Nestled among dramatic limestone cliffs on the English Channel (or La Manche as the French say), Dieppe is a busy port city of about 35,000 in Normandy. One of the busiest port cities in Normandy, Dieppe has a salty, authentic old harbor where fishermen unload their loads of fresh fish and famous scallops alongside ice cream cone licking tourists (in the summer at least) and British day-trippers. Located just a quick ferry ride from Newhaven in the UK and the closest beach town to Paris, today Dieppe is part travel destination, part authentic fishing town.
History of Dieppe
While Dieppe’s most important industry today remains fishing, this city was first popularized as a beach resort town n the 19th century (which early on became very popular among British tourists). For centuries, only lunatics braved the choppy waves in Dieppe, whose skies are often covered in grey cloud cover. Nobody thought to bathe here for fun until the eccentric Duchesse de Berry tried it in 1806. She persuaded her aristocratic friends to follow her example, and Dieppe suddenly became France’s first seaside resort. The craze for bathing spread, and when the railway from Paris arrived in 1848 Dieppe became a favorite destination for nobles, writers, musicians and painters. The twice daily ferry crossing to Newhaven in the UK continue to make Dieppe especially popular among British tourists.
Long situated in an important strategic location, Dieppe started as a small fishing settlement in the 11th century, but since been a wartime target. Dieppe’s important port was fought over during the Hundred Year’s War, was the take-off point for thousands of colonists heading for Quebec in the 17th century and was the site of a failed Allied raid during WWII in 1942. The failed Dieppe Raid in 1942 became known as an especially bloody battle and many Allied soldiers (most of them from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division) were killed and captured. Dieppe was also later liberated by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, which explains the plethora of Canadian flags you’ll see hanging in Dieppe.
What to See and Do in Dieppe
Stroll along the Harbor
Looking out on a skyline dotted with masts from boats at anchor in the port, there is a lovely promenade that stretches along the salty harbor at Dieppe. Waterside restaurants featuring fresh Norman seafood dishes line the harbor and here you can stroll past leather faced fisherman and tourists alike.
Enjoy the Local Seafood
Today, Dieppe is a great place to try some local Norman seafood. A stroll along the harbor will present hoards of options for restaurants serving local specialties—like marmite Diepoise (a fish and seafood stewed in cream, cider and onions, lightly flavoured with spices which always features mussel and shrimp) and moules mariners (mussels in a wine, shallot and cream sauce).
Shop at the Market
Every Saturday, local farmers crowd their stalls into the narrow, cobblestoned streets of Dieppe arranging their cheeses in haphazard piles and spreading arrangements of still soil-covered carrots and potatoes among glistening Normandy apples on tables.
>>Read more about Shopping in France’s Markets
Check out the Café des Triunaux
At the hub of the Saturday market in Dieppe and in the center of Dieppe near the harborm you will find the Café de Triunaux, which has long been a favorite haunt of writers and painters. Renoir, Monet, Sickert, Whistler and Pissarro all came here, as did Oscar Wilde after his release from prison in 1897. While in exile in Dieppe – perhaps sitting at our very table – Wilde wrote what became his final work – the agonized The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Flaubert and Maupassant, local literary heroes, were regular customers too. (Maupassant was actually born in Dieppe).
Go to the Beach
The pebbly beach at Dieppe may not be as warm or as good for swimming and sunbathing as the beaches along the warmer and sunnier French Riviera, the beach here is nonetheless beautiful and worth visiting. Flanked by dramatic limestone cliffs, the beach here, which has been painted by Delcroix, Monet and Gaugin who liked the ethereal light here.
>>Read more about the Best Beaches in France
Visit the Chateau Musee
Located high above the city on the western cliff above Dieppe, this museum is one of Dieppe’s most impressive landmarks. The castle houses a museum dedicated to the maritime and trade history of Dieppe and contains a wonderfully imaginative collection of exhibits reflecting Dieppe’s maritime history, including hundreds of intricate ivory sculptures, carved by local sailors. The museum also features painting by Renoir, Sisley, Boudin and other famous artists.
Check out the Eglise Saint Jacques
Situated in front of vast lawns laid out by Napoleon II and his wife as a place to enjoy the summer sunshine in Dieppe away from the wind-blown pebbly beach, the Saint Jacques church is a good example of Norman Gothic architecture. Inside this small church you will find the walls lined with plaques honoring the many Dieppe fisherman lost at sea.
Go to the Herring Festival
I accidentally stumbled upon the Herring Festival in Dieppe one cold and grey November day and I could not have imagined a better festival to happen upon. In November, Dieppe pays homage to its fishermen and hosts the annual Herring festival. More than 100,000 visitors gather for this unique and authentic event. Grills line the streets, cooking up fresh, succulent herrings and spewing smoke into the cold winter air. Men in goggles and chef’s hats, dutifully flip away at these giant grills, braving the cold to serve up the fresh little fish to customers, which are served in paper cones and eaten on the street with a squeeze of lemon. Yum.
>>Read more about the Herring Festival in Dieppe
Getting to Dieppe
Dieppe first became a popular seaside resort town when the train first connect Dieppe to Paris in the lat 19th century, easily being able to get to Dieppe from both Paris and the UK keeps Dieppe a popular weekend retreat.
By Train
There is a train station in Dieppe and there are three daily trains to Paris Saint Lazare (€23, 2.25 hours) and Le Havre (€14, 2.5 hours), which both go through nearby Rouen.
If coming to Dieppe from Rouen, there are 12-14 daily trains, which take less than one hour and costs about €10.
By Bus
I will almost always tell you that train travel in the France is the way to go, but if you want to take a bus to Dieppe, there is a bus station located in the same building as the train station. There are daily buses to Fecamp and Rouen, though there are no buses on Saturday and Sundays and the bus takes twice as long as the train between Dieppe and Rouen.
By Ferry
Part of Dieppe’s popularity as a resort spot is that it is located just a quick ferry ride from the UK across the channel. There are twice daily ferries leaving to/from Dieppe to Newhaven run by Transmanche Ferries.
>>To get more information about ticketing and schedules, visit the Transmanche Ferries website.
By Car
From Paris, take the A14 towards Rouen. Take Exit towards Les Essarts and Rouen on the A13. Travel through Rouen to then take the A150 towards Fecamp/Le Havre/Malaunay/Dieppe. Take N27 towards Dieppe. The drive is about 200 km and should take you about 2-2.5 hours.
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