Dieppe

Watertravel and Waterside Destinations masthead

-Normandy Coast

-- Dieppe

-----Harbor and Quay

-----Town

-----Castle Museum

-----Churches in Town

-----Chapel on Cliff

-----Beach

-----Hotels

-- Le Tréport

-- Ètretat

-- Gold Beach

-- Sword Beach

-- Juno Beach

-- Watertravel Home Page

Where the Arques River flows into the English Channel in northern France, it forms a natural and quite deep harbor. In fact, the town that surrounds the harbor is said to get its name from the Saxon word, ‘deop,’ related to the English word, ‘deep,’ a reference to the depth of the harbor. Famous in WWII history for the Canadian invasion force which landed on Dieppe beach, it is equally famous among Europeans for its more pleasant aspects. Long a Watertravel destination for the British, who have only to take a ferry across the English Channel, Dieppe is France’s oldest seaside resort and one of the principal destinations on the Côte d’Albâtre, or Alabaster Coast.

As Dieppe was integral to the ivory trade, back when there was such a thing, the castle museum now houses exquisite carvings in great quantity (in addition to a respectable collection of oil paintings). To rest your feet from traipsing around churches, the castle and quaintly ancient residences, be sure to spend part of the afternoon with some rich French coffee while relaxing among Dieppe’s café society or enjoying a leisurely lunch in one of the restaurants along the quay.