About Les Landes
Situated on the northwest corner of Jersey, Les Landes provides a beautiful heathland cliff landscape.
The ecological, geological and historical importance of Les Landes has dedicated it as a
Site of Special Interest (SSI).
The site is located within
Jersey's National Park and is part of the
Aspiring Jersey Island Geopark. These titles are very important to maintain local conservation efforts.
Les Landes is a unique site in terms of conservation. It's both:
- a protected site for nature and conservation efforts
- an area we encourage the public to visit to access
countryside paths and maps
At Les Landes you can go:
- dog walking
- jogging or running
- sightseeing
- wildlife spotting
Make sure you stay on the path by following the signs on site and follow the
countryside code.
Habitat, land management and wildlife
Habitat
Les Landes is a semi-natural habitat, meaning that it has formed because of historical human activity. This SSI is managed as a heathland cliff habitat, where heather and gorse at different age ranges are prioritised to promote ecological diversity.
Land management
Trees are rarely seen at Les Landes. This is because high winds and sea spray don’t provide a suitable environment for them to grow.
Bracken and woody shrubs are regularly cut down. They don’t provide ecological value and would overrun the site if left unattended.
Elsewhere, small areas of fresh water and wetlands such as Canne Du Squez have formed. These areas are protected and managed as they are known breeding sites for toads. In the winter the footpaths nearby are closed for additional protection.
Find more information on how you can help manage and monitor areas like Les Landes on
Wild about Jersey.
Wildlife
Conservation efforts at Les Landes allow for a variety of wildlife to live on site. It provides shelter to different insects which broadens the range of species seen at Les Landes.
In the summer, purple heather blooms all over the site and the yellow gorse. Lichens cover rocks and walls in mosaic like patterns. You may see:
- butterflies pollinating the flowering plants
- birds flying overhead in search of food and shelter
- green lizard basking in the sun
During the winter months the wetlands become breeding sites for western common toads. These are known as 'crapauds' in Jèrriais.
Report your wildlife sighting
What you can and see do
As well as the views, at Les Landes you can enjoy:
If you explore the trails, use the access map to make sure you're on the right path.
Countryside access map
Historical features
There's a vast history at Les Landes from Mesolithic sites to German artillery sites from the Second World War.
These include:
- Grosnez Castle
- Le Pinacle
- Canne du Squez
- MP3 tower
- Batterie Moltke
- L'Etacq headland
Find more information on our archaeological and historical heritage on Jersey Heritage.
Find out more about Jersey's occupation story through The Channel Island Occupation Society.
Facilities
Parking
Les Landes has 4 car parks:
- Grosnez castle, accessible through the north of the site from Chemin du Chateau
- Le Pinacle which has 2 car parks accessible from Chemin des Landes
- Batterie Moltke, accessible from La Route Du Ouest
Bus Routes
The 2 bus routes to visit Les Landes are:
Find more information on bus routes and times on Liberty Bus.
You can also check bus routes, timetables and find real time locations of buses on the Island with
Track My Bus.
Toilets
There are no public toilets at Les Landes. The nearest public toilets are at Plemont on St Ouen's Bay.
Cafés and restaurants
Find out about nearby cafés and restaurants on Visit Jersey.
gov.je