Ancient footpath with stunning views reopens after upgrade

Tuesday 03 October 2023

An ancient footpath which links Sandybrook to the top of Les Grupieaux, near Wheatlands Golf Course, has reopened – offering a new leafy route through a quiet quarter of St Peter.

La Ruette à La Vioge was in a dilapidated state but has been completely renovated and repaired using a £14,425 allocation from the Government’s Covid-19 Health and Social Recovery Fund.

Last year, parishes, landowners and other community organisations were invited to bid for a slice of a £750,000 pot to create new paths in Jersey’s green areas and bring old ones back into use.

The St Peter footpath is the first to be completed under the Countryside Access and Wellbeing project.

Constable Richard Vibert said: “I am extremely grateful that the Parish received funding from the Government scheme to restore this footpath.

"It is extremely important to encourage a healthy lifestyle and the creating of, and restoration of, our footpaths throughout the Island plays and important part in allowing people to make use of more of pour outdoor spaces.

"This ancient footpath, which was in a much-eroded state, and has been completely renovated and repaired by AA Langlois Recycling using recycled aggregate, which has given the path a completely new, safer and more stable surface. Steps have also been added to stabilise the path and help prevent further erosion.

Pictured: La Ruette à La Vioge connects the top of Les Grupieaux with the bottom (Credit: Google Maps).

“Although quite short, the footpath has stunning views across St Aubin’s Bay and we hope that this will encourage more people to use and enjoy it.”

Cyclists can use the path, although it is quite steep and there is a sty at either end to slow cyclists down.

Another bid for money from the same fund is currently going through the planning process. The Infrastructure Department has applied to create a new path close to the Route du Nord in St John between Sorel Point and La Saline Quarry, to fill in a gap in the north-coast cliff path.

The department was awarded £54,310 from the covid fund.

Pictured top: Constable Richard Vibert cutting the tape to open the path with Alan Langlois of AAL Recycling (centre) and Roger Noel (left), who coordinated the project on behalf of the Parish of St Peter.