Anyone who watched cult 1980s detective series Bergerac (starring John Nettles) will know that the island of Jersey, with its pristine beaches, dramatic coastline and pretty ports was a star in its own right.
And as a six-part reboot, also set and filmed on Jersey, hits our screens, the island is getting ready for a set-jetting boom. With short flights available from over 20 UK airports and regular direct ferries from Poole and Portsmouth, it’s perfect for a spring break.
Base yourself in St Helier, Jersey’s bustling capital, which regularly featured in the original series that ran for a decade – from October 1981 to Boxing Day 1991. Visit famous Royal Square, home to detective sergeant Jim Bergerac’s first workplace, the fictional Le Bureau des Étrangers (The Foreigners’ Office). The first series was a big hit and Bergerac’s 1947 Triumph Roadster was easily spotted, alerting fans to when it was being filmed – eventually meaning the location had to be moved. But for the reboot, film crews and the Triumph Roadster were back in Royal Square.
Don’t miss the Jersey Museum, Art Gallery and Victorian House for a whistle-stop tour through the island’s history. Nearby historic Central Market & Beresford Street Fish Market is home to more than 40 independent retailers and, more importantly, used as a location for the Bergerac reboot, starring Irish actor Damien Molony from The Split and Brassic. The much-anticipated six-parter is directed by Colm McCarthy (Peaky Blinders) and written by Doctor Who scribe Toby Whithouse, who says he’s made the leading role “more complex”.
From St Helier, hop on a number 1 LibertyBus (£9 for a day pass) to Gorey’s Bay and visit Mont Orgueil Castle, which was built by English King John in 1204 to keep an eye on the unruly French. This dramatic fortress provided a stunning backdrop in many episodes of the classic Bergerac series. Walk around its network of staircases and through hidden chambers to towers that have breathtaking views from the battlements.
Doubling as a location for an episode in the first series of 1980s Bergerac and inland from St Helier, the Jersey War Tunnels will give you a vivid picture of the island’s darkest days, when residents endured five years of Nazi occupation during World War II.
But, as shown so memorably in Bergerac and its reboot, the jewel in Jersey’s crown is its landscape. You can walk, hire a bike or use the reliable bus or taxi services to travel to beautiful bays, such as Noirmont Point on Jersey’s southern coast; St Brelade’s to the south-west, with its golden sands, clear waters, picturesque medieval church and impressive 150-year-old Corbière Lighthouse; or St Ouen’s, a five-mile-long surfer beach.
Noirmont Manor was home to cigar-bearing Charlie Hungerford, dodgy scrap dealer and ex-father-in-law of Bergerac, who was always ready to help Jim take on the island’s criminals. In the reinvented series, Zoë Wanamaker plays a gender-swapped Charlie Hungerford, now Jim Bergerac’s mother-in-law.
Jersey’s cuisine is another draw, whether you want easygoing cafes (try Locke’s Coffee & Grub in St Helier or El Tico Beach Cantina at St Ouen’s Bay) or cosy pub food – try the 15th-century Old Court House Inn on St Aubin’s harbour – aka The Royal Barge owned by “Diamante Lil” (Mela White) and a regular hangout for copper and criminals in vintage Bergerac.
The popular and friendly Salty Dog Cafe, Bar & Bistro in St Aubin serves an impressive global menu. For more formal dining, head to Tides Restaurant at the Somerville Hotel, just a few doors down from the flat where Jim Bergerac and Susan Young (played by Louise Jameson) lived, with its incredible view of St Aubin’s pretty harbour. The hotel’s Voyager Lounge Bar is also the perfect place for a nightcap – Bergerac would certainly approve.
Bergerac will air on U&Drama and free streaming service U from 27 February.
GET THERE: British Airways flies direct to Jersey from London, Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh from £85pp return. Book tickets to Jersey from either Poole (from £345 return) or Portsmouth (from £352 return) with Condor Ferries or Direct Ferries. Double rooms at the Somerville Hotel start from £80pp a night. For more information, visit jersey.com.
