Guernsey certainly isn’t short of beautiful beaches, however, Petit Port is next level beautiful, to the point it takes your breath away a little when you first get a glimpse of it. However, you have to earn your time on it…the only way to reach it is by walking down over 270 steps and then back up them again to get home!
Location
Petit Port is located off La Route De Jerbourg in St Martin’s on the coastal footpath. Access to the footpath is signposted from the main road, look out for a small sign a few feet off the ground (opposite the Doyle monument). By car, drive past the sign and there is parking at the top of the hill on the right hand side.
Petit Port can also be accessed from 2 directions on the coastal footpath, 1) from Jerbourg, 2) from Moulin Huet
The Steps
The 270 steps are not for the feint hearted and are not suitable for anyone with limited mobility. The steps zig-zag down the cliff, there is a handrail and a bench halfway down for a well earned rest. When we first visited Petit Port we were concerned about our kids, who were 7 years old at the time, managing the steps, embarrassingly they fly up the steps with us lagging behind!
The Beach - Low Tide
There is something very special about Petit Port beach at low tide, thanks to the soft white sand and crystal-clear blue water. It is a beautifully sheltered bay with rocks to explore on either side and a vast expanse of sand.
Due to the effort required to get onto the beach it is never very busy and you may have the whole beach to yourself!
Petit Port is a great place for children to swim/ paddle because there are no rocks or seaweed underfoot, just soft sand, and it slopes gently into the water.
High Tide
You need to be mindful of the tide when planning a visit to Petit Port because at high tide there is no sand visible on the beach, it is totally under water. It is a long way down the steps to find a small rocky bay at the bottom!
It is good to get to Petit Port after high tide, ideally midway between high and low tide to maximise your time on the beach.
Facilities
There are no facilities on Petit Port beach so you need to take everything with you, but remember, what goes down must go back up!!
There’s something very special about Petit Port because, after even a short time on the endless soft sand, looking at the crystal clear water, you’ll feel a million miles away from the fast pace of normal life. Despite the lack of facilities, we’ll often take a picnic and stay on the beach until we are chased off by the tide.
Address
La Route De Jerbourg, St Martin, Guernsey
Bus Routes
81
Dogs on Petit Port Beach
Dogs are welcome on Petit Port beach year-round.
