The British island of Sark is looking for new residents
The dream of moving to a community where serenity, fresh air, dreamy landscapes and respect abound is still possible, and bears the name of sarks island , a territory that is committed to attract new inhabitants to a setting that exalts the vestiges of the past.
Located off the coast of Normandy, halfway between the Cherbourg peninsula in France and the south coast of England , the island of Sark is within the limit of the Guernsey archipelago, in such a way that it is governed under the rules of the british crown although with its own independent administrative-legal system.
And for some time the island, which has been a source of contention between french and english conquerors , has seen its population dwindle like never before in history. That is why one of its residents, Swen Lorenz , decided to launch an initiative that he has appointed 'Sark Society' . The objective of the project is to capture new settlers, in order to appease the phenomenon of depopulation that threatens this 3.5-mile-long and 1.5-mile-wide key.
Halfway between France and the south of England lies the island of Sark
“I have been a resident of Sark since 2004 and over the last 16 years I have witnessed the population shrink from 650 to just 400 today. When the global pandemic caused by Covid-19 broke out, I noticed among my friends that many people were really interested in sark" , tells Swen Lorenz, a German businessman, to Traveler.es.
under the motto 'Be one of the 500 inhabitants to create a new lifestyle' , Swen Lorenz has launched the initiative accompanied by a website, a detailed 250-page guide and detailed advice that aims to respond and useful information for those who decide to settle on the island , although with a cost that approaches 1000 pounds.
So far, he has managed to a London couple moves permanently to Sark , that two other people sign a rental contract and that about twenty subscribe to his initiative through the web. Although Swen Lorenz has been the architect of the proposal, it has the approval of Christopher Beaumont, lord of Sark and heir to Sibyl Hathaway , who was the lady of the island from 1927 to 1974.
The initiative has the approval of the Lord of Sark Christopher Beaumont
"The inhabitants of the island enjoy nature and a respectful community. Also, there is no danger of taxes getting out of control because the government is debt-free. I thought: this is a way of life that I would like to make available to more people! The Lord of Sark supported my idea and his approval made it possible for me to make the initiative public", he tells Traveler.es.
WHAT DOES THE BRITISH ISLAND OF SARK OFFER?
Get ready to discover a territory where tranquility lies, with a mild weather which only has a few frosts in winter and days of radiant sunshine in summer, where the temperature rarely exceeds 30 degrees. The picturesque coast has three small ports, Creux, The Masseline Y Havre Gosselin , while letting yourself be enveloped by cliffs with magnificent views.
Sark's main source of employment is seasonal as it comes from tourism, but there are also other residents who work in finance or have online businesses. Notably Guernsey's jurisdiction is subject to Brexit , so European passports are valid until December 31, 2020, and then a visa will need to be applied for.
One of the reasons for the serenity of the island is that it is characterized by a transportation system that includes only bicycles, horses or carriages , banning both cars and street lights, making Sark one of the pollution-free places of the old continent.
Sark's sky was chosen as the first island site suitable for stargazing
And in this sense, the night landscape also brings together an extraordinary setting, which has been awarded by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) in 2011 as the the first island suitable for seeing the stars . A natural spectacle with a medieval charm that can be seen from the small observatory that they have installed on the island.