Portelet Bay

Portelet is a sheltered bay in Jersey's southwestern corner, reached by a long flight of steps from the clifftop, with a small island in the middle of it carrying a round tower of 1808. The island is known as Janvrin's Tomb, after a ship's captain who died of plague offshore in 1721 and was buried there rather than being allowed to land. The bay faces south, which makes it one of the warmer beaches.

The landscape

• The tidal island - the rock in the middle of the bay with its 1808 tower.
• The Janvrin story - the captain buried on the island after dying of plague offshore.
• The steps - the long descent from the clifftop to the sand.
• The southern aspect - the sheltered warm bay facing away from the north coast.

When to go

May to September is the beach season. The island can be reached on foot at lower tides. The steps are the constraint at any season.

Things to know

The stairway down is long and the climb back is hard work. There are no facilities on the beach itself. The bay is small and fills on fine days.

Nearby

Beauport Beach is northwest, and St Brelade's Bay is north.

Key facts