The Parish and Community of Castel, Guernsey

Castel Bays - aerial views pages

The parish has 5 bays of significance - the largest is Vazon, then moving to the North-West, Albecq, Portelet, L'Estrainfer, Cobo, Long Port, Saline and the Western part of Port Soif. Portelet and L'Estrainfer are small. The major tourist bays are Vazon, Cobo and Saline (otherwise known as Grandes Rocques). There are pedestrian paths running almost the whole lenth of the coast along the edge of the bays and these are worth using to see the coast at it's best.

Albecq - images

Albecq is a small bay with just one boat now days. On the West shore have been discovered the remains of an early medieval settlement, and at the East side of the mouth of the bay is Château d'Albecq. Interesting because 'al baak' is Arabic for castle or fort - this could be the only Phoenician name in the island! A path used to lead from Château d'Albecq to a site now called Villa d'Albecq a possible site for a Roman fort - a landowner has now blocked public use of this path. The West side of the mouth of the bay is the location for the 'Creux és Fées' or 'Fairy Cave'.

Cobo Bay - images

Cobo Bay is known for windsurfing and for it's golden sand and glorious sunsets and it's pub just by the sea wall - the Rockmount Hotel. One mile out is the Grosse Rocque which has had a Guernsey flag flying on it since May 9th 1945. Cobo is also a fishing village and the fishing boats can still be seen in Long Port, the next bay to the North .

L'Estrainfer - images

Just below the 'Rocque du Guêt' is the small bay of L'Estrainfer. There is a spit of sand here and pools for children and the sun shines right in during the summer. Nearby are a car park, toilets and a beach kiosk and for a panoramic view over the bay, you can climb to the top of the 'Rocque du Guêt'.

Long Port - images

This is the main anchorage for the Cobo fishermen. On a Summer evening, you can see them rowing to the shore and landing at the slipway by the Cobo village Centre. The fishermen store their boats and fishing gear on land near the slipway which is for their exclusive use.

Portelet - images

Portelet is the small baylet to the east of Albecq and the other side of the peninsular of Château d'Albecq. The bay is not sandy, nor of much consequence for tourists, but the end of Château d'Albecq from Portelet has what is known as 'Lion Rock' which is a rock shaped like the nose of a Lion. If one continues to the East along the path to where the road turns to the right, on the left is a group of rocks and gullies used by locals for swimming and diving and a rock called the 'camel rock' and another nearby that looks like a monkey.

Port Soif - images

This bay is actually in the Vale Parish (detached), but the Westernmost part of it falls in the Castel Parish, with the boundary marked by an unmistakable pointed rock between the coast road and the beach itself.

Saline Bay (Grandes Rocques) - images

This is another excellent tourist bay with lots of sand. The sea always seems a little cooler here, possibly because the water slopes more sharply. Adjacent to the bay are parking, toilets and a kiosk.

Vazon Bay - images

During the Spring and Summer months, there is Sand Racing at Vazon, and on alternate Saturdays there is a 'Sprint' along the coast road - for a variety of different vehicles. Vazon is also known for it's surf and there is a special area allocated for surfing. Another passtime now in evidence is sailboarding and 'wave-jumping'.

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