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France may be visible in the distance on a clear day, but it will seem even closer to Jersey during a five-week celebration of links with the island’s nearest neighbour.
Every weekend, Express presents a selection of exhibitions, performances, workshops, events and other historic, creative and delicious content to help islanders get their weekly dose of culture.
Here's this week's offering...
French Season. – which began last Saturday and will run until late July – incorporates the annual festivities for the Fête de la Musique, which traditionally takes place around the Summer Solstice, and Bastille Day on 14 July.
This evening there will be a French-speaking meet-up at Peirson Pub in the Royal Square.
Other events over the period will include an online conference about the forthcoming Olympic Games in Paris, film screenings at the Jersey Museum, a dance performance at Grève de Lecq barracks, and a five-day Norman market starting on 18 July.
The event, which is sponsored by the Creative Island Partnership, has been co-organised by the Alliance Française, ArtHouse Jersey, Jersey Opera House and La Maison.
Details of the full schedule are available online. The website will also have information about Bastille Day closer to the date itself.
The final works of a local landscape painter and interior designer who recently passed away will be showcased at a group exhibition this weekend.
Arthouse Jersey has organised a pop-up show called 'Take Five' at Greve de Lecq Barracks on 29 and 30 June with works from five local female artists.
The exhibition emerged from a painting course led by art therapist Jacque Rutter last year.
It will feature works by the late Sue Harris who passed away during the run-up to the exhibition following a long illness, alongside four other women who took part in the course.
The CCA Galleries International has launched its eighth Jersey Summer Exhibition, featuring 130 pieces by 70 artists.
This annual event, inspired by the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London, has become a key part of Jersey's art calendar since it began in 2016.
From the 450 works entered by 132 artists this year, an exhibition of 130 pieces by 70 artists opened to the public earlier this week to celebrate the achievements of artists working in ceramics, print, photography, painting, and sculpture.
The Jersey Summer Exhibition runs until Friday, 26 July, at CCA Galleries International, 10 Hill Street.
A local group called Moon Magic is holding a free LGBTQ+ event on Saturday on the roof terrace at Rojos.
The event will be held from 18:00 to 12:00 and will feature a variety of gay anthems, 80s rock and pop and Ibiza classics.
Islanders are being encouraged to take part in the '30 Bays in 30 Days' challenge to raise money for charity, following a decline in participants in recent years.
The challenge launched in 2016 and has become an annual tradition in which islanders of all ages are asked to swim a minimum of 30 strokes in 30 different bays.
Money raised from the challenge will go to the National Trust for Jersey, which protects local land and historic buildings, and Jersey Hospice Care, which offers specialist palliative care to all Islanders with life-limiting illnesses.
Swimmers have flexibility in how they complete the challenge; they can visit 30 different bays or swim 30 times in their favourite location.
The event officially runs from June 30 to July 31, but swimmers can extend into August if needed.
This year's opening swim will take place this Sunday at 11:30 at Grève dé Lecq, and the closing swim will be on Wednesday 31 July at 17:30 at the same location.
Public Health has confirmed that water quality at Grève de Lecq has returned to an "excellent" rating after concerns were raised in May about E.coli levels in the seawater.
Registration fees are £15 for adults and £7.50 for children. More information and registration details are available online.
The Seaside Café site at Grève de Lecq will get a new lease of life this summer with a series of events and activities, starting this week.
The National Trust for Jersey, which recently acquired the site, is set to host small events, activities, and exhibitions in the car park area – which had been closed since the café shut down several years ago.
Kicking off the events, a mixed choir called the Les Conteurs Singers will perform on Wednesday evening, joined by guitarist Dominic Pallot and tenor Hilton Packies.
Sunday morning will see the launch of the '30 Bays in 30 Days' sea swimming challenge, and a free exhibition showcasing the bay's history will run from Friday to Sunday from 10:00 until 16:00.
Created by John Syvret, the exhibition features memorabilia and artwork covering various aspects of Grève De Lecq's past, including tourism, fishing, historic buildings, and life during the Occupation.
Food offerings will include Seaweed & Sand Jersey Ice Cream and The Ugly Oyster food truck, which will be on-site throughout the summer season.
A series of free wellness and “chill-out” events are due to be held at the Waterfront this summer.
At noon every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 June to 19 September, the Jersey Development Company will be offering 45-minute yoga and tai chi classes led by Joe Houzé and Ray Malloy at Marina Gardens – the grassed area above the Waterfront car park.
The JDC is also planning to host DJ sessions described as offering "laid-back Ibiza vibes" in Trenton Square at the International Finance Centre.
"Hola Fridays!" will be held between 17:00 and 19:00 every Friday for nine weeks from 5 July.
DJs include Paul Mack, Craig Alder, Malee, Griff, and Sam Sax. Light bites and refreshments will be available from Cooper & Co and The Loft at Big Maggy's bike shop.
No booking is required for any of the events.
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