Saint Martin, Guernsey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Martin
Parish
Flag
Location of St. Martin in Guernsey
Crown Dependency	Guernsey, Channel Islands
Area
• Total	7.3 km2 (2.8 sq mi)
Population  (2019)
• Total	6,593
• Density	903/km2 (2,339/sq mi)
Time zone	GMT
• Summer (DST)	UTC+01

Saint Martin is a lovely parish located in Guernsey, which is one of the Channel Islands. These islands are found in the English Channel, a sea area between Great Britain and France.

If you send a letter to Saint Martin, the postal code for street addresses there starts with GY4. People from Saint Martin used to have a special old nickname in the Guernésiais language: dravans.

A famous painter named Pierre-Auguste Renoir visited Guernsey in 1883. He spent the summer exploring the beautiful beaches, cliffs, and bays. In just over a month, he created fifteen paintings! Many of these paintings show Moulin Huet, a pretty bay in Saint Martin. In 1983, special postage stamps were made to celebrate these paintings.

The main church in the parish, Saint Martin's Parish Church, was officially opened on February 4, 1199. Right at the entrance to the churchyard, you can see a special old stone statue called La Gran'mère du Chimquière. It's a type of ancient monument known as a menhir.

Saint Martin Parish has also done very well in the "Britain in Bloom" competition. This competition celebrates beautiful towns and villages. Saint Martin won the "small town" category twice, in 2006 and again in 2011!

Exploring Saint Martin

Children on the Beach of Guernsey, 1883, a painting of Petit Port by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Saint Martin is located in the southeast part of Guernsey. It shares its borders with other parishes like the Forest to the southwest, Saint Andrew to the northwest, and Saint Peter Port to the northeast. There's also a tiny part of Saint Martin that's separate from the main area, located to the west. This is called an exclave.

The parish is divided into four main areas called Cantons. Each Canton has three Douzeniers, who are local officials responsible for that area. The Cantons are:

• Canton de Fermains
• Canton des Hamelins
• Canton de Hatenez
• Canton de Bon Port

Saint Martin is known for having some of the most expensive homes on the island. For example, a four-bedroom house there might cost around £615,000.

Hills and Coastline

Saint Martin is the second highest parish in Guernsey. Only the Forest parish has higher land. The highest parts of Saint Martin are in the middle, around an area called Carmel, which is about 110 meters (360 feet) high. From there, the land gently slopes down towards the coast. Along the coast, you'll find steep cliffs that make up the parish's edge.

Cool Places to See

Saint Martin has many interesting places to visit and explore:

Churches

• St Martin's Parish Church
• St Martin's Mission Methodist Church
• Les Camps Methodist Church

Landmarks and Attractions

• La Gran'mère du Chimquière: This is the ancient stone statue at the churchyard gate.
• St Martin village: The main village area.
• Sausmarez Manor: A historic house and estate.
• Artparks Sculpture Park: A park where you can see many different sculptures.
• Doyle Monument: A monument dedicated to a former governor.
• Jerbourg Point: This is the most southeasterly point on the island, offering great views.
• Moulin Huet Bay: A beautiful bay that includes Saint's Bay, Moulin Huet, and Petit Port.
• Icart Point: Another scenic coastal point.

Historical Military Sites

• Parish war memorial: Located at the parish hall.
• Tower 14: Found at Saints Bay.
• Bec du Nez Battery: A military site from the Napoleonic Wars.
• La Moye Battery: Also from the Napoleonic Wars.
• Mont-Au Nord Battery: Another site from the Napoleonic Wars.
• German fortifications: These were built during the occupation of 1940-45.

Old Water Sources

Saint Martin has many old watering places for cattle (called Abreuveurs) and natural springs or wells (called Fontaines). These were very important for people and animals in the past. Some examples include:

• Les Hubits - fountain and drinking trough
• Le Becquet - fountain and drinking trough
• La Villette - fountain, pump and drinking trough
• Ville Amphrey - fountain and drinking trough
• Petit Port - fountain on slipway

Beaches

You can find several lovely beaches and bays in Saint Martin:

• Part of Petit Bot Bay
• Saint's Bay
• Moulin Huet
• Petit Port
• Divette
• Marble Bay (also known as Le Pied du Mur)
• Part of Fermain Bay

Community and Sports

Saint Martin is home to several community places and a sports club:

• St Martin's Douzaine Room
• St Martin's Parish Hall
• St Martin's Community Centre
• St. Martins A.C. (a sports club)
• Several hotels, pubs, and restaurants
• St Martin's primary school
• Many lovely countryside walks

La Gran'mère du Chimquière, the Grandmother of the Cemetery, the statue menhir at the gate of the Saint Martin parish church is an important prehistoric site

Getting Around

These are the main roads that connect Saint Martin to other parts of Guernsey:

• Forest Road: Leads to the Forest and the western side of the island.
• Les Varioufs: Connects to Saint Andrew's and the northwestern side of the island.
• Fort Road: Goes to Saint Peter Port, the east coast, and the northern side of the island.

The following roads are also very important within Saint Martin itself, as they lead to the village center and most of the shops:

• Rue Maze
• La Grande Rue
• Route de Saumarez

Famous People from Saint Martin

List of people from Guernsey Some notable people who have connections to Saint Martin include:

• Lee Savident (born 1976): A well-known cricketer.
• G.N. Georgano: An award-winning author.
• William Caparne: An artist who had his workshop in an old tram.
• Heidi Soulsby: A politician.

See also

In Spanish: Saint Martin (Guernsey) para niños