France Cruise: St. Peter Port
In this sixth post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores St. Peter Port, Guernsey on her France Intensive Cruise on Azamara.
This is the half-way point of my France Intensive Cruise, and what a wonderful cruise it has been so far! I am spending the day today in St. Peter Port, Guernsey. Guernsey is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located 27 miles west of Normandy, France. It is the largest of the five inhabited islands in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The population of the full Bailiwick is about 64,000, the majority of whom live on Guernsey. The island has a total area of 24 square miles. I had a lovely visit here on my first Azamara cruise back in 2022, and it was wonderful to be back today.
France Intensive Cruise Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about St. Peter Port, Guernsey. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- June 9 through June 11: Bordeaux, France
- June 12: La Rochelle and Île de Ré, France
- June 13: Belle-ÃŽle-en-Mer, France
- June 14: Nantes, France
- June 15: Brest and Quimper, France
- June 16: St. Peter Port, Guernsey
- June 17: Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel, France
- June 18: Cherbourg, Omaha Beach, and Sainte-Mère-Église, France
- June 19 & 20: Honfleur, Rouen, and Fécamp, France
- June 21: Oostende and Bruges, Belgium
Good Morning, Guernsey!
I was delighted to see some sun again today, after the past few dreary days! However, the temperature was still quite chilly and there was a brisk breeze this morning. I got a wonderful view of the main harbor area of St. Peter Port from my stateroom veranda this morning. We were anchored just offshore, and it was a quick and easy 5-minute tender ride to get to and from the ship.
Walking Tour of St. Peter Port
My excursion this morning started with a walking tour of St. Peter Port. However, we actually did not walk all that far – our guide first led us from the tender dock to the main church area. We stayed here in this spot for quite a while as he told us about the history and culture of Guernsey. From the church, it was another quick walk along the harbor area to make our way to the main feature of the excursion, Castle Cornet. As we made our way along the paved breakwater out to the castle, there was a nice view of part of the town behind us.
Castle Cornet
We walked on the breakwater which has connected Castle Cornet to the harbor area since 1859. Prior to that, the historic fortress was a tidal island. The island has an area of just under 5 acres and sits about 2,000 feet off the coast of Guernsey. As we approached the castle, I could see how imposing a structure it really is! Between the rocky foundation of the island and the massive castle complex itself, it is not hard to see how effective this fortress would have been when it was first fortified in the first half of the 13th century.
Scroll through the slideshow below for some initial views of the castle:
Castle Cornet – Inside the Gates
As we entered the castle complex, I continued to see the imposing stone walls and many gates. Our guide explained that the complex was built over a period of 800 years, so there wasn’t really a lot of order or overall design to things. Instead, new areas were added on in a bit of a hodge-podge fashion over the centuries. We meandered through the site, taking in the views as we went.
Click through the slideshow below for some more views of the castle:
We navigated through six gateways as we made our way up to the citadel at the top. As we ascended, the views of St. Peter Port got better and better. It was also nice to see our lovely ship, Azamara Quest, patiently waiting for us out in the harbor! I admired the views in the sunny but brisk weather, then we started making our way back down to the main entrance.
Scroll through the slideshow below for some more views of the castle:
Castle Cornet – Noonday Cannon
Once back at the main entrance, we had a bit of free time before the Noonday Cannon was fired. One of the cannons is fired at noon every day. Spoiler alert: that sucker is LOUD! But it was fun to see the pomp and circumstance around the Noonday Cannon.
Stunning St. Peter Port
My excursion wrapped up and I had plenty of free time to enjoy St. Peter Port. My first stop was some lunch, a delicious ham, Brie, and cranberry sandwich on a fresh baguette. I relaxed at an outdoor table at the sandwich shop near the main pier. They were having a huge local market today, a Sunday. There were tents and vendors set up all along the main street of the harbor, selling various items. One of the piers was also filled with food trucks and other food specialties, with a stage set up at one end for local performers. It was a fun and relaxed atmosphere in the area!
After lunch I wandered through the steep, narrow streets of the town. One of my favorite spots that I remembered from my first visit is the main post box in front of the church, which is always festively decorated. When I visited in 2022, it had an elaborate crocheted decoration of Queen Elizabeth to celebrate her royal jubilee. Today, it had fun and colorful seaside-themed crochet decorations.
Because it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed. But it was still a nice day to wander around and soak up the gorgeous views. I made my way up the steep cobblestone streets to the Old Town area. The brightly painted buildings, blooming flowers, and colorful flags strung everywhere definitely put a smile on my face. I even found a quirky sign in a shop window that made me happy!
Colorful Street Art
I was also happy to see a small section in the Old Town area with some beautiful and colorful street art. Between the positive messages and the fanciful artwork, it was such a joyous little area.
The Parish Church of St. Peter Port
I enjoyed walking through the Town Church, also known as the Parish Church of St. Peter Port. Historians believe a building likely existed on this site back to the 8th century. Construction of the current church was completed in the mid-15th century.
Click through the slideshow below to see pictures of the beautiful church:
A fun fact about the Town Church: it has an entry in the Guiness World Records as being the closest church to a pub in Great Britain! The distance between the two, in one spot, is only 18 inches…from the mouth of the gargoyle on the roof of the church to the neighboring Albion House pub (which you can see in the second picture below).
So Long, St. Peter Port!
After a lovely day in St. Peter Port, I made my way back to the tender dock and returned to the ship.
Once back on the ship, I stopped at Mosaic Cafe for a warm cup of tea. Luckily the sun was out today but it was rather cool and windy! I then made my way back to my stateroom to enjoy the pretty sail away later in the afternoon.
Delicious Dinner in Discoveries
My day ended with yet another delicious dinner in the main dining room, Discoveries. My marvelous meal for tonight included:
- Starter: Coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops in a decadent cream sauce)
- Main Course: Butternut Risotto with Sauteed Root Vegetables
- Dessert: Mini Baked Alaska with Fresh Fruit Salsa
Conclusion
I was delighted to return to St. Peter Port today. I absolutely loved my first visit there in 2022. Today’s visit was just as wonderful, albeit a bit quieter as it was a Sunday. I enjoyed touring the Castle Cornet. Relaxing and soaking in the views in my free time in the afternoon was also great. There is actually quite a bit to see and do here on this small island. But even if you just find a seat and enjoy the scenery, you will enjoy time spent in St. Peter Port.
Links
Click the button below to read about my first visit to St. Peter Port, Guernsey in 2022 (which included the delightful Little Chapel!):
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
Click the button below for more information about Azamara:
