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Home/Countries/Jersey/Museums & culture/St Catherine's Breakwater

St Catherine's Breakwater

A pier of the 1850s built for a naval harbour that was never finished.

Updated 3 September 2026

Typebreakwater
WhereSt Martin
Nearest citySt Helier
Best seasonMay to September
Time to allowAn hour or two
Getting thereOn the east coast at St Catherine's Bay; parking at the landward end
EntryFree

St Catherine's breakwater runs some seven hundred metres out from Jersey's east coast, built in the 1850s as one arm of a naval harbour of refuge that was abandoned before the second arm was started, leaving a pier that goes out and stops. It was handed to the island and is now used by walkers and anglers. The French coast is visible on clear days and the water beside the wall is deep.

What to look for

  • The pier - some seven hundred metres of Victorian masonry running out to sea.
  • The unfinished project - a harbour of refuge abandoned before the second arm began.
  • The anglers - the fishing the breakwater is used for.
  • The French view - Normandy across the water on clear days.

When to go

May to September is the pleasant season. The pier is exposed in wind and closed in storms. Anglers use it year round.

What to expect

The pier is completely exposed and closed in bad weather. There is nothing on it except the walk. Facilities are a seasonal kiosk at the landward end.

Nearby

Rozel Bay is north, and Gorey is south.

What to pack for St Catherine's Breakwater

Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.

  • Travel rod + reel - A packable multi-piece rod fits in a case and covers most holiday fishing. Find on Amazon
  • Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
  • A small tackle selection - Hooks, weights, line and a few lures or flies suited to local waters. Find on Amazon
  • A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon

Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links - if you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

All packing kits

Plan your trip

Where to start if St Catherine's Breakwater is going on the list.

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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