(coming soon)

The broad lawns between the Boulevard de Verdun and the gravel beach were laid out in the 1860s by Napoleon III and his wife, Eugénie. Coming out from the typically narrow European streets in town, the boulevard and open lawn area have an expansive and nearly Parisian feel about them. It probably makes Dieppe’s large contingent of Parisian weekenders feel right at home. With the shortest highway route to Paris of any beach resort, there are lots of them.

For a week in September in even-numbered years, kite flyers from all over the world flock to Dieppe’s beach and create a spectacle of airborne color. The heated Olympic-size pool, casino, and tennis courts provide a variety of entertainment and recreational options in addition to the (stony rather than sandy) beach itself.

A walk on the beach stirs images of the 1942 invasion force of 6,100 British and Canadian troops who crossed the Channel and invaded Dieppe, suffering a crushing defeat and great loss of life in the futile attempt to execute “Operation Jubilee.” Four km (2.4 miles) to the south of Dieppe on the road to Rouen is the Canadian military cemetery, final home to many of the fallen.

Information about the raid can be found here and here.