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Guernsey’s living history book begins with Neolithic Man and the oldest manmade structure in Europe. The slands formed part of Normandy from 933, forging a link between Britain and France that survives in Norman Law, surnames and Guernesaise, the local language. Guernsey sided with England in 1204. Castle Cornet was built to repel a French invasion and today houses some of the island’s best museums. While Martello towers spaced at regular intervals around the coastline serve as a reminder of the Napoleonic age.
The island was home to French poet Victor Hugo, whose house provides an intriguing monument to his 15-year exile located in Hauteville, St Peter Port.
The 20th century also left its mark, when the islands became bulwarks in Europe’s WWII Atlantic Wall. The legacy is a labyrinth of fortifications, plus fascinating museums that vividly recreate everyday life in occupied Britain. |
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