Guernsey

Sorry, no info on accommodations, etc., for Guernsey, but have you read the book and seen the movie, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"? If not, I highly recommend, both.

The ferry contract has just been relet and turned upside down. I don't believe there are ferries from Cherbourg, but there are from Poole and Portsmouth in England.

Most flights are on Aurigny from LCY, LGW, Paris CDG, MAN, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, Exeter and Southampton, also Dublin in the summer.
Loganair have started this week from Edinburgh.
There is a comprehensive on island bus service, and of course rental cars. Buses see the website buses.gg

The speed limit is 35mph, or 25mph in town.

There will be a Visit Guernsey website for accommodation.

The Channel Islands were the only part of the UK to be occupied in WW2, and there is quite a lot on that to visit, as well as cheerier stuff.

Also the off isles of Herm and Sark.

I was in Guernsey and Jersey in September 2023. I never found a travel book that covered Guernsey; relied on the Guernsey tourist site https://www.visitguernsey.com/ . The island is well worth a visit, particularly its history. The island was essentially fortified twice - for the Napoleonic War around 1800 and by the German's in WW2. The Germans used the 1800 sites in many cases just making renovations or additions. For accommodations, you will need to use the Visit Guernsey site or a general hotel searching site to find something. There is info on a blog called travel kiwis https://www.travelkiwis.com/things-to-do-guernsey-channel-islands/

There is a Pocket Rough Guides Weekender Jersey (available from Amazon) and they have one for Guernsey but I never saw it https://shop.insightguides.com/book/insight-guides-pocket-guernsey/9781786718143

Like Coleen, I relied on visit Guernsey website. I also emailed the Visitor Centre if I had any detailed questions I couldn't find answers to. I found they were extrememy helpful.

If you do a google search for Guernsey Guide books it throws up several options.

The most recent is Guernsey Handbook 2025 - The Essential Guide to Guernsey which is available from Amazon. It has 153 pages so should have plenty of information.

Insight Guides seem to do two different guides for Guernsey. Great Breaks Guernsey published in 2022 and a pocket guide published in 2109. I've used Insight Guides in the past and they have a reasonable amount ogf information and some nice pictures.

There is always the Mini Rough Guide to Guernsey publishes 2022. (Rough guides often have good maps and also a lot of background information you may not find on the websites.)

You can also buy walking guides to Guernsey eg Cicerone do a walking guide. Visit Guernsey has lots of ideas for walks too.

DISCLAIMER - I've not seen or used any of the guides.

Use the Visit Guernsey website for the most up to date information about getting there. It also have information about the different sorts of acommodation .

As isn31c points out there is a very good and cheap bus service. I found the timetables on the web to be really confusing and got a copy of a timetable from the Visitor Centre when I arrived. You can probably also pick up one from the bus station too.

There's plenty to do and see from the the ruined Vale Castle and Castle Cornet. There are lots of Napoleonic looh hole towers (whhich we were told were not the same as Martello Towers. There is also all the WW2 stuff. Don't miss th Little VChapel which ws much nicer than I expected.

If time allows, do try and fit in day trips to Herm and Sark too!

I'm not sure how up to date this map is now, but it will give an idea of where services go.

I have been to Guernsey twice now and I really enjoy the relaxed and pleasant way of life there. There is a lot of WWII history scattered throughout the island. Herm and Sark and two different islands to explore on sunny days. We booked through the pier kiosk in St. Peter Port after checking the weather a few days ahead. (If you going at the peak of summer and the weather is good then boats may get sold out). On Sark we rented electric bikes and it was a great day out. Herm has a beautiful shell beach and hikes that provide great views.

We rented a car from the airport. There is only one company and the insurance is all inclusive. (very reasonable) Speed limits is 35 mph and driving is very easy. I think I used one tank of gas for an entire week. On my first trip, we relied on the buses, while they are very good, it is nice to use your own transportation and timetable. I found the buses did not go to all the areas and there is quite a lot of walking in-between.
As for accommodation, we stayed in St. Martins at the self-catering Ellingham cottages. There are clean and run by a lovely couple. https://www.ellinghamguernsey.co.uk/

After covid, I think many of the Airbnb's closed and have not reopened. St. Martin or Forrest Parish are most scenic to stay. Vazon Beach is on the West side and has some larger hotels for people who want to spend time on the beach. The North of the island is not so scenic.
The Tourist Information office in St. Peter Port is very helpful. We attempted to do a trip to St. Malo, but the ferry scheduled did not really provide a day return to and from Guernsey.

Check out this company - we had a great day out with them.
https://tourguernsey.com/

It has been ages since I went to Guernsey, but I visited Jersey in 2017. I would caution you--based on what happened to me during both of my trips--that the ferries are sometimes canceled, even during tourist season. I'd have a back-up plan unless your itinerary has considerable slack in it. My last-minute solution in 2017 was to buy an airline ticket from Jersey back to the mainland. I was fortunate that a ticket for the following day didn't cost more than 200 GBP, but I still had to get to the Victoria Coach Station. I still had to take a bus to Poole, which was my anticipated ferry port.

Please read what I said the ferry contract has been relet with some conventional ships being reintroduced.
Not that they ever entirely went away as there was always the ropax overnight vessel from Portsmouth.

Also about to start is a new regular inter island ferry to Jersey, hopefully next week. The rumour is that she will also restart a regular sea service to Alderney.

And for those who are aware of the flight situation that can often be just as uncertain, as the airport quite often gets socked in with low visibility.

When cruise ships call at Guernsey the success rate of calls is under 50%- they have to tender in to the small harbour, often impeded by sea conditions.
It is an island, with the attendant challenges, same as the Scottish islands.

Thanks for the great information! We’ll be going to Guernsey from France. I will certainly double check ferries. Guernsey became very interesting to us after reading The Guernsey Book Club and Potato Pie Eating Society. Movie wasn’t bad. Also Bergerac with John Nettles.

Ah! I misspoke. It’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Eating Society.

I need to find my copy of the book!:)

Also Bergerac with John Nettles.

Bergerac was based in Jersey, not Guernsey....

The movie was actually filmed in North Devon and Bristol substituted for Weymouth for the ferry scenes.
Finding suitable period locations on Guernsey proved to be too challenging.