Hauteville House

Hauteville House, perched in the town of St Peter Port, is one of Guernsey's most remarkable treasures, the home where the great French writer Victor Hugo lived in exile for some fifteen years and wrote much of his masterpiece Les Misérables. Far more than a writer's house, it is an astonishing work of art in its own right, for Hugo designed and decorated its interior himself with obsessive, theatrical flair. Room after room dazzles with dark carved wood, tapestries, tiles, mirrors and salvaged treasures assembled into a fantastical, symbolic whole, culminating in a glass-walled study at the top with sweeping sea views towards his beloved France. Eccentric, atmospheric and utterly unique, it is a fascinating window into a creative genius.

What you actually see

• The carved interiors - the dark, theatrical rooms designed by Hugo.
• The glass study - the light-filled writing room with sea views.
• The salvaged treasures - the tapestries, tiles and mirrors.
• The Hugo story - the years of exile and Les Misérables.

When to go

April to September is the main season, when the house is open for its guided tours and the town and sea views are at their best; visits are by timed tour, so booking ahead is wise. The glass study is especially lovely on bright days with clear views to France.

Honest expectations

Hauteville House is visited only on guided tours with limited numbers, so booking ahead is important, and its dark, densely decorated interiors are an acquired taste, all the more fascinating for their eccentricity. As the extraordinary self-designed island home of Victor Hugo, a dazzling total work of art where Les Misérables took shape, though, Hauteville House is a genuinely unique and rewarding visit.

Nearby

The harbour, Castle Cornet and the streets of St Peter Port lie nearby.