La Coupée

The Channel Islands


This narrow land bridge between Big Sark and Little Sark used to be rather precarious, and on windy days the local residents had to crawl across it or risk getting blown off a cliff. Protective railings went up in 1900, and in 1945, the isthmus was finally paved by Nazi prisoners of war. There's a stunning beach to one side and a sheer drop on the other. Horse-drawn buggies may trot across but their passengers and cyclists have to dismount.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Channel Islands attractions

1. Grand Grève

0.06 MILES

When yachts pull into the bay, you can be forgiven for doing a double take and momentarily thinking that you're on some Greek island. With its wide sweep…

2. Dixcart Bay

0.47 MILES

Fringed by tall cliffs, this sand-and-pebble beach with calm waters is ideal for swimming and sunbathing.

3. Little Sark

0.59 MILES

Connected to Big Sark by a narrow land bridge, peaceful Little Sark is home to an excellent hotel and restaurant, a handful of cottages and a picturesque,…

4. Sark Windmill

0.76 MILES

Marking Sark's highest point (114m), this cylindrical stone windmill dates back to 1571. It's missing its sails but is remarkably intact, having survived…

5. Gouliot Headland

0.8 MILES

Overlooking Brecqhou Island, owned by the Barclay brothers and the source of much controversy, this windswept headland is an important RAMSAR site,…

6. Sark Henge

0.92 MILES

It may not have the aura of mystery that shrouds millennia-old stone circles elsewhere, since it was only erected in 2015, but Sark Henge stands in a…

7. Sark Occupation & Heritage Museum

1.05 MILES

Housed inside a centuries-old cottage, this excellent little museum sheds light on the harrowing experience of the islanders under Nazi occupation, as…

8. Seigneurie Gardens

1.19 MILES

Flanking the Seigneurie, the home of the present-day seigneur, the walled gardens are filled with exotic plants that thrive in Sark's mild climate. The…