DESTINATIONS GUERNSEY | BRITISH ISLES
Crab fab i
Guernsey’s new food festival offers a tasty escape within easy reach of home, writes Maria Mellor
’ve got a new passport. It’s big, burgundy and full of stamps. But instead of showing how far I’ve travelled – in fact, I’m still in the British Isles
– I get a new stamp with each helping of cheese and wine. And instead of surly immigration officers, I hand my little book over to smiling waiters as I make my way along Guernsey’s Grande Fromage Tour. This is one of many special events at the inaugural edition of The Big Eat Guernsey food festival, which launched in April and is set to take place again in October, offering a twice-annual celebration of Guernsey’s cuisine. With its southerly sunshine, the shoulder seasons are already a great time to visit, and the festival enhances that with tours and experiences to help clients eat their way around the island.
SAY CHEESE An hour-long flight from Gatwick has me landing on the Channel Island before lunch, ready to tuck
in. Guernsey is coming up in the world as a foodie destination, with Chouet Bay restaurant Vraic earning the island’s first Michelin star for a decade earlier this year, and four other restaurants listed in the prestigious foodie guide. Jo Dyer, marketing officer at Visit Guernsey,
says the tourist board planned the new festival to “celebrate local produce and the innovation of chefs”, as well as a flurry of young locals entering the culinary scene. They range from producers such as Jock and Sasha at the Soil Farm to brewer Dan Bates at Little Big Brew Co. As someone whose itinerary is dictated by the
restaurants I want to visit – with a spot of sightseeing to while away the time between meals – I’m excited for the Grande Fromage Tour through island capital St Peter Port, where 15 restaurants have curated their own cheese and wine pairings, costing £12 per stop. Some places stick to the classics, such as elegant
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travelweekly.co.uk 16 JULY 2026 41
PICTURE: Rod Edwards/Visit Guernsey/Britain On View 2010
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