Dieppe Mini Guide
About Dieppe
Dieppe, the closest beach to
Paris, while being a pleasant seaside town is also an important fishing and ferry port. A small town with an approximate population of 40,000 inhabitants Dieppe is a popular short break destination. Easily accessible by ferry from Newhaven port in England and by train from Rouen and Paris it even has its own small aerodrome just 3 kilometres outside of the town.
What's There to see and do in Dieppe?
Although it’s not a large town there’s still a lot to see and do in Dieppe for visitors, most of the main attractions are concentrated in the same areas and a nice (and economical) way to get around is by bicycle which are available to hire from a few locations in the harbour area. Being on the sea it’s not surprising that Dieppe has an excellent Maritime museum, the Estran Cite de la Mer. Displays at the museum cover many aspects including fishing, sea transport and geography and delve into the rich history of Dieppe.
Art lovers will not be disappointed with a trip to the Chateau Musee. It has a fantastically dramatic cliff top location and is home to many paintings of Dieppe by such well known artists as Pissaro, Renoir and Sisley amongst others. Those in search of a revitalising experience should definitely try some saltwater treatments at the Les Bains thalasso–therapy spa located by the beach (obviously). Architectural highlights include the church of L’eglise Saint Jacques and most of the town centre which was created by Louis XIV architect M. De Ventabren at the end of the sixteenth century.
Dieppe Fried French Fries?
Most of the town’s restaurants are located around the centre of Dieppe and offer excellent seafood and traditional French menus. The best and most atmospheric café has to be the café des Tribunaux and for the best cocktails in town it’s a toss up between the Europe and the
Epsom bars both located on the seafront. For real French ambiance however La Potiniere will not disappoint.
Part of the Seine Maritime department, Dieppe is a wonderful seaside commune with majestic old buildings and attractive pebble beaches. Dieppe started life as a small fishing village but has grown in importance as a transport hub as it is in the north west of France.
Because Dieppe is so close to the English Channel you can take a ferry from Dieppe to the port of Newhaven in the
UK. That means that the commune is a popular launching point for driving using car hire Dieppe. Two of the main tourist attractions are the church of Saint Remi and Saint Jacques.