A TRAVELER'S BLISSFUL STOP ON ISLE OF JERSEY : ON LOCATION.

Byline: Karen Zautyk New York Daily News 

Ah, the Jersey shore. Wide, sandy beaches, gently rolling surf, golden sunlight - and, on clear nights, the lights of France sparkling on the horizon. For a better view, climb to the top of the German observation tower.

What?

You read right. This is old Jersey - the place that gave New Jersey its name. One of the Channel Islands, just 14 miles west of the Normandy coast, Jersey is a little bit French, a little bit English and wholly unique.

History surrounds you wherever you go - from prehistoric passage graves to medieval castles to the above-mentioned remnants of World War II. In the parliament, and the market, you hear the native language, Jerriaise, which sounds like French but which no Parisian would understand. William the Conqueror would, though.

As for the physical attributes, consider glorious seascapes, fields of lavender and broom, gentle-eyed Jersey cows, rural villages and granite cottages surrounded by hedgerows. And everywhere, flowers. Plus air so fresh it should be bottled and sold.

The island pays allegiance to the British crown but has its own government, laws, currency (British pounds are accepted). In recent years, it has become an international finance center and shoppers' heaven. The narrow streets of the capital, St. Helier, are lined with boutiques, perfumeries and jewelers offering bargains free from the dreaded VAT (value-added tax).

To put Jersey today in perspective, visit the Jersey Museum in St. Helier. This is no stuffy, stuffed-things collection, but a compact and interactive facility that charms and educates. See the prison treadmill and Lily Langtry's (The Jersey Lily) silver combs, learn why sweaters are called ``jerseys,'' and find out why Vikings, smugglers and pirates plied these waters.

Another overview is at the Living Legend, part spooky tableau, part sound-and-light show and your chance to (safely) experience a shipwreck.

At the archeological site of La Hougue Bie, there's 900 million years of ground to cover. Begin with the geological finds, enter the Neolithic tomb, climb the burial mound to the medieval chapels and descend into the German bunker.

The coast boasts great fortresses, like the 16th-century, sea-surrounded Elizabeth Castle in St. Aubin's Bay, and Mont Orgueil, which has towered over the town of Gorey since 1204.

Jersey, though tiny, has 500 miles of roads. You can explore not only by car but by bicycle, horseback or - highly recommended - by foot.

How else to spend your time? Take part in a wine-tasting at La Mare Vineyards, see the craftsmen at Jersey Pottery, visit the spectacled bears at the Jersey Zoo, and gaze wide-eyed at the incredible interior of St. Matthew's Church, adorned with crystal by Rene Lalique.

Wherever you are, don't forget to have afternoon tea. We sipped ours under flowering trees and fed on scones dripping with jam and butter and fresh whipped Jersey cream ladled from huge wooden bowls. Forget the cholesterol, this was bliss.

You can say that about Jersey itself. Pure bliss.

You can reach Jersey from London's Heathrow airport in less than an hour. For a brochure on Jersey, contact the British Tourist Authority, [phone].

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