What To See & Do in Dieppe
Sights
Dieppe Museum: The 15th century castle dominates the town and its walls are built of flint and sandstone. The castle has been renovated since then and served as a prison during the French revolution. Now it houses a museum and collections of impressionist paintings and ivory carvings.
Cite de la Mer: The aquarium is a great attraction for the whole family. The tanks are well laid out and contain sea life from all over the world. The kids will love the hands-on touch pool.
Saturday Market: This popular market for fresh produce is held near the harbour and sells the fish that come off the boats every. As it’s a busy port the market is never short of fresh food, and the many restaurants mostly specialise in fresh fish.
St Jacques Church: This 600 year old church is situated alongside the Saturday market and is a classic gothic monument with its gargoyles and beautiful stained glass windows.
Hinterland: Less than an hour away by coach or train is Rouen, city of Joan of Arc, with its timbered houses and magnificent cathedral. And there are many other nearby places worth visiting, including Henry of Navarre’s castle at Arques-lo-Bata, the former royal palace of Eu, and Jumieges – considered the most beautiful ruined abbey in France.
Food & drink
Dieppe has many excellent restaurants, especially those that specialise in seafood. There is a good selection of lively bars and cafes, and also the Casino in Boulevard de Verdun.
Dieppe is ideal for families, with many activities in the local area including cycling, swimming and beach walks, as well as the aquariums of the Cité de la Mer. Behind Dieppe is the green, undulating countryside of Normandy, whose rich agricultural produce fills the stalls of Dieppe’s colourful street market every Saturday morning.
Transport
Petit Train: This is a little tourist train that will take you on a ride around the town during the summer; the first stop is the Tourist Office but you can then jump on and off at various stops around the town.
Bus: Regular buses operate from the bus station locally and to other French towns and cities.
Taxi: There are numerous taxis in Dieppe and these can be picked up from the taxi ranks or flagged down in the street.
Train: The main SNCF train station is on Boulevard Clemenceau, a 500m walk from the port, from where you can get trains to Paris and other towns and cities in France.
Car: There is usually free parking along the seafront and by the fishing port of Dieppe, with parking meters elsewhere.
