, particularly for visitors taking part in watersports or remote coastal activities.
Do's and Don'ts
Do respect private land, gates, livestock and marked public paths, leaving gates as they are found and taking litter away. Keep dogs under control around grazing animals and nesting birds. Do not climb on coastal fortifications, historic walls or unstable cliff structures, and follow any local signs at beaches or protected sites. Swim only where conditions are suitable, since tides and currents can change quickly. In churches, memorials and working community spaces, dress and behave respectfully. Guernsey’s pace is generally informal, but narrow roads require patience and courtesy. Tipping is discretionary rather than compulsory; rounding up or rewarding good service is customary in many hospitality settings.
Local Tips
The most rewarding orientation comes from treating St Martin as a network of landscapes rather than a central settlement. Pair a visit to Sausmarez Manor with the lanes leading towards the south coast, then follow sections of the cliff path near Icart or Jerbourg according to weather and tide conditions. Local bus routes can reduce the need to return along the same road, but services should be checked before setting out. St Peter Port is useful for supplies, museums and harbour connections, while St Martin offers a quieter base close to beaches and walking routes. Guernsey’s coastal-path signs and maps are valuable because distances on the island can appear short while hills make journeys slower.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloBonjour[bon-zhoor]
GoodbyeAu revoir[oh ruh-vwahr]
YesOui[wee]
NoNon[noh]
Please/You're welcomeS'il vous plaît/De rien[seal voo pleh/duh ree-uhn]
Thank youMerci[mehr-see]
Excuse me/SorryExcusez-moi/Désolé[ex-kew-zay mwah/dey-zoh-lay]
How are you?Comment ça va?[koh-mohn sah vah]
Fine. And you?Bien. Et vous?[byen/ay voo]
Do you speak English?Parlez-vous anglais?[par-lay voo ahn-glay]
I don't understandJe ne comprends pas[zhuh nuh kohm-prahn pah]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseJe voudrais voir la carte, s'il vous plaît[zhuh voo-dray vwahr lah kahrt, seal voo pleh]
I don't eat meatJe ne mange pas de viande[zhuh nuh mahnzh pah duh vee-ahnd]
Cheers!Santé![sahn-tay]
I would like to pay, pleaseJe voudrais payer, s'il vous plaît[zhuh voo-dray pay-ay, seal voo pleh]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Au secours![oh sek-oor]
Go away!Allez-vous en![al-ay vooz ahn]
Call the Police!Appelez la police![ah-peh-lay lah poh-leece]
Call a doctor!Appelez un médecin![ah-peh-lay uh meh-deh-sahn]
I'm lostJe suis perdu[zhuh swee pair-doo]
I'm illJe suis malade[zhuh swee mah-lahd]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Je voudrais acheter...[zhuh voo-dray zah-shtay]
I'm just lookingJe regarde juste[zhuh ruh-gahrd zhuhst]
How much is it?Combien ça coûte?[kohm-byen sah koot]
That's too expensiveC'est trop cher[say troh shair]
Can you lower the price?Pouvez-vous baisser le prix?[poo-veh voo bay-say luh pree]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Quelle heure est-il?[kell ur eh-teel]
It's one o'clockIl est une heure[eel eh tun ur]
Half past (10)Dix heures et demie[dees urz ay duh-mee]
MorningMatin[mah-tahn]
AfternoonAprès-midi[ah-pray mee-dee]
EveningSoir[swahr]
YesterdayHier[yehr]
TodayAujourd'hui[oh-zhoor-dwee]
TomorrowDemain[duh-mahn]
1Un[uhn]
2Deux[duh]
3Trois[twah]
4Quatre[ka-truh]
5Cinq[sank]
6Six[sees]
7Sept[sept]
8Huit[wheat]
9Neuf[nerf]
10Dix[dees]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Où est...?[oo eh]
What's the address?Quelle est l'adresse?[kell eh lah-dress]
Can you show me (on the map)?Pouvez-vous me montrer (sur la carte)?[poo-veh voo muh mohn-tray (soor lah kahrt)]
When's the next (bus)?Quand est le prochain (bus)?[kahn eh luh proh-shahn (bus)]
A ticket (to ....)Un billet (pour ...)[uhn bee-yay (poor)]

History of St. Martin

Early Settlement and Parish Origins

The landscape around St Martin was shaped by settlement long before the modern parish took form. Guernsey’s earliest communities used the island’s sheltered valleys, fertile soils and coastal resources, while prehistoric monuments elsewhere on the island testify to a much older human presence. The parish’s name reflects the Christian dedication to St Martin of Tours, a widely venerated saint whose cult spread through the medieval church. As Guernsey developed within the orbit of Normandy, local communities combined small-scale farming with fishing, quarrying and maritime exchange. The dispersed pattern of houses and lanes visible today partly reflects this long rural history, in which settlement grew around fields, parish institutions and access routes rather than a single urban centre.

Medieval Parish and Seigneurial Society

During the medieval period, St Martin became one of Guernsey’s established ecclesiastical and agricultural parishes. The parish church served as both a place of worship and a focus for community life, while estates such as Sausmarez developed within a society organised around landholding, customary law and farming. Guernsey remained linked politically to the English Crown after the loss of Normandy in 1204, but retained distinctive institutions and Norman-derived legal and linguistic traditions. The island’s position between France and England brought opportunity as well as insecurity, and coastal communities lived with the possibility of raids or military conflict. The parish’s churches, manorial traditions and old lanes preserve traces of this medieval social geography.

Maritime Exchange and Rural Change

From the early modern period into the nineteenth century, St Martin’s economy reflected Guernsey’s maritime connections. Small farms supplied produce for local consumption and export, while the surrounding waters supported fishing and coastal trade. The island’s granite buildings and boundary walls were constructed within this rural economy, and family estates continued to shape the appearance of the parish. Guernsey’s seafaring links brought goods, ideas and people from Britain, France and further afield, although St Martin itself remained predominantly agricultural rather than urban. During the nineteenth century, improved roads and changing patterns of commerce gradually connected the parish more closely with St Peter Port and the rest of the island, without erasing its dispersed settlement pattern.

Nineteenth-Century Landscape and Culture

The nineteenth century brought new attention to Guernsey’s scenery, climate and distinctive social character. Visitors were drawn to the southern cliffs, sheltered bays and lanes, while local landowners developed gardens that benefited from the island’s mild maritime conditions. Sausmarez Manor remained an important estate, and the wider parish acquired the mixture of cultivated grounds, small farms and coastal viewpoints that still defines its character. Artists and writers visiting Guernsey responded to its unusual light, granite architecture and proximity to the French coast. These cultural associations did not turn St Martin into a resort town, but they helped establish the south coast as a landscape valued for recreation, observation and artistic appreciation.

Occupation and Post-War Memory

Guernsey was occupied by German forces from 1940 until liberation in May 1945, and the occupation left a substantial military imprint on St Martin’s coastline. Batteries, bunkers, observation positions and other structures were integrated into the cliffs and headlands, reflecting the island’s role within the Atlantic Wall defence system. Some surviving installations are visible beside coastal paths, where they stand among older agricultural and maritime features. After liberation, the fortifications became part of the island’s complex wartime heritage rather than defining the parish’s identity alone. St Martin’s contemporary landscape therefore combines parish church and manor, beaches and farmland, with tangible reminders of the disruption and strategic importance of the Second World War.

St. Martin in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to St. Martin, Guernsey

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Explore the charming beauty of St. Martin, Guernsey with Evendo, your comprehensive app-based travel guide. Whether you're a history buff, a foodie, or an adventure seeker, Evendo ensures you make the most of your visit. Discover iconic landmarks such as the Little Chapel and St. Martin's Church, or relax at Fermain Bay with its stunning coastal views.

Satisfy your culinary cravings with recommendations for top restaurants like The Auberge and Bella Luce, offering exquisite local and international cuisine. Shop till you drop at local boutiques, and experience the vibrant nightlife at popular bars and nightclubs.

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