The Shrine of the Sacred Heart, located at Fort Hommet, is a Second World War bunker transformed from a place of war into a place of peace, and an unexpectedly fun place for a visit with kids. Aside from the shrine, Fort Hommet is a great place to explore on 2 levels with a Martello tower, bunkers, casemates and grounds with stunning views across the bay.
Note that The Shrine of the Sacred Heart is only open during certain days of the year. CLICK HERE for the opening times/days.
Location
Fort Hommet is located in Vazon off Rue d’Albecq (just past Crabby Jacks and Vistas Cafe). Look out for the brown sign signalling the lane that leads off the coast road with a parking area at the end.
There is a gravel path leading from the parking area to the fort…
It is also easy to access Fort Hommet from Vazon Beach. There is parking behind the beach, next to Vistas Cafe, with a footpath leading to the fort from the parking area on the right hand side (when looking at the beach). When you get to a parking area a few minutes along the footpath, walk across it and look out for some steps on the left, these will take you up to another footpath which leads to the fort. Just beyond the top of the steps are a few picnic benches, a great spot for a picnic thanks to the beautiful view across Vazon Bay.
Shrine of the Sacred Heart
The Shrine of the Sacred Heart is a Second World War bunker transformed by Hubert Le Galloudec from a place of war into a place of peace and beauty using local seashells. The shrine is open on selected dates throughout the year. CLICK HERE for opening dates and times.
We recently visited the shrine for the first time and my girls really enjoyed it. They were fascinated by the amount of shells on the wall and they enjoyed the shrine eye spy! On the back wall there are pics of sections of the shrine and it was fun trying to spot them within the design, they didn’t want to leave until they had found them all. They were kindly given a postcard on the way out which made their day! It only takes a few minutes to visit the shrine and it is worth a look.
Fort Hommet
The fort is a great place to explore, my kids love to have a run around whilst I take in the amazing views. It is recorded that in 1680 there was a fortification with one gun on this site. By 1795 however the fort had been strengthened and additional gun positions constructed. In 1801 6 guns were recorded on the headland with the Martello tower added in 1804. In 1856 a barrack block was constructed and this housed part of the Regular Army garrison until the First World War but it was later destroyed. The fort was added to in 1942 by the occupying German forces which can be seen today.
Ground Level
There is lots to explore on the ground level from the existing fort and the German additions and no matter what side of the fort you are on, the views are stunning! It is possible to walk around the fort but the ground is very uneven at the back of the fort so care needs to be taken.
In the courtyard there is a raised level which is accessed by a set of stone steps, care needs to be taken here with little ones as there is no railing and it is a very big drop!
Upper Level
At the far side of the fort is a set of steps that lead up to the upper level. As you get to the top of the steps on the right it is possible to stand on top of the German fortification, but there are no safety rails so be careful!
From the upper level you can get close to the Martello Tower, see the gun turrets and admire the fantastic 360 degree views.
The Fort Hommet Gun Casemate
To the left of the Fort Hommet Headland parking area is the Fort Hommet Gun Casemate Bunker, a fully restored gun casemate (a structure from which guns are fired) that was constructed on the Vazon Bay Headland by the occupying German forces between 1940 and 1945. It is open for visits on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons 2-4:30pm April to October with a small fee to enter. Admission is £3 for adults and £1.50 for Children. It is not somewhere we have taken our kids, as it’s a little old for them but great for older kids with a knowledge of World War II.
Fort Hommet is great for a stop-off to give kids a run-around and a sense of freedom and definitely have a look at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart when it is open. The coastal path walks in both direction from the fort are great with stunning views in all directions.
Address
Fort Hommet Headland, Castel, Guernsey
Bus Routes
41, 91, 111
Dogs
Dogs are welcome at Fort Hommet however, they are not allowed in The Shrine of the Sacred Heart.
