Portelet Bay
Portelet Bay, St. Brelade, Jersey, JE3 8PS, Channel Islands.
Rating: 4.8 ★ (219 ratings)
Details
Portelet Bay is a picturesque and sheltered bay located on the south coast of Jersey, Channel Islands. It is characterized by its golden sand, clear waters, and surrounding high cliffs that provide a suntrap atmosphere. Access to the beach involves a steep descent down steps, which helps to keep it less crowded. A notable feature is Île au Guerdain, a small island in the bay with a historic tower known as Janvrin's Tomb. The bay is a popular spot for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, and rock pooling.
Since May 2022, Portelet Bay has been designated as a No Take Zone, meaning all forms of fishing are prohibited to allow the marine environment to develop naturally and support scientific research. Visitors can find the Portelet Bay Café directly on the beach, known for its wood-fired pizzas and fresh, locally sourced food. At the top of the cliff, the Portelet Inn, a 16th-century granite farmhouse, offers pub fare and views over the bay. The bay is accessible by public transport (bus route 12A) and has limited public parking available at Portelet Common and near the Portelet Inn.
Location
Opening Hours
Portelet Bay (Beach): Mon-Sun Open all year round. Portelet Bay Café: Wednesday - Saturday 12:00 - 19:30 (may vary, check website). Portelet Inn: Bar: Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00; Restaurant: Mon-Fri 12:00-14:30 & 17:00-20:00, Sat 12:00-14:30 & 17:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-19:00.
Contact
Portelet Bay Café: +44 (0) 1534 728550, [email protected] / [email protected]. Portelet Inn: (01534) 741899, [email protected].
Comments
If you go when it's low tide, you can easily cross to the fort but be warned, there are a lot of pigeons inside and a lot of birds poo on the floor and walls. The rocks are very grippy but the seaweed can make it slippy.
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Best check the tides before going down though, as not much beach when it's high tide. At low tide you can walk over to the island.
Parking at the top can be a little limited, there is a bus stop at the top of the hill if you don't have a car and the Portlet pub at the top is a nice place to stop to recover from the walk back up.