St. Helier CRUISE

On your MSC cruise, you will have the chance to explore this extravagant place full of charm, history and culture.

 

Until the end of the 18th century, Saint Helier consisted mainly of a series of houses, shops and warehouses that stretched along the coastal dunes on either side of the church and adjacent market. Today, many places in this beautiful city have been formally listed as special interest sites by the Jersey Department of Planning and Environment.

One of these is Elizabeth Castle, a dark stone castle located on an islet at the end of the bay where Saint Helier is located. The current building is named after Elizabeth I, who was Queen of England in the 16th century when the castle was built.

 

The focal point of the city is Liberation Square, built in 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Jersey. At the center of the square is a monument in remembrance of the end of the German occupation at the conclusion of the Second World War. There is a large statue in the middle of a fountain depicting a group of citizens holding a flag of the United Kingdom blowing in the wind. To the north of the square is Hotel Pomme D'Or, which was used by the Nazis as their headquarters during the occupation.

 

One of the most curious features of Saint Helier is a statue of a toad. The island is actually the only one in the Channel that boasts a species of indigenous toad, a British variety that is unique and different from those present in the rest of England, given protected status and monitored to ensure its survival.