St Ouen’s Bay in Jersey
A stunning beach covering almost the entire west coast of Jersey. It is a flat, wide, sandy beach, with sand dunes stretching back from the bay almost as far as the airport.
In fact most flights arrive over the bay so for visitors St Ouen’s Bay will be the first part of Jersey they see.
The bay is popular with walkers, surfers and photographers- best sunsets on the island in summer- and historians will find the scattered WW2 bunkers and Napoleonic Martello towers of interest.
WHERE TO EAT
Le Braye Cafe has plenty of parking and makes one of the best crab sandwiches in Jersey. On summers evenings it’s fish curry, locally caught sea bream and other seafood specials that make it one of the best and most popular dining options ‘out west’.
The Line Up has been serving great bacon butties and hefty hamburgers on the beachfront for years and is always popular with locals.
El Tico has a perfect location on the bay for sunset dining al fresco.
Faulkner Fisheries at L’Etacq on the northern end of St Ouen’s Bay cooks fresh local seafood grilled or BBQ in tin foil with bench seating overlooking the bay.
WHERE TO STAY
St Ouen’s Bay is a protected area, indeed the beach and surrounding area is the largest section of the Jersey National Park. So no hotels and very limited self catering accommodations here. Discovery Bay Apartments are the best place to stay and they are right on the bay, steps from the sand!
WHAT TO SEE & DO
Water sports are the main activity on St Ouen’s Bay, particularly surfing and windsurfing.
If you’ve never tried surfing then Little Joe’s right on the beach offers one on one surf lessons.
At the top of La Pulente almost opposite the pub, a cycle track meanders down to the bay at Petit Port, then a short hill meanders up to the lighthouse at Corbiere. From there a cycle track goes all the way to town.
During summer evenings it is quite common to see para gliders at the La Puente end of the bay.
Spread out all along the seafront are military fortifications built when Jersey was under Nazi occupation during the Second World War. Older fortifications like Kempt Tower are from a time in history when the major threat to Jersey was from Napoleon.
For birdwatchers, just behind the bay is St Ouen’s Pond which is home to The Wetlands Centre, both a state-of-the-art bird hide as well as a wetland interpretation centre.
GETTING THERE
Cyclists can start in town along the seafront- or from the harbour at St Aubin- and cycle to La Corbiere along the old railway track track, now a tree canopy cycle and walking/ running route. From the exit at La Pulente it is downhill along the ‘Five Mile Road’ which follows the bay all the way to the hill at L’Etacq.
There are regular buses to and from St Helier to St Ouen’s Bay.
There is car parking all along St Ouen’s Bay.
Book self catering accommodation on St Ouen’s Bay here:
