| Les Minquiers |
The Minquiers (Les Minquiers; in Jèrriais: Les Mîntchièrs; nicknamed "the Minkies" in local English) are a group of islands and rocks situated 9 miles south of Jersey forming part of the Bailiwick of Jersey.
They are administratively part of the Parish of Grouville. The islands have no permanent inhabitants, though fishermen, vraic collectors, yachtmen and even sometimes canoeists make summer landfall.
There are five islands in the Les Minquiers group, Maîtresse Île, Les Maisons, Le Niêsant, Les Faucheurs and La Haute Grune.
The etymology of the name is disputed. While some say that the name comes from the Breton language minihi meaning a sanctuary, others such as Victor Coysh, maintain it comes from minkier meaning a seller of fish.
There are a number of small huts although they are not in such good repair as those on Les Ecrehous. In the late 18th and early 19th Century the reef was a hive of industrial activity.
Maitresse Ile and Puffin Rock were originally joined and they provided a sheltered pool although the Royal Navy removed the ridge in the late 18th Century. Rock was quarried here and it provided the stone for Fort Regent in Jersey. All industrial activity has now ceased. |
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| History |
Thousands of years ago, around the time of the Ice Age, the Channel Islands were high ground forming part of a plain connecting the European Continent, and southern England, due to lower sea levels.
The islets, along with the other Channel Islands and the Cotentin Peninsula, were annexed to the Duchy of Normandy in 933.
After William, Duke of Normandy conquered England in 1066 the islands remained united to the Duchy until the conquest of mainland Normandy in 1204 by Philip Augustus of France.
In 1259 Henry III did homage to the French king for the Channel Islands.
While Edward III in the 1360 Treaty of Brétigny waived his claims to the crown of France and to Normandy, he reserved various territories to England.
In 1950 Britain and France went to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for friendly discussions to decide to which country the Minquiers and Écréhous belonged.
The French fished in the waters, but Jersey exercised various administrative rights. The International Court of Justice considered the historical evidence, and in its Judgment of 17 November 1953 awarded the islands to Jersey.
These islands have been a source of a certain level of tension between Great Britain and France for a great many years.
This judgement has, however, not prevented the occasional gesture.
These incidents are normally of short duration and have been settled peaceably.
In 1998 there was an 'invasion' of the Minquiers by some French on behalf of the 'King of Patagonia' in 'retaliation' for the British 'occupation' of the Falkland Islands.
The Union Flag was restored the next day, despite Jersey not being a jurisdictional part of the United Kingdom.
Notably, Les Minquiers are mentioned at length by Victor Hugo in his novel Ninety-Three, about the French Revolution. He mentions how treacherous they are, and says that their combined area is bigger than mainland Jersey itself. |
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Union Flag flying over Les Minquiers |
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Hugo lived in both Guernsey and Jersey at various points in his life, and so was familiar with local lore.
Les Minquiers have been designated a Ramsar site, the islands have an extensive shoal area lying 34 kilometres due south from Saint Helier on Jersey.
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