Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
3 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
4 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
5 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Jersey St Helier Le Crapaud

Le Crapaud

A statue erected in honor of the toadish nickname given to Jersey residents by the French.

St Helier, Jersey

Added By
Duncan Chappell
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Crapaud, the Jersey toad.   Jerzy Kociatkiewicz/CC BY-SA 2.0
Crapaud, the Jersey toad.   Jerzy Kociatkiewicz/CC BY-SA 2.0
Le Crapaud.   Man vyi/Public Domain
Le Crapaud.   Man vyi/Public Domain
Le Crapaud, Saint Helier, Jersey.   duncanchappell / Atlas Obscura User
Le Crapaud.   Man vyi/Public Domain
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Both friends and bitter rivals since time immemorial, the French and the British have always engaged in a bit of name-calling. You’ll sometimes find the British referring to their continental neighbors as “frogs,” a derogatory term that partially stems from the stereotype that French people dine on frog legs. The French retaliated by calling the residents of Jersey (a United Kingdom territory that lies just off the Brittany coast, where French is used as much as English) “les crapauds,” meaning “toads.”

Rather than croak about their nickname, the people of Jersey take a certain ironic pride in their “crapaud” status, to the extent that the warty toad has been adopted as a symbol for the island's residents. So proud are the Jersey people of their moniker that the capital of Saint Helier has boasted a public sculpture of the hoary creature since 2004. The work of artist Gordon Young, the crapaud squats proudly atop his nine-foot column in an area previously known for its marshland toads.

But the amicable amphibious association hasn’t always been friendly. According to an island legend, when Saint Samson of Dol arrived on Jersey, he found the people so unwelcoming that he sent all the toads and snakes from nearby Guernsey to their land. Jersey is the only island in the English Channel that has a population of native toads.

Related Tags

Statues Animals Names Frog Islands Monuments Rivals

Community Contributors

Added By

duncanchappell

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe

  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

September 8, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/Crapaud
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crapaud#Jersey_Crapaud
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-29530886
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/articles/2005/07/06/coast05walks_stage7_feature.shtml
Le Crapaud
Charing Cross
St Helier
Jersey
49.185146, -2.109195
Get Directions

Nearby Places

La Hougue Bie

Jersey

miles away

Devil's Hole

St Mary, Jersey

miles away

Minquiers Toilet

Minquiers, Jersey

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Jersey

Jersey

Europe

Places 3
Stories 2

Nearby Places

La Hougue Bie

Jersey

miles away

Devil's Hole

St Mary, Jersey

miles away

Minquiers Toilet

Minquiers, Jersey

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Jersey

Jersey

Europe

Places 3
Stories 2

Related Places

  • Marble tortoise statues on Kusu Island

    Singapore

    Tortoises of Kusu Island

    Legend holds that a tortoise turned itself into this island to save two shipwrecked sailors.

  • Kielce, Poland

    Kielce Boar Monument

    A large boar commemorates the city's founding and the origin of its name.

  • Outer Hebrides, Scotland

    'Hercules'

    A memorial to the acting bear whose escape caused a sensation on the Outer Hebrides.

  • Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

    Statue of Sallie Ann Jarrett

    The beloved, war-tested mascot of a Union regiment graces their battlefield monument.

  • The coyote fountain of Coyoacán.

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Fuente de los Coyotes

    In Coyoacán, a pair of coyotes crown a public fountain in reference to the ancient Aztec name of the borough.

  • The monument.

    Wrocław, Poland

    Monument In Honor of the Slaughtered Animals

    In the center of Wrocław's old meat market stands a somber tribute to the city's livestock.

  • Larry La Trobe

    Melbourne, Australia

    Larry La Trobe Statue

    Melbourne's favorite bronze dog.

  • The Chicken chicken.

    Chicken, Alaska

    Chicken of Chicken, Alaska

    A giant poultry statue immortalizes one of Alaska's more humorous town names.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.