On the coast
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 Plemont
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Sand eels
Adjacent to the Plmont headland to the west is La Grève au Lanchon - a fine sandy beach of which the main attraction was until 1939, the sand-eels (du lanchon) that were caught in nocturnal fishing expeditions. Tourism replaced fishing: from Victorian times the caves, easily accessible at low tide, have attracted both locals and visitors alike, and were a magnet for the island's elite on a fine, sunny day. They would descend the steps and bridges from the top of the tall cliffs, dressed in their Sunday best, and the ladies would be carried on the men's backs through the pools which form in the sand in front of the caves.The beach is also popular with surfers when the sea is rough, and at other times it provides a safe, protected beach for a day out in the sunshine.
There was a guardhouse on the neck of the peninsula, with a drawbridge.
Holiday camp
At one time there was a hotel at the top of the cliff, and then a holiday camp was built on the headland. Now that has been demolished and the headland has been restored to its natural state.
- Coast: Plemont, one of the stops on our coastal tour of Jersey NEW
- Plemont Holiday Camp
1890 carriage outing
Click on images below to see larger pictures
A Victorian photograph of Plemont
1902
1895
1906
Waterfall
1900s
1910
Waterfall
A boy poses alone on the beach at Plemont
A group of Edwardian gentlemen on an outing paddle in the sea at Plemont
Plemont
Plemont
1895
1937
1920s visit to the beach
1880
1889
1904
Plemont Hotel
1889
1938
A lantern slide of Plemont
1880s
A Tuck postcard
This defensive tower on the coast at Plemont is the only structure of its type on the north coast, although it has similarities to Fort Henry and Fort William at Grouville. Plemont Fort was substantially altered by the Germans during the Occupation
Plemont Fort - a post-war photograph
An LL postcard
On the rocks at Plemont
Needle rock
A group visiting Plemont in August 1895
The tearoom in 1912
Plemont by Ouless in 1852
Plemont by Stead in 1809
Plémont in 1906
Parkin's Holiday Camp
La Grève au Lanchon
Plémont café
L'Aiguillon - Plémont Needle Rock in 1890
Plémont cave
Plémont in 1908
Crossing the sand pools to reach Plémont's caves
Plémont, photographed by Ernest Baudoux
Plémont, photographed by Ernest Baudoux
Plémont in 1890
Another view of Plémont in 1890
1860
1865
1870
L'Aiguillon - Needle Rock in the 1920s
Plémont in the 1920s
A 1911 picture
On the beach
The view from the clifftop
Boys inside the main cave
The cafe at the top of the steps to the beach
The largest cave
The cafe in 1909
1909
Descending to the beach
The hotel from the air in 1933
1913
Hotel and tearooms
On the rocks at Plemont in 1892
Four pictures of plemont copied from 1904 stereoviews. Since the first parties of islanders and holidaymakers started to explore Jersey in horse-drawn carriages and charabancs in the 19th century, Plemont has always been a popular place to halt, clamber down the rocks, and explore the caves and rock pools. There are many much better quality pictures of Plemont on this page, which is completely covered at high tide and today is popular with surfers, but these have a certain fascination having been taken by an amateur photographer well over 100 years ago.
1899
1900
Little Plemont
1951 aerial photograph by Aerofilms
1951 aerial photograph by Aerofilms
1951 aerial photograph by Aerofilms
1933 aerial photograph by Aerofilms
1933 aerial photograph by Aerofilms
1933 aerial photograph by Aerofilms
1865
High tide
1930s
The cafe in 1912
1880s
The waterfall
1930
1882
1882
1852 by Philip Ouless
Albumen print
Plemont rocks
Photograph by Remy Gorget
Advert for the hotel in 1866
A photograph from the Edwardian era
An aerial view of the beach
Plemont in 1912
Smugglers' Cave in the 1870s
1900
A derelict cottage at Plemont
1922
1894
1880s
Parasols on the beach
Plemont by Stroud
1949
1907
This picture was sent to us captioned 'Plemont Road'. We have not been able to identify the location, but believe that it might be Route de Vinchelez
Asplet and Green carte de visite of Plemont
The reverse of the card
Crossing the pools to the caves
Plemont Candlecraft
LL postcard
LL postcard
LL postcard
LL postcard
LL postcard
LL postcard
LL postcard
LL postcard
1870s
Telegraph cables passed through one of the caves - picture courtesy of Facebook group Jersey Temps Passe
An 1860s view by Slater
1888 Stroud
1888 Stroud
We suspect that the golden sand has been somewhat enhanced in this publicity photograph, but Plemont is certainly much sandier than Jersey's other north coast beaches
The cafe
Asplet and Green souvenir CDV
Asplet and Green CDV
Plemont from the cliffs in 1906
Tourists, probably from France, look down from the cliff top in 1894
Children carried through the pool in front of the cave
Plemont powder store in the 1930s
The beach in 1948
Smaller caves
Holidaymakers help bring a telegraph cable ashore in 1938
Supplied to us captioned 'Greve de Lecq in the 1880s' this etching is more likely to be a representation of Plemont
Picture by Godfray
1890s
Picture by Godfray
Picture by Ernest Baudoux
A pass giving access to the beach when the bridge was privately owned
1913
Old militia guard house, overlooking Plemont Point. It was largely demolished by the Germans but partly survives
Notes and references
- ↑ Jerripedia editor Mike Bisson recalls that when he first went to Victoria College in 1960 he was required to wear his uniform on the bus to piano lessons in the evening and also on family outings, although he thinks that this probably only applied to school days and not weekends
