A taste of Dieppe - TUG

2011/2012
Contents
............................................. 5
Welcome to Dieppe.......................
...........................................6
Getting there.....................................
.............................................7
A town for all seasons..................
......................................... 8
Castle treasures............................
............................................9
A seat in the stalls.......................
.......................................... 10
Swimming and more................
.................................... 10
Children’s world.............................
.............................................. 11
A taste of history.........................
.........................................12
Ville d’art et d’histoire................
...........................................15
A Canadian link forever...........
............................................ 16
The British connection..............
pole Street.................. 16
The poets who fled from Wim
.............................................17
Ferry tales.......................................
......................................... 19
Voyages of discovery.....................
........................................20
On the trail of Impressionism
......................................22
On your bike !.....................................
........................................23
Gardens to visit..............................
.........................................24
Eating out............................................
.......................................... 25
What’s that fish?.........................
.........................................26
Town map............................................
..........................................32
A recipe from Dieppe................
.......................................... 33
Night life............................................
......................................... 34
Shopping............................................
................................... 34
Market day..........................................
....................................... 36
Where to stay.....................................
........................................... 38
Words to bridge the gap….........
...................................... 39
Tips for Travellers............................
.........................................42
Hotels and restaurants.................
What’s on… ............................. 46
.......................................50
The French are funny.......................
.........................................51
Useful numbers................................
26, 27.
refer to town plan on pages
Map references in the text
3
Welcome to Dieppe
WE hope you enjoy your visit to Dieppe, whether
you are passing through on a journey elsewhere or
you will be happy to linger a while in our port city.
Dieppe is situated on one of the crossroads of
Europe. We are well experienced in receiving
people from many lands, and many have left their
imprint on our shared history.
In the world of today, our problems are often
shared: we face similar environmental challenges,
and the impact of the “bank crisis” impinges upon
the lives of bankers’ victims across frontiers. In
solidarity, we need to find common solutions to
common tasks.
But take time off in Dieppe and its hinterland
from your cares. Whether your interests be
gastronomic, cultural, historical, sporting or
simply sitting on the beach or absorbing the
atmosphere on a café terrace, Dieppe is open to
you. And remember, please, to come again.
Sébastien Jumel
Mayor of Dieppe
“A Taste of Dieppe” is written by Peter Avis. Layout Ludwig Malbranque;
new photographs by Erwan Lesné at the Communications Service of
Dieppe Municipal Council. Published by Ville de Dieppe. Printed by
Imprimerie Dieppoise. © Peter Avis and Ville de Dieppe 2011. Dieppe
has a website: see www.dieppe.fr where there is a blog in English.
5
To CALAIS
NEWHAVEN
BOULOGNE-SUR-MER
St-VALERY-SUR-SOMME
LE TRÉPORT
DIEPPE
To Portsmouth
St-VALERY-EN-CAUX
AMIENS
FÉCAMP
LE HAVRE
ROUEN
To PARIS
Getting there
6
MOST people arrive in Dieppe, as they have for centuries,
by the ferry from Newhaven. It’s an all-year service, run
efficiently by LD Lines on behalf of the Seine Maritime
council, which saved the line from collapse in 2005 by
buying the crumbling Newhaven ferry port as well as two
new ferries. One of them, the Seven Sisters, sails on the
Newhaven-Dieppe route. The other, le Côte d’Albâtre,
currently serves Portsmouth-Le Havre.
Sailing times from Newhaven are normally at 9.30am
and 10.30pm, and from Dieppe at 5am and 6pm. BUT
ALWAYS CHECK: the timetable is amended when tidal
changes affect entry into the ports. Try Sue’s big English
breakfast while waiting at the Newhaven terminal.
The crossing usually takes under four hours. When
the ferry is full, disembarking with a car can entail a
frustrating wait, particularly at the Newhaven end where
the narrow ramp in the dilapidated port allows only one
exit from the ship. Foot passengers escape faster.
Cabins are spacious, clean and comfortable, though
expensive for a single person. The bar staff are friendly
and the cafeteria serves passable meals (not cheap); the
television has, peculiarly, only French channels; small
children have a delightful romping area (sometimes less
appreciated by adjacent and non-romping adults); there
is wi-fi for computers at a price, if you can manage to find
a spot to access it with the help of the information desk.
Outdoor seating on the top deck in summer.
To book a crossing, you can ring free on 0 800 9171 201
from the UK or 0 800 650 100 from France. Or email
[email protected] Wrinklies over
Click on www.dieppe.fr
DIEPPE has a constantly updated website. Go to www.dieppe.fr and you
will find the latest news of the town and local activities; videos from the
past two years (some of them funny); and up-to-the- minute weather
reports, with instant webcam of the seafront, marina and port entrance.
There is also a blog in English: “Dieppe seen by Peter Avis”, in which a British
journalist reflects on the human scene.
the age of 60 get 20 % reduction if they proclaim their age
when booking. Frequent travellers can also earn reductions.
TUG-Horizon is a Franco-British association of ferry
users. For information or observations on the service,
contact [email protected] and Brian Collinge, a
shrewd British polymath living in Dieppe, will reply.
Coming by road from Calais or Boulogne, follow the
uncrowded motorway towards Paris and Rouen, leaving it
before arriving at Abbeville, and then follow the D925 through
Le Tréport to Dieppe. About two hours’ journey from Calais.
Travelling by train from Paris St Lazare, change at
Rouen. Journey time upwards of two hours. The service is
not frequent and the last train from Paris leaves at 7.50pm.
A town for all seasons
SEASIDE towns come in all types and sizes. Some are
snobby and some are a bit rough; some are sleepy and
some are lively; some shut up shop in the winter and
some don’t.
Dieppe is a town for all seasons, and a town that can be
enjoyed by all sorts of people: it has a rather democratic
flavour about it. The restaurants range from a few
expensive establishments to a galaxy of more modest
places where you can get your fill at no crippling expense.
This town of 35,000 population is the cultural capital
for the surrounding region. The DSN (Dieppe Scène
Nationale) offers a rich programme of theatre, dance
7
and film. And there is plenty of music all over the place,
in and out of doors. The Château Musée, the Cité de la
Mer and the water activities centre Les Bains are open
Castle treasures
DIEPPE Castle has kept a stern and
watchful eye over the town for half a
millennium. Perched on the flank of the
western cliff, it served during centuries
as fortress against enemy incursions, or
as barracks and military storehouse. The
Pissarro’s oldest parts of the castle were built in the fourteenth century, as a defence
painting of against the English during the Hundred Years’ War. Today, most of its foreign
Dieppe port
visitors still come from England, but with peaceful intent.
Bought by the town council after the First World War, the Château became
the Château Musée in 1923. Its collection has been expanded to the status of
a national treasure house of art. Its main claim to fame is in its collection of
ivories, based upon an ancient trade and craft that employed hundreds of
people in the town. The collection of paintings include works by Lebourg,
Courbet, Delacroix, Renoir, Pissarro, Sickert and Braque.
The museum is open every day from June to September, but closed on
Tuesdays during the rest of the year. Entry is free for under-26s and job seekers.
8
Winston Churchill on
Dieppe beach in 1911
King Edward VII
all year round. Stop in Dieppe for a day or a week. You
won’t have to be bored.
Over the centuries, many people from across the
watery road to the north have been drawn by Dieppe’s
special charms to linger here and even to put down roots
along Normandy’s maritime fringe.
JMW Turner traipsed along this coast with his
sketchbook in search of shipwrecks to draw; Queen
Victoria’s playboy son, the Prince of Wales (the future
King Edward VII), came to Dieppe for naughty occasions;
the Marquess of Salisbury, Victoria’s last prime minister,
spent parliamentary recesses with his imported bottles of
scotch at his house in Puys; Oscar Wilde made Dieppe his
first call on being released from Reading Gaol; Winston
Churchill bathed in the sea and traipsed up the steep
Rue des Fontaines in his courtship of Clementine Hosier;
humorist and caricaturist, the “incomparable” Max
Beerbohm, dallied with actress Constance Collier; and
Walter Sickert painted here and procreated a son with
Augustine Levain, a redoubtable red-headed fishmonger
in Le Pollet.
All these people enjoyed the charm of one of the
most picturesque working ports in northern France;
they blended into local life and enriched the Dieppe
experience. Countless painters have found a special light
in the sky here; and writers such as Georges Simenon,
A seat in the stalls
Georges Simenon
DIEPPE, a town of 35,000 inhabitants, can boast a cultural centre that would
be the pride of many larger towns in Britain. DSN (Dieppe Scène Nationale)
at the Centre Jean Renoir offers both live performances and cinema in its
700-seat theatre opposite the railway station. It has developed an impressive
reputation in contemporary dance.
The DSN programmes contemporary and archive films, including many that
would not get a showing on commercial screens. All foreign (ie non-French)
productions are sub-titled in French and never dubbed.
Upstairs at the Centre Jean Renoir is the town’s main public library, with
rooms for reading and listening to CDs. The bar / restaurant downstairs has
a checkered history: it’s not always functioning.
plus film makers such as Claude Chabrol, have found
inspiration in the streets around the harbour.
Of course, others have come here only for the beer – or
the calvados – but they, too, may have contributed some
of the magic to this special corner of France. The beery
visitors will be happy to note the council has opened a
new free public toilet on the Place Nationale (D4). Just
by the statue of Abraham Duquesne.
Explore and enjoy the town, and its face upon the
sea: a good introduction is to take an hour’s trip on the
street train that starts from outside the corner of the
Quai Henri IV in the summer months.
Sit for a while on a café terrace, maybe at the classy
Tribunaux in the town centre; the bustling Brazza
beneath the trees at the back end of St Rémy Church; the
Sarajevo at the top end of the Rue de la Barre; the ever
welcoming Mieux Ici Qu’en Face in Le Pollet, with its
unparalleled view across the port; one of the busy bars
on the Quai Henri IV; or – only from April to September the breezy Bar-O-Mètre
at the western end of the
seafront, where you can
watch the fiery sun sink
into the sea.
9
Swimming and more
‘The Penguins’
bathe in the
sea all round
the year WHERE would you take a swim in the open air all round the year? That
pleasure is available at Les Bains, the leisure centre for water activities at
the western end of the seafront.
The outdoor pool is heated to a comfortable 25°C. Indoors, the complex has
pools, Jakuzzis and slides to suit the needs of all ages. And you can tone up
with various water treatments on offer.
Children’s world
CHILDREN don’t need to be bored in Dieppe. There is bathing and plenty
of water play at the new swimming pool complex (Les Bains) at the
western end of the seafront. The minigolf, and
a children’s playground, are just next door.
Another playground is in the park behind the
Cultural Centre.
The beach has sand to play on at low tide, when
the rock pools at the western end reveal their
secrets.
A visit to the Cité de la Mer, behind the Hôtel
de l’Europe at the eastern end of the seafront, is
Children’s rewarding for children and parents alike, with its aquarium and its exhibits
playground explaining how tides work, pebbles are formed and fishing has developed.
Children’s books and videos abound at the public library opposite the
railway station. Or visit Lire sur la plage (the ‘‘Read on the beach’’ hut near
the minigolf) in summer.
10
Lulu at the
minigolf
A taste of history
DIEPPE is sometimes called the Viking town. It traces its
history as a human settlement and port back to the arrival
of the Vikings on this coast at the beginning of the tenth
century AD. Of course, there were other people living in
these parts before then, and the Romans passed this way
before the Vikings. But the Romans did not leave
such important traces of their occupation here as
they did elsewhere.
The Vikings, from Scandinavia, settled in and around
Dieppe because of the hospitable harbour they found
for their ships at the river estuary that cuts through a
forbidding line of cliffs. The name Dieppe derives from
the Viking term “djepp”, meaning “deep”.
Dieppe became an important place on the map
in the eleventh century in the period when England and
France, or more particularly England and Normandy,
became linked in a common history, with contesting
rulers claiming ownership of each other’s lands.
In 1066 (the one date in history some of us can recall),
William, Duke of Normandy, sailed with his army to
Sussex where he deposed King Harold of England at the
Battle of Hastings. The Norman arrow that killed Harold
changed history. That first invasion was launched from
the Bay of the River Somme; the following year (1087),
William sent supplies to his occupying army from the
growing port of Dieppe.
11
The Bayeux
Tapestry
© Cdt 14
William the Conqueror (or William the Bastard, as
French history also records him) brought more than
If you don’t
have the time
for a guided
visit of Dieppe,
you can pick up
an audioguide
(in English)
from the
Tourist Office
soldiers to England: in the wake of the Norman invasion,
came the feudal system of government, the Norman
Gothic architecture that still dominates our ecclesiastical
landscape, and many French words that enrich for all time
what the French describe as ‘‘la langue de Shakespeare’’.
Dieppe has lived through many hostile visits over the
centuries. Attacked by the King of France (a rival then to
the Duke of Normandy), Dieppe was razed to the ground
Dieppe on fire
after the 1694
bombardment
in 1195. It was to suffer a similar fate five centuries later
when, in 1694, an Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command
of Admiral Berkeley bombarded and burned down the
town in retaliation for attacks by French privateers
Ville d’art et d’histoire
WANT a guided tour of Dieppe? Then get in touch with Dieppe Ville
d’art et d’histoire (DVAH), either through the Tourist Office (E4) by the
Pont Ango, or at the headquarters of the team of guides in
the Place Louis Vitet (D6), off the Quai Duquesne and near
the railway station.
The erudite and enterprising guides are busy through the
year organising thematic visits of the town – sometimes by
bike. Some of the lectures are in English, but you can pick
up a lot even if your understanding of French is minimal.
DVAH also organises workshops and tours for children and
teenagers. There’s much to see, and much to learn.
against English ships in the Channel.
Dieppe had become a fortified town from the end of
the fourteenth century, when construction of the castle
began: the castle, and one gate of the fortified wall that
was built round the town, still stand.
© archives
12
In the sixteenth century, the town – previously nestled
beneath the castle – was extended towards the east,
into the area now known as le Bout du Quai, after a
displacement of the Arques river estuary enabling a
larger port to be developed. Dieppe was for many years
one of the most important ports of France: its mariners
embarked on voyages of discovery that opened up large
areas of the African and American continents to European
predatory trade and conquest.
The town – or its more fortunate inhabitants - knew
prosperity in the seventeenth century, thanks to its
thriving commerce, the expanding fishing industry and
the local craft of ivory-carving. Local hero Abraham
Duquesne, whose monument stands on the Place
Nationale, gained fame as the vice-admiral of the fleet
of King Louis XIV (the king didn’t give him the honour of
Marshal of France, because he insisted on remaining a
Protestant). Repression, followed by the expulsion, of tens
of thousands of enterprising Protestants (Huguenots)
from Normandy after 1685 did no favours to the economy
of Dieppe, but benefited the countries such as England
where they found refuge.
After that bombardment of Dieppe in 1694, Louis XIV
ordered the reconstruction of the previously woodenbuilt town in flint and sandstone. The present appearance
of the town centre, clustered around the port, bears the
mark of the king’s architect, Monsieur de Ventabren, three
centuries ago. The arcades of the Quai Duquesne are the
consequence of Admiral Berkeley’s unfriendly attentions.
After the fall of the Napoleonic empire in 1815, Dieppe
developed into the kind of town we can recognise today.
Seaside bathing was introduced here in the 1820s
(following its earlier invention in Brighton).
The Duchesse de Berry, Italian-born and married into
a French Bourbon family, is
credited with having turned
Dieppe into a seaside resort
for her aristocratic friends.
Her later infamy, acquired
from supporting a failed
coup in 1831 against the
newly crowned King Louis
Philippe (who came from the
rival Orleanist dynasty) gets a
mention in the history books.
Abraham
Duquesne
13
The feisty
Duchesse
de Berry
Lady bathers of
la Belle Époque
Paid holidays
were won in 1936
© D.R.
14
But it is not celebrated in Dieppe, where the fiery signora
is identified rather with the pastries on sale in the shop
that bears her name.
The railway age that began in the middle of the
nineteenth century led to the development of Dieppe as
both a place to stay and as a staging post on the shortest
route between London and Paris.
Dieppe became a favourite place for artists and writers
to pursue their creative activities, and to have fun. Artists
including Delacroix, Pissarro, Blanche, Beardsley, Sickert
and Braque all stayed and worked here. As did the writers
Dumas, Wilde and many minor scribblers. The composers
Rossini, Saint-Saëns, Debussy and Roussel were lovers of
Dieppe and its hinterland, too. In the twenty-first century,
an artist such as the studious painter and illustrator
Lawrence Mynott feels at ease in Dieppe, sitting before
his glass of rosé on a cafe terrace.
If seaside pleasures
were for the well-off in
the nineteenth century,
they became available
to most people in the
twentieth, a century
that was also bloodied
twice by world wars.
In 1936, three years
before Hitler’s armies
swept across Europe,
paid holidays were introduced
by the Popular Front government in France, and Parisian
families arrived in their droves to cool their feet in the
frothy Channel waters.
There were no seaside holidays between September
1939 and September 1944, with the German army in
occupation. On 19 August 1942, the ill-organised Dieppe
Raid took place, leaving a thousand and more young
soldiers, most of them Canadian, dead on the beach.
Since the liberation in 1944, Dieppe has shared the
triumphs and vicissitudes of the post-war world. Its
industries and port activities have suffered from the
A Canadian link forever
THE people of Dieppe and the people of Canada
share a long history. It can be traced back to
the sixteenth century when sailors from
Dieppe and Fécamp in Normandy started to
fish for cod on the banks off Newfoundland,
a trade that was to develop into a major
industry in the nineteenth century, when salt
cod acquired an important place in the many
people’s diet.
Another link: in 1639, three nuns from
Dieppe sailed across the Atlantic to run the
Hôtel-Dieu in Quebec: the first hospital to be
set up by a religious order in North America.
On 19 August 1942, nearly a thousand young Canadians died on the beach
at Dieppe and nearby shores. Canadians soldiers, stationed in southern
England, were the main participants in the allied army that took part in
the Dieppe Raid, a spectacular and disastrous show of force against the
occupying German troops.
The human cost of Operation Jubilee, which served the propaganda
machines of the rival governments involved, totalled 1,380
allied troops (including 913 Canadians) killed and 1,600
wounded; and 345 Germans killed and 268 wounded.
The raid is commemorated annually in Dieppe and Newhaven,
the English port from which the raiding force sailed, and there is a
Jubilee museum behind the Mercure hotel.
economic pressures that have spread prosperity so
unevenly across the world. Dieppe is not a rich town;
life is not easy for many of its inhabitants, but there is a
richness of experience, stemming from a long and often
troubled history, to be shared by Dieppe with all those
who pass this way.
Canadian soldiers
liberate Dieppe
in 1944
15
The British connection
Oscar Wilde
Walter Sickert
16
BRITONS have been visiting and staying in Dieppe for
centuries. The first encounters, in the Middle Ages, were
mostly warlike when the land of Normandy was often
fought over by rival kings and dukes from either side of
the Channel.
A more peaceful connection developed in the nineteenth
century when a regular ferry line was developed, linking
the two coasts. The seaside was invented first in Brighton
and then in Dieppe as a pleasurable pursuit for the
leisured classes: the working classes were to have their
turn in the twentieth century, when paid holidays were
won by the trade union movement.
Dieppe became a haven for artists and writers from
across the Channel during the reign of Queen Victoria. It
is fascinating to reflect that, at the close of the nineteenth
century, Oscar Wilde, Max Beerbohm and Walter Sickert,
along with Prince Edward and Lord Salisbury, could all have
been enjoying their separate pleasures in Dieppe at the same
time. And they undoubtedly all repaired for refreshment at
the Café des Tribunaux, at some time or other.
Before and after the First World War, several thousand
English people lived in Dieppe, many of them in search of
cheaper living to ease the strain on their modest middle-
The poets who fled from Wimpole Street
ELIZABETH Barrett Browning and her secret husband Robert, made
Dieppe their first refuge when they fled from her dominating father,
Mr Barrett of Wimpole Street, in September 1846. Elizabeth, regarded
by many as the greatest woman poet of the nineteenth century, was
also in Dieppe in 1858 when local ivory artist Theodore Blard sculpted
her portrait (left). The poets’ love story is told on www.dieppe.fr/
blogs/3/articles/58.
class or depleted aristocratic incomes. They (or their wives,
or servants) frequented the English grocer, whose faded sign
was recently restored on the wall opposite the Tribunaux.
The story of the English colony in Dieppe, and its
pleasures and dissensions, during the century before
World War Two, is charmingly told in two books of
Simona Pakenham: Pigtails and Pernod and Sixty Miles
from England. The author, who died aged 94 in 2010, was
an enrichment of that story herself.
The British connection continues today, if less evidently
so than a decade and more ago when duty-free crowds
tumbled daily off ferries into the centre of town, making
many purchases and sometimes much noise. A trickle
of Dieppe-loving commuters from across the Channel
continues to help the ferry line going, and some, such as
Nick Wellings, the fan of Flaubert and railway timetables,
and the recently deceased and much loved jazzman John
Boyett, get regarded as colourful local characters.
The town that has attracted such an odd collection of
English-speaking people as Elizabeth Barrett Browning,
King Edward VII, Winston Churchill, Oscar Wilde, Aubrey
Beardsley, Max Beerbohm, Walter Sickert, Simona
Pakenham, Edward Ardizzone, John Willett and Gavin
Henderson (to name just a few) will accept and absorb
your oddities, too.
Ferry tales
17
Entering
Dieppe’s old
ferry port in
the 1930s
© D.R.
FERRIES have been sailing between the Sussex coast and
Dieppe for more than two centuries. A regular service
began in 1790, the year after the French Revolution, when
the packet Princess Royal left Shoreham every Tuesday
evening and returned from Dieppe on Saturday evening. A
contemporary leaflet announced that the vessel had two
elegant cabins, each containing eight beds, and that ‘‘horses
and carriages must be sent on the day before sailing’’.
“Boney”
Today’s ferries
have stabilisers
to tackle rough
seas
18
War between Britain and France during the rule of
Napoleon Bonaparte (called ‘‘Boney’’ or ‘‘Bogeyman’’ to
frighten naughty little English children) interrupted the
regular service and it was not until June 1825 that the
General Steam Navigation Company advertised that its
steamer, the Eclipse, would leave Newhaven for Dieppe,
calling at Brighton Chain Pier on the way, every Tuesday
and Saturday (weather permitting), and returning on
Monday and Thursday.
The line received a boost in 1847, when new railway
connections on both sides of the Channel provided
the shortest and most efficient regular route between
London and Paris. The crossing took six hours and 5,000
passengers were carried between Newhaven and Dieppe
during the first season (compared with some 300,000
a year today and a million or more in the glory days of
cross-Channel travel in the early 1990s).
As the line developed, British and later French ferries,
belonging to their respective railway companies,
maintained a joint service. The ships evolved, from the
paddle steamers of the 1840s, to the ‘‘screws’’ of the
1890s, to the car ferries of the 1960s, and to the variety
of super ferries and fast ferries that have been crossing
the Channel since the 1980s.
Wars, industrial disputes and managerial pull-outs
have all disrupted the service from time to time. In the
move towards privatisation, British and French Rail both
divested themselves of the line which bumbled along in
the incompetent hands of various private companies for
several years.
In 2005, when the line was threatened with permanent
closure, the Seine-Maritime Council stepped in to save
the day, buying up the dilapidated Newhaven ferry port
at the same time. The French council ordered two new
ferries, the Côte d’Albâtre and the Seven Sisters, equipped
for freight and passenger traffic. The running of the line
has since been delegated to a private operator, LD Lines,
which transferred the Côte d’Albâtre to its PortsmouthLe Havre route. This unfortunately reduces the crossings
between Newhaven and Dieppe, and local restaurateurs
are not best pleased that no ferry arrives in Dieppe in time
for the Brits to have lunch. (Hungry and gourmet Brits are
disappointed too.)
The history of the Newhaven-Dieppe line - on which Ho
Chi Minh worked as a pastry cook and so many illustrious
travellers (including some dodgy characters) have sailed
- is recorded in a number of books. Many mementoes
of the line have been gathered by Peter Bailey and his
colleagues in the Local History and Maritime Museum in
Newhaven’s Paradise Park. Normally open at the weekend,
and in the week during summer.
Tourist poster
from 1932
© fonds ancien et
local de Dieppe
Voyages of discovery
DIEPPE is a perfect hub for voyages of discovery in the
ancient hinterland of Seine-Maritime (which used to be
called Seine-Inférieure, until dignitaries twigged it that
this designation suggested inferiority as well as indicating
the lower reaches of a river).
There are fascinating routes to follow, whether you be
walking, riding a bike or driving a car. Immediately to the
west of Dieppe is the coastal village of Pourville, at the
mouth of the lush valley of the Scie, a spot cherished and
painted many times by the painter Claude Monet (who
19
Braque’s
stained glass
window
in Varengeville
church
© archives
The seacliff
cemetery at
the church of
Varengeville
© archives
didn’t rate Dieppe). We would like to suggest you walk
to Pourville along the beach from Dieppe at low tide –
clambering over the rocks and pebbles takes about an
hour – but such an adventure is officially discouraged,
as a chunk of the friable chalk cliffs could fall on you
when you pass beneath. And what will you think of the
Overlooking
Pourville
20
Claude Monet
occasional naturist you may encounter on the way?
(Hopefully you will be mutually tolerant.)
You can also walk to Pourville taking the top road above
the cliffs (a pity there is no pathway to keep you safely clear
of the cars for the whole journey) and enjoy the stupendous
view along the coast to the west as you descend to the
village. There are an oyster bar, not too cheap, and other
seafront restaurants when you reach Pourville.
Further to the west is the well-heeled village of
Varengeville, where Edwin Lutyens constructed an
English house (Les Moutiers) in tune with the nineteenthcentury Arts and Crafts movement, before he achieved
On the trail of Impressionism
THE school of impressionism in the history of art is closely associated
with the landscapes of Normandy. It began with Claude Monet’s canvas,
“Impression, sunise”, painted in Le Havre in 1872. Impressionist works
are to be found in galleries across the region. A fascinating guide,
“Impressionist Normandy”, is on sale (in French or English) from the
Dieppe Tourist Office.
fame by creating the Viceroy’s Palace in New Delhi and
the Cenotaph in London.
Sainte Marguerite, with its harmonious Romanesque
church, follows before you arrive at the quaint seaside
resort of Quiberville that recalls (if you are old enough)
the English seaside of fifty years ago. This is where the
Dillons, Glyn and Siobhan, from the London artistic
community, celebrated their wedding feast in colourful
international company a few years ago. Quiberville
is a locally renowned place to buy freshly caught fish,
displayed on stalls adjacent to the sea.
Picturesque Veules-les-Roses, which prides itself on
having the shortest river in France to trickle through its
streets, is next call along the coast, unless you pop in
first to La Chapelle-sur-Dun, where the grocer’s shop
doubles up as village restaurant for those in search of
country atmosphere and country food. We saw a Labrador
dog sitting there at table with its owner: perfectly well
behaved, both of them, and both enjoying lunch. The dog
didn’t partake of the complimentary pot of wine.
There follow the more famous towns of St Valeryen-Caux, Fécamp and Etretat, before you arrive at
the port of Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine. St
Valery, which was smashed up in the last war, has fish
stalls on the promenade; Fécamp has its crazy pseudoGothic Bénédictine Palace and Etretat its memories of
Maupassant and Edwardian English visitors. Le Havre is
an architectural storehouse from the 1950s, if you are a
fan of 1950s concrete architecture.
The winding and majestic Seine river inland from Le
Havre is decorated with a string of ancient abbeys,
including the ruined Jumièges (famous also for its
nearby cherry orchards) and the restored St Georges de
Boscherville. Visit Villequier, next to Caudebec-en-Caux,
and the museum devoted to Victor Hugo and the family of
his daughter Léopoldine: she and her young husband were
tragically drowned in the river there in 1843, six months
after their marriage.
Along the coast to the east of Dieppe, you discover Les
Trois Villes Sœurs (the Three Sister Towns) of Le Tréport,
Eu and Mers-les-Bains. The Sisters are very different but
The abbey of
Jumièges
21
© D.R.
Art nouveau
facades at
Mers-les-Bains
On your bike!
MANY Britons who land on the Alabaster Coast arrive via the ferry from
Newhaven. Some of them make use of the Transmanche Ferries offer to
transport their bicycles free. Just announce you are bringing a bike with
you when you buy your ticket. The price of passenger (with or without
bike) was about £30 for a five-day return in spring 2011.
If you don’t have a bike, you can hire one and also get minor repairs at
the train station: 1€ for an hour, 3€50 for half a day, 5€50 for a day and
15€ for a week. Same price but bigger deposit for an electrically boosted
bike. For bike repairs and purchases, there is a shop in RouxmenilBouteilles on the southern edge of Dieppe.
From Dieppe, you can ride six kilometres south to Arques-la-Bataille and
join the Avenue Verte which provides a 40-kilometre motor traffic-free
route to Forges-les-Eaux. It is planned eventually to extend the route to Paris.
Information on other cycle routes in Normandy can be obtained from
the Dieppe Tourist Office (0232 144060 and www.dieppetourisme.com).
The French are generally respectful towards cyclists: car and lorry
drivers give them a wide berth when overtaking them on the road. Cyclists
become national heroes when they star in the annual Tour de France.
22
The bay of the
River Somme
manage to get along together. On the way to the Sisters,
pop in to visit Susan Tailleux at Les Trois Clos des Prés at
Criel-sur-Mer. She is an enterprising American from New
Hampshire who makes cider and eau de vie de cidre from
the apples in her orchard and sells the pungent products
in Dieppe market on Saturday mornings.
Le Tréport is a funful Sister without pretensions: a busy
fishing port with quayside restaurants whose fare can
surpass what you will find in snobbier towns. The restored
funicular offers free trips up and down the highest chalk
cliff in continental Europe. Jacques Louchard’s ballad “Oh
les beaux dimanches” is evocative of the place.
Mers-les-Bains, at the opposite side of the River Bresle
estuary, is a more sedate Sister, proud of her riotous art
nouveau frontage and quieter beachside culture.
Eu (which we have to call Ville d’Eu to avoid uttering
the embarrassing verbal juxtaposition ‘‘Maire d’Eu’’ when
referring to its mayor) is the royal Sister: Queen Victoria
stayed with French King Louis Philippe in his palace there,
and the two monarchs picnicked in the nearby forest
during young Victoria’s visit to seal the first Entente
Cordiale in 1843.
After leaving the Seine-Maritime department (county)
to enter Picardy, of which Mers is an outpost, carry on
along the coast towards Calais and visit St Valery-surSomme, at the mouth of the tidal Somme river. William
the Conqueror sailed from there to change history at
the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Somme estuary is
a gathering place for a rich collection of aquatic birds
most of which surprisingly manage to escape the
hunters’ pellets.
Just inland from Dieppe is Arques-la-Bataille, with its
ruined castle of Henri IV (Dieppe’s restaurant quayside
is appropriately named after the hedonistic monarch);
its grand medieval church; its art deco school building;
and its impressive lakeside social housing that honours
a resourceful local council. Nearby to Arques, go walking
in the forest or go by bike or foot on a peaceful journey
of many kilometres along the Avenue Verte leading to
Forges-les-Eaux and eventually beyond.
South of Arques are such treasures as the seventeenthcentury Château de Bosmelet, where the loquacious
republican Baron (or Monsieur) Bosmelet will tell you,
in impeccable Oxford English, delicious stories of his
ancestral home of Louis XIII vintage. Feel daunted by the
300-year-old avenue of limes that have survived many
vicissitudes, including the presence of a V1 (doodlebug)
Remains of
the castle at
Arques-laBataille
The Château
de Bosmelet
Gardens to visit
IF gardens grab you, Normandy has plenty for you to visit. The most illustrious
garden surrounds Les Moutiers, the English country house at Varengeville
designed by Edwin Lutyens: the garden, with its magnificent rhododendrons
and hydrangeas, was originally laid out by Gertrude Jekyll. In the same area are
the Shamrock gardens and the garden of the late Princess Sturdza.
Le Parc William Farcy at Offranville offers a fine display of roses, while the
Château de Bosmelet near Auffay has a colourful kitchen garden adjacent to
an ancient avenue of lime trees. In the village of Grigneuseville, between Dieppe
and Rouen, is Agapanthe, a ‘‘garden of surprises’’ created by the landscape
architect Alexandre Thomas.
And, if you want to see Claude Monet’s oft painted lily pond, go to Giverny where
the painter’s home is a place of pilgrimage for his fans from every continent. In A Monet painting
of his garden
fact, the house and its contents are more interesting than the garden.
A list of Normandy gardens is available from the Dieppe tourist office.
23
launching pad in the château grounds
in 1944, from which the German army
bombarded southern England during the last
months of the Second World War.
Nearby (and on the railway route from
Dieppe to Rouen) is the village of Cleres,
Les Moutiers : an English
house and garden
with its animal park, where wallabies and lemurs jump
around, and flamingoes congregate on the lake.
But, above all, you must not miss a day in Rouen, one
of the great cities of Europe, which has more preserved
‘‘Tudor’’ beamed architecture than even Chester in
England. Here, Joan of Arc was cruelly sent to the stake
by the occupying English army in 1431, to oblige a gaggle
of conspiring French bishops. And here Monet painted the
Gothic cathedral. He did so again, and again, and again.
The train journey to Rouen from Dieppe takes about
45 minutes. Rouen station facade is an art deco treasure.
Beyond Rouen is Paris. That is an interesting city, too.
Eating out
Le roi Henri IV,
a great gourmet
24
YOU want to find a decent restaurant in Dieppe? The
advice in these pages is neither definitive nor prescriptive.
We mention a number of places that might satisfy your
requirements, places we have discovered over the years,
but there are others that will have missed our attention
and may be deserving of yours.
Restaurant reputations go up and down, with changing
owners and chefs. Serving staff treated badly by the boss
will be less inclined to behave graciously to the customer.
And well treated staff will more likely give service with a
smile. When you enter a restaurant, you enter a microcosm
of the world, with all its dreams and tensions: see Arnold
Wesker’s great play “The Kitchen” to be reminded of it.
Quai Henri IV
The centre of the Dieppe restaurant culture is the Quai
Henri IV, overlooking the marina where, for two centuries
until 1994, the ferries deposited their passengers. The
quayside is named after Henry of Navarre, who ruled
France tolerantly at the end of the sixteenth century and
was dubbed ‘‘a wise and thirsty monarch’’ by Socialist
historian and gastronome Raymond Postgate (father of
Oliver). Henry was baptised with Jurançon wine and garlic,
which may have given him a start in culinary appreciation.
The quayside restaurants range from the excellent to the
unremarkable: the most garish are not necessarily the best.
We have never been disappointed by a meal at the New
Haven (F4), which has the favour of a loyal British clientèle.
The quality of the Restaurant du Port (G4) is attested to
by the prizes affixed to the door of Michel Mouny’s famed
establishment. He’s not cheap but he’s special.
The newly opened Heidi (G3), at the corner of the Rue
de la Rade, is praised by nearby resident Nick Wellings, an
impressive authority on restaurants. Try Heidi’s salads and
fondus (cheese dips).
What’s that fish?
FISH dishes abound on the menus of Normandy restaurants, and especially
on those of coastal towns such as Dieppe. Here are the names of fish and
shellfish you are likely to encounter. No problem with sole or turbot: the
French use the same words (with different pronunciations). But don’t expect
to see a little salmon on your plate if you have ordered saumonette. You might
be surprised by the aroma of un bouquet. And did you know un maquereau
(a mackerel) is also a pimp? Best to order mussels during the summer and
autumn months, after the daffodil season. Fresh local scallops are available
only from October to May.
Amandes. ... . . . . . . . . Type of clam
Anchois...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anchovy
Anguille. .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eel
Araignée de mer. . . . Spider crab
Bar. ........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bass
Barbue. ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brill
Baudroie. ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monkfish
Bigorneaux. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winkles
Brème........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bream
Bouquet. .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prawn
Bulots. ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whelks
Cabillaud.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cod
Calamar. .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Squid
Carrelet...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plaice
Colin......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hake
Congre....... . . . . . . . . . . . Conger eel
Coques....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cockles
Coquilles St Jacques.. . Scallops
Crevettes grises. . . . . . . . . . Shrimps
Crevettes roses. . . . . . . . . . . . Prawns
Daurade. .... . . . . . . . . . . . Sea-bream
Ecrevisse. .. Freshwater crayfish
Eglefin. ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haddock
Flétan. ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Halibut
Gambas...... . . . . . . . . . King prawns
Grondin...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gurnet
Hareng....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Herring
Homard...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lobster
Huîtres....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oysters
Julienne. .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ling
Langoustes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crayfish
Langoustines. . . Norway lobsters
Lieu jaune. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pollock
Lieu noir. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coalfish
Limande.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lemon sole
Lingue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ling
Lompe.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lumpfish
Lotte de mer.. . . . . . . . . . . Monkfish
Loup de mer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sea bass
Maquereau.. . . . . . . . . . . . . Mackerel
Merlan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whiting
Morue.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cod
Moules.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mussels
Oursin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sea urchin
Palourdes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clams
Praires.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Small clams
Raie.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Skate
Rouget. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Red mullet
Roussette.. . . Huss, rock salmon
Saint Pierre. . . . . . . . . . . . . John Dory
Sandre.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pikeperch
Saumon.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Salmon
Saumonette...Huss, rock salmon
Sole. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sole
Thon.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tuna
Tourteau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crab
Truite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trout
Turbot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Turbot
Vignots.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winkles
Vive .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weever fish
25
Fishing port
26
Tourist Information Office
Post office
Caravan park
Town Hall
Ferry Terminal (car and foot passengers)
Casino
Railway station
Castle Museum
Bus station / Stradibus
Estran - Sea museum
Bicycle hire
Media Library / DSN
Police station
Children’s playground
Hospital
Dieppe ville d’art et d’histoire
QU
AI
DE
L
AM
AR
NE
QUAI
DE LA
MARNE
FERRY
27
Commercial
o
port
COURS
DE DA
KAR
The little tourist train
Public telephone
Free parking
Le Rex cinéma
Public toilets
Paid parking
Puits-salé
Taxi park
Pedestrianised area
Les Tourelles
Bus stop
Paid parking zone
Memorial of 19 August 42
Cash point
Spa and swimming pool
Lifeguard (July-August)
complex Les Bains
Footpath to clifftop
View point
28
Eating late can be a problem in Dieppe. The bustling Tout
Va Bien (E4) at the beginning of the Quai Henri IV, has
continuous service and welcomes late diners. Under the
new management of English-speaking Stéphane Novik, It
has extended its premises to incorporate the Café de la
Paix and also extended its menu to an interesting threecourse offer, including oysters, at under 16 euros.
Pay a rewarding visit to Le Bordeaux (E4), the
newly opened “bar à vin” in the Rue Duquesne
close by. Not a restaurant, but welcome tasters
(charcuterie and home prepared olives) are served
with the excellent Bordeaux wines from the
Côtes de Blaye (pronounced “bly”, like “fly”) that
knowledgeable young Gabriel Arduino offers. A bottle
shared by two or three people will do you no harm.
Quai Duquesne and Le Pollet
A welcome
awaits you at
Le Bistrot des
Barrières.
On the Quai Duquesne, at right-angles to Henri’s
quayside, is Le Bistrot des Barrières (E5) where
the midday menu has a touch of sophistication
that appeals to discerning locals. It is just beyond
the well established and well reputed Arcades
(E4), attached to the hotel of the same name.
Across the Pont Jehan Ango, find le Bistrot du Pollet
(F5) in la Rue Tête de Boeuf, a classy venue with classy
dishes which has recently introduced an economy
lunchtime menu at around 20 euros.
Further up the quayside, towards the station,
L’Espérance (E5), at 50 Quai Duquesne, has extended
its menu under new young owners Frédéric and
Laetitia Foubert to include un plateau de fruits de mer.
And Laetitia is proud of her douillon aux pommes (a
Normandy dessert).
Away from the port
Walking up the pedestrianised Grande Rue from the
quaysides, there are interesting tables to be found, notably
at Le Grand Duquesne (D5) opposite St Jacques Church,
elegantly presided over by the Hobbé family for more
than twenty years. There is simpler fare at the welcoming
Calvados (D4) at the corner of la Rue des Maillots, where
you will find a good plat du jour. And Les Tribunaux (C5)
is now a busy eatery at the heart of the town.
At the top end of la Rue de la Barre be rewarded by
lunch or dinner at the Sarajevo (B5), owned by Jeannot
(a local lad) and Vesna (who adds the authentic Balkan
touch). Their meals are fresh and copious (you get both
halves of the avocado you order) and the carafe red wine
is a genuine Côtes du Rhône.
Hobnob on the terrace there with a diverse company,
including the substantial Lulu (who runs the seafront
minigolf, dispenses wisdom and occasionally gets a win
from his lottery scratch cards); the gentle giant Rocky
(he won a basket ball silver medal in the 1968 Olympic
Games); and sundry village elders.
Nearby, big changes at the Restaurant de Rouen (A5) at
the bottom of la Rue du Faubourg de la Barre, which Pierrot
and Marie-Pierre Tourmente ran joyously for two decades.
New owners Jérôme and Laetitia, will be opening Chez Letti
on the same premises at the end of summer 2011, and we
wish them good luck. Retired singing chef Pierrot has left
warm memories with his devoted British customers.
Close by, Jean-Henri Dufils now provides a quick snack
and witty conversation in a bright setting at Le Palais
(A6), at the bottom of l’Avenue Gambetta.
Saucy note
French cuisine
depends much
on the creative
blending of
sauces in
the cooking.
Generally, if
you see on the
menu a dish
that has a sauce
described as
forestière,
you can expect
mushrooms in
it; provençale
suggests tomatoes and garlic;
normande will
have plenty of
cream; and
dieppoise
promises a
sauce of cream
with prawns
and maybe
mushrooms.
29
On the seafront
Oddly, for a seaside resort, seafront restaurants are
almost non-existent. But the Windsor Hotel (D3) and
the Casino (B4) will both feed you in restaurants with
panoramic views. The Mercure Hotel (B4) also has a
smart restaurant. Le Bas Fort Blanc (A3) at the western
end of the front is popular with locals, and the Epsom
bar (C4) will serve you a bruschetta up to midnight. In
summertime, the beachside Club House (D3) has famous
salads and famous sunsets. And nearby, try the inventive
lunchtime salad fare that solid Lulu and his pensive
partner, Micheline from Madagascar, have to offer at the
wind-protected minigolf (C3).
Hôtel Mercure
From the kitchens
of France emerge
many marvels.
Lionel (“Yo Yo”)
Huchon conjures
up tasty dishes
at the Sarajevo
restaurant in
Dieppe
30
Gastronomic treats
If you seek gastronomic treats at gastronomic prices, try
the cosy Bistrot du Pollet (F5), already mentioned; À la
Marmite Dieppoise (E5), in la Rue St Jean off the Quai
Duquesne, famed for its fish dish of the same name; the
recently opened and well appeciated Coup de Torchon
(E4) in the Rue Vauquelin; Le Comptoir à Huîtres (below
F8) on the Cours de Dakar, a great and elegant place
for feasting on oysters, where Stéphane Barq has now
extended his menu beyond shellfish; and (most expensively)
Les Voiles d’Or (I3), for a hint of Parisian luxury adjacent
to the church of Bonsecours, overlooking the port at the
top of the eastern cliff.
Ethnic choices
The Ankara is a
Turkish delight
Want to taste something that isn’t French at all? Well,
the Bombay (E4) opposite the lifting bridge serves curries
(milder than in England); la Taverne algéroise (E4) in la
Rue Duquesne offers couscous; la Bekaa (F5) on le Quai
du Carénage in Le Pollet has a typical Lebanese menu;
and La Pagode d’Or (D5) in la Rue Pecquet has classic
Chinese fare provided by a remarkable musical family. The
local chattering classes favour l’Ankara (G3), the Turkish
restaurant in la Rue de la Rade.
For fast eaters with small purses, kebabs and pizzerias
are springing up all over town.
If you are a veggie
No longer are vegetarians in France limited to the offer
of an omelette or a flea their ear. Le Grand Duquesne
(D5), the elegant restaurant in la Rue St Jacques,
introduced an impressive and varied vegetarian menu
(at the behest of graphic novelist Glyn Dillon and other
British visitors) several years ago; now a number of
restaurants have learnt to prepare vegetarian dishes. An
honourable mention must be given to the Ankara (G3).
Outside Dieppe
Rouen has a plethora of eating places. You will find
better fare around the cathedral than on the busy Place
du Marché. Try la Petite Auberge in the Rue Martainville.
Snails on the menu.
Le Tréport, 28 kilometres and a 2 euros bus ride to the
east of Dieppe, claims a superior culinary reputation to
that of Dieppe (although Victor Hugo
ate a leather-like steak there). On
the quayside, try Le Saint-Louis, Le
Homard Bleu or Le Comptoir de l’Océan
next door. Great fish dishes. On the little
square behind the quayside, is la Pile
d’Assiettes, with a Martinique flavour to
some of its dishes.
In the royal city of Eu, inland from Le
Tréport, eat handsomely at le Maine or more
economically at le Restaurant de la Poste.
Other addresses worthy of an outof-town journey include les Régates at
Pourville (great view!); the plush Colombier
at Offranville; l’Auberge du Retour de la
Forêt, ever busy on the road beyond Arques-la-Bataille
towards St Nicolas d’Aliermont; and le Restaurant de la
Gare at Envermeu. Brian Woy points out that in 1903,
Edwardian satirist Max Beerbohm entertained actress
Constance Collier to lunch under the trees at the rustic
Auberge du Clos Normand at Saint-Aubin-sur-Scie.
She went on to wed another, but lunch there is still
worthwhile, reports the discerning Brian Woy.
And, on the edge of Dieppe, we must not omit Les
Ouvriers Réunis, a haven for hungry and choosy lorry
drivers and canny locals, just up the main road from the
ferry terminal (it’s off the first roundabout you come to
at the top of the hill). Impressive buffet starters and a
pot of wine included with your meal. Book a room for
the night if you need to recover.
The list goes on…. It is for you to add to it.
Les Régates on
the seafront at
Pourville
31
A vegetarian recipe from Dieppe
Since Patrick Hobbé introduced his vegetarian menu (‘La Découverte
végétarienne’) several years ago, the choice of veggie dishes at the
family’s restaurant, Le Grand Duquesne, on the Place St-Jacques (D5)
has increased. One of the favourites all round the year is this simple
concoction with leeks.
INGREDIENTS for one plate (double for two)
32
 Two slices of puff pastry, about 10cm square
 One leek, sliced
 Some chopped shallots
 Butter
 5cl liquid fresh cream
 Balsamic vinegar
 Three or four cherry tomatoes
METHOD
Heat the two slices of puff pastry (obtainable from supermarkets) in
the oven for about 20 minutes. Heat the cherry tomatoes in the oven, too.
In the meantime, cook the sliced leek and chopped shallots in a frying
pan with butter for about 7-8 minutes (until soft). Add a dash of balsamic
vinegar during the cooking and stir in the cream at the last moment.
Serve with the puff pastry, sandwich-like, below and above the mixture
of leek and shallots. Decorate the plate with the heated cherry tomatoes.
Simple, and tasty.
On a further visit to le Grand Duquesne, you might try (for example)
Salade de concombre aux noix et au yaourt for a starter, Soufflé de
courgettes au parmesan as main course, and Clafoutis pommes et
bananes caramélisées for dessert.
Bon appetit!
Night life
THE streets of Dieppe may look more deserted than those
of Brighton when night falls. But there is a lot going on
in many cafes and clubs, to suit all ages and many tastes.
For mature tastes, the Epsom bar (C4) on the seafront
stays open until midnight or well after, and sometimes
has live music to accompany the cocktails and snacks.
You might be lucky and hear Bryan Woy, Erik Schando
and the Dilettante Jazz Singers perform; they used to
enliven the Europe hotel bar, now defunct (though the
hotel still functions).
For young ravers, the hottest spot in town is La Pompe
(B4), at 19 Rue St Rémy. Formerly the Brunswick, it opens
from 6pm to 7am, with a live concert on Friday night. And,
apart from the music, ranging from pop-rock to club music
and R&B, you can dance in one of the rooms.
On the more old-fashioned club scene, you could be
attracted to Dieppe’s biggest dance floor: L’Abordage
(B4) at the Casino or the huge cellars of the Manhattan
(E4), in the Rue Duquesne. And the Pirate (G3), at the end
of the Quai Henri IV, rocks through the night. The longestablished Scottish Pub (C5) in the Rue St Jacques, has
rock in the cellar and, if you are a draught Guinness fan,
you will find the jet black liquid at the Cambridge Arms
(D4) in the Rue de l’Epée, sometimes with music.
A welcoming address is the Solo wine bar (A4), open
from 6pm to midnight Tuesday to Saturday, at the sea
end of the Rue de Sygogne. Nathalie and Didier offer
an eclectic musical choice from CDs, plus snacks and
decent carafe wines.
After midnight, Bernard Françoise (who is a Dieppe
institution) may admit you to his hidden night bar,
la Boussole (E5) at 33 Rue du Bœuf, just off the Quai
Duquesne. Leave quietly before daybreak.
Dieppe is no Brighton or San Francisco, but information
about the gay scene is on http://www.gaynormandie.
com/dieppe/
Discothèque at
the Abordage
33
Shopping
Chez Olivier
THERE are two sorts of shopping in Dieppe. You can drive
out of town and buy goods in bulk at bargain prices at one
of the peripheral super stores: up the Avenue Gambetta
to Auchan; along the Avenue Normandie-Sussex to
Intermarché and Leclerc; and through Neuville and up
the Avenue de la République to Lidl. Or you can wander
around Dieppe town centre and shop more picturesquely.
Don’t exceed the customs allowance of a “reasonable”
amount of alcohol for personal consumption to take home:
Market day magic
MARKET day is magic day. Every Saturday, from 8am to 1pm, the centre
of Dieppe is transformed into a street theatre in which the performers
hand over or acquire a rich harvest from Normandy and further flung
fields. Smaller street markets, on the place Nationale (D4 and D5), are
on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
If you want genuine local produce - free range eggs, cheese, poultry,
vegetables, salads and fruit – look for the mention ‘‘pays”. Olives and
34
honey from Provence, cloves of garlic from the Tarn, artichokes and
cauliflowers from Brittany, and melons from the Charente are piled
on the stalls, too, according to season. And there are fish, saucissons,
herbs, loaves of country bread, bottles of cider, and what else?
After the market, some of us repair to the terrace of the Brazza,
behind St Rémy Church, to rest our bags, and legs, while drinking a glass
or three of the landlady’s wines from Alsace.
If you need market advice and don’t speak French, ask Susan Tailleux
from New Hampshire, who sells her eau de vie de cidre (calvados under
another name) at her stall in the Rue Saint Jacques (C5).
if you do, you will be breaking the law and
perhaps the springs of your car, too.
You will find a fine array of cheeses and
Nicolas wines at the Maison Olivier (C5) in
the Rue St Jacques. Try the crumbly and tangy
local Neufchâtel cheese, often in the form of
a heart, which is claimed to have been
invented in 1035 (making it arguably
France’s oldest cheese).
The best fruit and veg shop is Royal
Fruits (E4) at the beginning of la
Grande Rue ; the queues attest to the
quality of its products. La Marée du Jour (D5) is an
impressive fish shop on the Place Nationale and there
are charcuteries (delicatessens) around town that provide
interesting concoctions to take home or on a picnic.
Creamy cakes abound in the patisseries. You can buy
great bread from artisan boulanger B. Masson (D4) in the
Grande Rue, facing the Place Nationale. Find ginseng Aux
Arômes de Provence (D5) and herbs at Épices et Art
(D5), both opposite the entrance to St Jacques Church.
Susan : apple devotee
La Marée
du Jour
Togs, toys and tattoos
There may not be much sense in buying clothes or shoes
in Dieppe: they will generally be dearer than in Britain
and the so-called fashion boutiques sell largely similar
garments (often made by poorly paid workers in Asia)
to those you will find on a high street at home.
Plein Ciel (C5) in la Rue St Jacques is a richly
stocked toy shop and there is a fascinating children’s
bookshop, La Sirène, (D5) hidden behind St Jacques
Church nearby. More funful kids’ things and bricà-brac from Laurent la Brocante (D5) at 6 Rue
des Maillots. There’s also a classy bric-à-brac shop
(E5), round the corner at 66 Rue d’Écosse.
If you need to stitch something, visit the
haberdashery Aurel Création (B5) in the Rue
des Bains. And Casa (B5) in the Rue de la Barre has
bargains in household goods and kitchenware.
We have not discovered why Dieppe needs so many
tattooing establishments: you don’t see many tattoos
around, although they are often hidden on parts of the
body reserved for the eyes of nearest and dearest only.
35
Laurent la
Brocante
La Sirène
Where to stay
FRENCH hotels are generally cheaper than British hotels.
That’s a help to British visitors in a time of reduced
exchange value of the pound. It also helps your pocket,
and may promote nocturnal acquaintance, if you share a
room with another human being.
One of the best appointed hotels in Dieppe is the Europe
(G2), at the eastern end of the seafront. At 110 euros a
night for a double room in 2011, the price is a bit OTT for a
two-star establishment in France. But, at that price, such
accommodation would be a gift in a British seaside resort:
vast rooms, vast beds and vast baths. And, remarkably,
every room has a sea view. Unfortunately, Philippe’s bar
is now closed, but Philippe and his cocktails can be found
at the Epsom bar at the western end of the promenade.
Dieppe’s long seafront, which boasts the widest lawns
of any coastal resort in France, has only six hotels.
Reading from the east, they are the Europe; the Aguado
(E4), the Europe’s classier three-star sister with double
rooms between 89 and 140 euros; the Windsor (D4),
36
Two-star
lodgings on the
seafront
with its panoramic restaurant; the Plage (C4), which has
a deservedly faithful British clientele; the posh Grand
Hôtel (B4) at the Casino; and the three-star Mercure
(B4), smartened up since the chain took over the rather
dilapidated Présidence.
Cheaper hotels are inland. In the Rue de la Halle au Blé,
parallel to the seafront behind the Epsom bar, you will
find the unpretentious Les Galets (new name and new
owner for the former Tourist Hotel) (C4) clustered around
an old monastery courtyard. No lift.
The spick-and-span Etap Hotel (B5) in the Rue Claude
Groulard is run with impressive efficiency by the ever
welcoming Florence Giffard. All en-suite rooms, served by
a lift to every floor: prices vary between 38 and 55 euros
Friendly faces
at L’Étap, a great
budget hotel in
the town centre
a night, according to season, and to whether you are a
single or a double. The Etap offers the best hotel bargain
on the Dieppe scene.
Smarter, more spacious (and dearer) accommodation is
available at the Hôtel des Arcades (E4), overlooking the
marina. The Grand Duquesne (D5), next to the great church
of St Jacques, has a dozen rooms above an elegant restaurant,
a convenient juxtaposition of facilities at bedtime.
Hotels outside the town centre include the Ibis, at the
top of the Avenue Gambetta; Formule 1, just outside town
in the Chemin des Vertus at St Aubin; and the lorry drivers’
haven, Les Ouvriers Réunis, which you will find if you
follow the sign ‘‘toutes directions’’ on leaving the ferry port.
It’s off the first roundabout at the top of the hill. Those
United Workers (Ouvriers Réunis) get well fed, too.
Some people prefer the charm of a chambre d’hôte – a
French-style homely B and B – to a hotel. For example,
the very successful Ghislaine Boré (0 235 821 652)
has transformed an ancient convent into cosy rooms
for guests in the Rue des Capucines, Le Pollet (6H). Or
you might choose the architect-designed Villa Florida
(0 235 8 037), impressively overlooking Dieppe golf course
on the Pourville road, beyond the western edge of town.
You will find details of most of these places and more on
Google, or from the Tourist Office (E4) at the Pont Ango
(0 232 144 060 and www.dieppetourisme.com)
Bonne nuit! 37
The former
Hôtel Royal, on
the seafront,
1865, A. Aubrun.
© fonds ancien et
local de Dieppe
Words to bridge the gap
YOU can’t learn a language in five minutes. But you can pick
up a few words and phrases in French that may get you what
you want and gain you friends as well. These may help:
38
Say a polite
“s’il vous plaît”
after any
request, and
add “Monsieur”
or “Madame”,
as appropriate.
Merci
(thank you) is
a tricky word:
if you say
“Merci” when
offered another
helping, the
French will
think you mean
“No thank you”.
If you want
more, say “S’il
vous plaît”.
Alarm call................................ Réveil
Adapter.......................... Adaptateur
Aspirin.................................. Aspirine
Battery........................................... Pile
British newspapers..............................
..................... Journaux britanniques
Bus......................................... Autobus
Chemist............................ Pharmacie
Chicken.................................... Poulet
Child’s menu........... Menu d’enfant
Cold milk............................ Lait froid
Comb........................................ Peigne
Condom........................... Préservatif
Diesel....................................... Gazole
Envelope.......................... Enveloppe
Fever......................................... Fièvre
Fish.......................................... Poisson
Headache....................... Mal de tête
Hot milk........................... Lait chaud
Matches.......................... Allumettes
Meat......................................... Viande
Mobile phone..................... Portable
Nappies................................ Couches
Pepper....................................... Poivre
Petrol..................................... Essence
Phone card..... Carte téléphonique
Puncture........................... Crevaison
Razor......................................... Rasoir
Razor blades......... Lames de rasoir
Repair.............................. Réparation
Reverse charge call... Appel en PCV
Salt.................................................. Sel
Sanitary towel..................................... .
.........................Serviette hygiénique
Shaving foam........ Mousse à raser
Soap.......................................... Savon
Stamp...................................... Timbre
Station......................................... Gare
Stomach ache......... Mal de ventre
Sugar.......................................... Sucre
Ticket.......................................... Billet
Today............................... Aujourd’hui
Toilet paper....... Papier hygiénique
Tomorrow............................. Demain
Toothbrush.............. Brosse à dents
Toothpaste............... Pâte dentifrice
Vegetarian...................... Végétarien
Yesterday..................................... Hier
I like Dieppe........................................................................................ J’aime Dieppe
I don’t like Dieppe............................................................... Je n’aime pas Dieppe
I don’t understand.............................................................. Je ne comprends pas
What time...?................................................................................... Quelle heure...?
When...? ...................................................................................................... Quand...?
Where is...?....................................................................................... Où se trouve...?
Which way...? ........................................................................... Quelle direction...?
What does it cost, please? ................... Combien cela coûte, s’il vous plaît?
The bill, please .............................................................. L’addition, s’il vous plaît
Do you accept pounds................................................. Vous acceptez les livres?
Is there a doctor here?....................................Est-ce qu’il y a un médecin ici?
Do you come here often? ........................................... Vous venez souvent ici?
I don’t drink ...................................................................................... Je ne bois pas
I support Manchester United ..... Je suis supporter de Manchester United
Do your MPs have trouble with their expenses?................................................
.......... Est-ce que vos députés ont des problèmes avec leur notes de frais?
I snore in the night ...................................................................... Je ronfle la nuit
Let’s meet again .................................................................................. On se revoit
Long live friendship! ......................................................................... Vive l’amitié!
Bonne chance ! ......................................................................................... Good luck!
Tips for Travellers
PHONING You won’t find a phone box that
takes coins, so buy a phone card (télécarte) at
a post office or a tabac (a café or shop with a red carrot
sign - looking more like a cigar – displayed outside). To
phone Britain from France, dial 0044 followed by the
number you want but omitting the 0 before it. To phone a
French number from outside France, begin with 0033. For
directory inquiries in France or elsewhere, ring 118 218.
POSTAGE Buy stamps at a post office or a tabac. You need
a € 0.58 stamp for a postcard or letter weighing
under 20 grammes within France, and a € 0.70
stamp to send to another country within the
European Union.
WATCH THE CLOCK France is an hour in advance
of Britain, i.e. when it is midday in Britain, it is
1pm in France. Reset your watch when you arrive
in France, or you may miss your return ferry.
CLOSING DAY Many shops and restaurants, particularly
in smaller towns, are closed on one weekday, most often
on Monday. Closing day for museums is generally Tuesday.
BANKS Most are open from about 9am to midday, and
then from about 2pm to 5pm, from Tuesday morning
to Saturday morning, but they generally don’t change
currency now.
BUYING EUROS Cashpoints take most debit
and credit cards, and there is a moneychanging machine on the ferry. Changing
at a cashpoint generally means paying
a standard fee for the transaction, so
the smaller the transaction, the bigger
(proportionally) the fee. You can get a
good rate at a main post office, but you may have
to queue.
LUNCHTIME It is sacred in France. All offices and most
shops close so that the people working in them can go to
lunch. You might as well go to lunch as well.
39
ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO You can take home as much
as you wish “within reason and for your personal
use”. But have a care for your health and pocket.
Transmanche Ferries has drinkable wines on sale on
the ferry at around £3 a bottle.
TRAVEL CHEAPER When buying local bus tickets, or Metro
tickets in Paris, you will get a reduction by buying a carnet
of 10 tickets. For trains, check whether there is a reduction
for two people travelling together, and how (if you are over
60) you can qualify for a pensioners’ reduction.
NO SMOKING France has since 2008 a nosmoking rule in cafés and restaurants. Lungs
benefit, but some addicts find deprivation of
the weed hard to accept. Rarely, you will find
an establishment that has invested in a sealedoff smoking chamber, but generally if you want to puff,
you must do it on the terrace: make sure the wind is not
blowing your toxic fumes into the nostrils and eyes of the
innocents at the next table.
40
WATCH YOUR SPEED (AND YOUR INTAKE) The French
government is trying to reduce traffic accidents: until
recently, road fatalities were running at about double the
rate recorded in Britain. Radars and watchful gendarmes
are out to catch those who break the speed limit: a
50 kilometre limit in built-up areas is the equivalent of
32mph. The gendarmes are also on the hunt for drunk
drivers, who are still dangerously plentiful.
DEARER ON THE TERRACE How delightful to sit on a
café terrace for your refreshment! But don’t be upset
if it costs a little more than if you sit inside (it may
be cheapest if you stand or sit at the bar).
“UN CAFÉ S’IL VOUS PLAÎT” If that’s what you ask for,
you can expect to be served a black coffee. To be sure
of a white coffee, order “un café crème, s’il vous plaît”. Or
simply, “un crème, s’il vous plaît”. If you ask for “un thé”,
it won’t be served with milk unless you add “avec du lait”.
And the milk will probably be hot, unless you specify “du
lait froid”.
“SERRÉ” OR “ALLONGÉ”? You ask for
“un café serré”, or simply “un serré” if
you want a concentrated Italian-style
black coffee, and “un café allongé” for a
bigger quantity of less strength.
TIPPING France, where usherettes in cinemas and
attendants at petrol stations once expected to be tipped,
is a less tipping country these days. In a restaurant,
check your bill to see if it indicates “service compris”. If
you are served by the owner or a family member, a tip
is not expected.
MEDICAL CARE You should obtain an E111 card, available
on application at a post office, before you embark on
travel in the European Union. It gives you a certificate
of entitlement to benefits in kind during a stay in an EU
member state. It’s free.
Emergency care
- but the doctor
might not be
George Clooney
41
EMERGENCIES In case of accident or sudden illness,
ring 15 or 18. The fire brigade may answer the call
and attend to the patient. The pompiers (fire fighters)
have paramedical skills. Don’t worry: the pompiers (fire
fighters) know their job.
CHAMBRES
D’HÔTES
HOTELS WITHOUT
RESTAURANT
Bali Dieppe 2 chemin de la Falaise
................................. 02 35 84 16 84
Boré Ghislaine Villa des Capucins
11, rue Capucins. Le Pollet
................................. 02 35 82 16 52
Lagnel Monique et Étienne
40, Bd du Gal De Gaulle. Centre
................................. 02 32 90 99 62
Noël Danièle Villa Florida
24, chemin du Golf. Janval
................................. 02 35 84 40 37
Roulin-Gezic Marika, Le Manoir
32, rue du Gal De Gaulle, Neuville
................................. 02 35 83 99 53
Aguado***
30, bd de Verdun.... 02 35 84 27 00
B&B Dieppe
Rue de la Providence, St Aubin
................................... 0 892 78 80 36
Etap Hôtel
6, rue Claude Groulard
.....................................0 892 68 31 35
Europe** (Hôtel de l’)
63, bd de Verdun..... 02 32 90 19 19
Formule 1
Chemin des Vertus, St Aubin
.................................... 0891 70 52 31
Plage** (Hôtel de la)
20, bd de Verdun..... 02 35 84 18 28
Tourist Hôtel*
16, rue de la Halle au Blé
...................................02 35 06 10 10
Hotels with
restaurant
42
Arcades**(Les)
1-3, Arcades de la Bourse
................................. 02 35 84 14 12
Campanile
RN 27, St-Aubin s/Scie
................................. 02 35 84 64 13
Crocus Hôtel Dieppe Falaise
rue de la Providence, St Aubin
.................................... 02 32 14 50 50
Grand Duquesne* (Au)
15, place Saint Jacques
.................................... 02 32 14 61 10
Grand Hôtel (Le)*** Casino
3, bd de Verdun ..... 02 32 14 48 00
Ibis** Val Druel
Rue de la Vieille grange
................................. 02 35 82 65 30
Kyriad*
Route de Rouen, St Aubin s/Scie
................................. 02 35 84 31 82
Mercure Dieppe La Présidence***
1, bd de Verdun
.................................. 02 35 84 31 31
Côte d’Albâtre (le) Neuville
Rue L. Blériot ZA Eurochannel
.................................. 02 35 82 14 07
Windsor**
18, bd de Verdun..... 02 35 84 15 23
BRASSERIES
Brasseries normally serve through
the day and you can have either a
refreshment or a meal at any time
Balto (Le) 2, quai Duquesne
................................. 02 35 84 21 72
Bar des Bains (Le) 7, rue des Bains
................................. 02 35 84 18 26
Cactus (Le) 71, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 82 59 38
Café du Parc 12, av. Pasteur
................................. 02 35 84 14 90
Calvados (Le) 17, 19 rue Lemoyne
.................................. 02 35 84 20 11
Cambuse (La) 42, rue J.-A. Belle
Teste ....................... 02 35 84 19 46
Catamaran (Le) Centre Commercial
Belvédère .............. 02 35 84 73 40
Divernet 138, Grande Rue
................................. 02 35 84 13 87
Zou 2 bis, rue de l’Oranger... 02 32
90 96 08
Epsom 11, bd de Verdun
................................. 02 35 84 12 27
Jehan Ango (Le) 20, quai du
carénage ............... 02 35 84 14 18
Régent (Le) 160, Grande Rue
................................. 02 35 84 75 49
Tout va bien 3, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 12 67
Tribunaux (les) 1, place du Puits
Salé.......................... 02 32 14 44 65
CREPERIES
nnexe (L’) 17, rue de Clieu
................................. 02 32 90 98 28
Mouette à vélo (La) 109 bis, quai
Henri IV ................. 02 35 84 20 63
Ty Breiz 59, quai Henri IV
...................................02 35 82 86 56
Voûte des Korrigans (La) 27, rue des
Cordiers ................. 02 35 40 13 44
KEBABS
Anatolie 97, rue de la Barre
................................. 02 35 84 44 47
Antalya 65, Grande Rue
...................................02 35 82 79 61
Efes Kebab 6, bis rue Victor Hugo
.................................. 02 35 84 20 07
Good Time (Le) 20, rue de Clieu
...................................02 35 84 94 38
Istanbul 23, rue des bains
...................................02 32 90 91 64
Le Havana 15, rue du Mortier d’or
...................................02 35 84 13 86
Star Kebab 3, Grande rue du Pollet
...................................02 32 90 08 47
PIZZERIAS
Bocca (La) 101, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 49 02
Chez Sam 12-14 rue de l’Oranger
................................. 02 35 40 32 99
Cyrano (Le) 11, rue Vauquelin
................................. 02 35 06 22 85
Lavantoura Grande rue du Pollet
................................. 02 35 84 64 05
L’Îlot pirate ZAC du Val Druel
................................. 02 35 82 67 45
Little Italy 44, quai Duquesne
................................. 02 35 04 56 82
Livado 11, rue du Cdt Fayolle
................................. 02 32 14 05 14
Pizz (La) Neuville 147, av de la
république ............ 02 35 83 95 73
Pizzeria chez Sam 48 av. J. Jaurès
................................. 02 35 40 36 98
Pizza’ Pero 121, rue de la Barre
................................. 02 35 84 65 01
Pizza Presto (à emporter)
Neuville ................. 06 07 65 74 88
Janval...................... 06 07 65 74 87
Pizza sprint 14, quai Duquesne
................................. 02 35 82 02 02
Promenade (La) 95, quai Henri IV
...................................02 35 84 58 50
Trattoria (La) (à emporter)
30, rue St-Jacques...02 35 82 77 78
Villa Candy 34, rue Saint Rémy
................................. 02 32 90 05 28
ROUTIERS
Avenir (L’) 10, cours de Dakar
................................. 02 35 84 18 10
Chaloupe (La) 18, cours de Dakar
................................. 02 35 40 47 78
Ouvriers réunis (Aux) rue L. Blériot
ZA Eurochannel.....02 35 82 14 07
43
SELF-SERVICE
RESTAURANTS
Au 100’dwichs- la frite dorée
9, place Nationale... 06 73 31 93 56
Aux bons plats 85, rue de la Barre
................................. 02 35 04 39 89
Bérigny (Le) 1, bd Clémenceau
................................. 02 35 84 85 83
Flunch Centre Cial Belvédère
................................. 02 35 84 75 65
Fritel Grill 46, av. Jean-Jaurès
.................................. 02 32 90 11 67
Harry’s Cafet 1, av Jean Jaurès
................................. 02 35 84 69 51
McDonald’s Centre Cial Belvédère
................................. 02 32 90 92 56
Mômerie (La) 42, rue d’Ecosse
................................. 02 35 82 86 16
Pasta Mi Su 20, rue de la Boucherie
................................. 02 35 06 23 22
Quick Centre Cial Belvédère
................................. 02 35 84 83 50
44
RESTAURANTS
Ancrage (L’) 9, arcades de la
Poissonnerie ......... 02 35 84 21 45
Ankara (L’) spécialités Turques 1820, rue de la Rade .02 35 84 58 33
Arcades (Les) 1-3, arcades de la
Bourse ................... 02 35 84 14 12
Armorique (L’) 17, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 28 14
Au Goût du Jour 16, rue Duquesne
................................. 02 35 84 27 18
Bas fort blanc (Le) 10, rue Alexandre
Dumas ................... 02 35 06 01 36
Bar de Rouen 3, rue du Faubourg de
la Barre ................. 02 35 84 73 50
Bekaa (La) 10, quai du Carénage
................................. 02 35 86 51 99
Bellevue (Le) 70, bd de Verdun
................................. 02 35 84 39 37
Bistrot des Barrières 5-7, arcades
de la Poissonnerie .02 35 40 46 83
Bistrot du Pollet 23, rue Tête de
Bœuf ......................... 02 35 84 68 57
Bistrot du quai “Chez l’gros” 35, quai
Henri IV.................. 02 35 82 28 03
Bombay (Le) 15, arcades de la
Poissonnerie ......... 02 35 84 25 54
Buffalo Grill Centre Cial Belvédère
................................. 02 35 84 67 00
Café solo 19, rue de Sygogne
................................ 02 35 86 43 46
Café suisse 19, arcades de la
Bourse ................... 02 35 84 10 69
Comptoir à huîtres (Le) 12, Cours de
Dakar ..................... 02 35 84 19 37
Cotriade (La) 2, arcades du Casino
................................. 02 35 84 02 15
Ecume (L’) 35, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 32 90 98 13
El Amigo’s Tex Mex 1, arcades de la
Poissonnerie ......... 02 35 84 17 54
Equateur (L’) 79, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 82 02 64
Espérance (L’) 50, quai Duquesne
................................. 02 35 06 19 34
Epave (L’) 11, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 40 24 29
Fourche (La) Neuville 7, route
d’Envermeu........... 02 35 84 15 10
Galion (Le) 83, quai Henri IV
.................................. 02 35 82 71 87
Galères (Les) 34 rue du Bœuf
................................. 02 35 06 26 54
Grand Duquesne (Au) 15, place Saint
Jacques .................. 02 32 14 61 10
Heidi 1, quai du Hâble
................................. 02 35 06 23 16
Hippolyte (L’) 85-89 quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 59 81
Horizon (L’) Casino 3, bd de Verdun
................................. 02 32 14 48 00
Impulsion (L’) 8 quai Duquesne
................................. 02 35 82 46 44
King (Le) 30, rue d’Ecosse
................................. 02 32 90 05 35
Louisiane (La) 9, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 82 20 96
Lumière de Chine Centre Cial Belvédère ........................ 02 35 84 04 74
Marine (La) 117, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 89 10
Marmite dieppoise (la) 8, rue St Jean
................................. 02 35 84 24 26
Méli-Mélo 55, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 06 15 12
Musardière (La) 61, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 82 94 14
Newhaven 53, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 89 72
Océan (L’) 23 bis, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 32 90 97 80
Pagode d’or (La) 6 bis, rue Pecquet
................................. 02 35 84 13 97
Présidence (La) 1, bd de Verdun
.................................. 02 35 84 31 31
Promenade (La) 95, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 58 50
Restaurant du golf route de Pourville
................................. 02 32 90 19 24
Restaurant du port 99, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 36 64
Roi de la patate (Le) 15, rue Valentin
Feldmann .............. 02 35 83 90 81
Royal wok Centre Cial Belvédère
................................. 02 35 84 79 51
Sarajevo (Le) 52, rue de la Barre
................................. 02 35 84 17 31
Sully (Le) 97, quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 84 23 13
Taverne algéroise (La) 10-12 rue
Duquesne .............. 02 35 40 47 53
Tourelles (Les) 43, rue du Cdt Fayolle
................................. 02 35 84 15 88
Valençay (Le) 19, quai du Hâble
.................................. 02 35 82 49 71
Victoire II (La) 2, Grande rue du
Pollet ...................... 02 35 84 15 92
Voiles d’Or (Les) Neuville - chapelle
de Bonsecours...... 02 35 84 16 84
Windsor 18, bd de Verdun
................................. 02 35 84 15 23
Seafront
Restaurants
Club House ............. 02 35 84 59 22
Croq’Club ............... 02 35 84 70 95
Saladerie du minigolf .02 35 84 22 51
BOWLING
Dieppe Bowling Centre Cial
Belvédère .............. 02 32 14 00 20
8 pistes, 10 billards, bar, snack, cocktails
CINEMAS
Rex, place Nationale.0 892 686 902
DSN Centre Jean Renoir quai Bérigny
................................. 02 35 82 04 43
NIGHT BARS
Alexander (L’) 12, rue de la Rade
................................. 02 35 83 39 40
Bo Bar (Le) rue de la Boucherie
................................. 02 35 86 27 45
Boussole (La) 33, rue du Bœuf
................................. 02 35 04 97 04
Cactus café (Le) 71 quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 82 59 38
Café solo 19, rue de Sygogne
................................ 02 35 86 43 46
Cambridge (Le) 2, rue de l’Épée
................................. 02 35 82 57 30
Entracte (L’) 39, rue du Commandant Fayolle.............. 02 35 84 26 45
Jackpot bar (Le) Casino - 3 bd de
Verdun.................... 02 35 06 04 00
Manhattan (Le) 6, rue Duquesne
Pirate (Le) 91 quai Henri IV
................................. 02 35 82 32 59
Pompe (La) 19, rue Saint-Rémy
.......................................02 35 … … …
Quai des Brumes (Le) 9, rue de la
Charpenterie.......... 06 12 43 31 61
Scottish pub (Le) 12-14, rue SaintJacques .................. 02 35 84 13 16
PIANO BAR
Epsom Cocktails, restauration
11, bd de Verdun....02 35 84 12 27
Discotheque
Abordage (L’) Casino - 3, bd de
Verdun ................... 02 32 14 48 00
45
What’s on
Welcoming faces
at the Tourist Office
There is something going on in Dieppe all round the
year: concerts in the churches and open-air gigs on the
seafront; street festivals and flea markets; exhibitions and
guided tours (even nocturnal ones) of the town’s historical sites. Dieppe is famed for its biennial international kite
festival: the next one is due in September 2012.
Here are some of the events planned for 2011. For more
details, contact the Tourist Office at the Pont Ango (by
the lifting bridge in the town centre) or visit these useful
sites: www.dieppe.fr, [email protected] and
[email protected]
7 and 8 May
Bric-à-brac street market on Le Pollet island
8 May
Flower festival in town centre
14 May
Night time opening of Château Musée. Entry free. 8pm
46
15 May
Chopin recital, School of Music, 4pm
Dieppe race days in 2011
DIEPPE racecourse at Rouxmesnil, south of the town, has a summer
programme of meetings that include flat events, races over the jumps
and – a French speciality - trotting races. The picturesque circular
course has good refreshment facilities. Dates of meetings in 2011 are:
Sunday 5 June (jumps), Monday 27 June (flat and jumps), Monday 18 July
(jumps), Wednesday 20 July (flat), Wednesday 27 July (flat), Sunday 31
July (trot), Sunday 7 August (trot), Monday 8 August (trot and children’s
day), Monday 15 August (trot), Monday 22 August (trot), Tuesday 20
September (jumps).
20 May
Karpatt. Rock and salsa and jazz and gypsy music.
Street concert 8pm. Town centre
24 May
Much Ado About Nothing. 8pm. Shakespeare in the
street. Puits-Salé, Town centre
28 mai
Carnaval
/ 16h-
départ parc
18h
mitterrand
Fête du Com
quai Guyne
mer
merCe / 18h-
23h
28 May
Carnival celebrating the commercial port.
Starting from town centre at 3pm
10 to 12 June
Rugby tournament for teams of veterans. Seafront lawns
11 June
Green Galets. Volley ball tournament.
Seafront lawns
12 June
Dieppe gourmande. Introduction (with tasters) to
Dieppe’s culinary traditions. Guided tour. 10.30am
(book at Tourist Office)
18 and 19 June
Festival of majorettes. Town centre
47
19 June
Chopin recital. School of Music. 4pm
21 June
National Festival of Music.
Music and bands all over town
CommerCe / 28 mai / 19h-23h
25 and 26 June
Festival of the fishing port
pêChe / 25
juin / 19h23h
Fête de la
mer / 26 juin
/ 10h-16h
ée
halle à mar
26 June
Dieppe in the time of the Impressionists.
Guided tour. Booking at Tourist Office
1 to 3 July
Staging post of Tour de France à la Voile yacht race.
Quai Henri IV
/ quai du Caré
nage
What’s on…
July and August
Lire à la Plage. Lending library on the beach,
near children’s playground
14 July
National holiday. Fireworks display and
seafront performances
23 juillet
/ 16h-23h
nsmanChe
Fête du tra
isanCe )
-port
et de la pla
(côté avant
front de mer
23 July
Festival to celebrate the Transmanche
ferry link. Eats, drinks and music from
across the Channel. Seafront next to
port. From 4pm until after midnight
5 to 21 August
Fairground on seafront lawns
19 August
Commemoration of Dieppe Raid of 19 August 1942
48
23 to 28 August
Arrival of Solitaire du Figaro single-handed yacht race.
Quai Henri IV.
2 and 3 September
Dieppe Retro: vintage cars in town
17 and 18 September
National heritage day. Free entry to museums
30 September to 2 October
Festival of strip cartoons (“bandes dessinées”).
Cultural centre and Sea Centre
October to January 2012
Georges Braque exhibition at Castle Museum
© Nicolas Stérin
12 and 13 November
Herring and Scallop Festival. Quai Henri IV
49
4 December
Christmas fair. Salle Paul Eluard
See “agenda interactif” on www.dieppe.fr updates and fuller
details of events
The French are funny…
and so are the British
50
THEY call us ‘‘Rosbifs’’ and we call them ‘‘Froggies’’. A misplaced nomer in
both cases. As the perceptive Robin Cook pointed out, the national dish of
England is, rather, chicken tikka masala, while you will go a long way today
to find frogs’ legs on a French menu.
The cuisine of each country is indeed different, although today culinary
tastes of all lands coalesce around the same imperialist hamburgers and
those ubiquitous chips (which the Americans don’t like to call French fries).
It is in the nature of national prejudices to rely on imagined evidence from
previous generations. So please take with a pinch of best sea salt, what we
write here about the funny French. But we must agree that there are oddities
(from a traditional British point of view) in the behaviour and thought
processes of our nearest neighbours, who have been our oldest enemies
and our oldest friends.
It is odd that the French should choose to shut their shops, even their
banks, so that everybody can go off to lunch at the same time. The French
just love lunch.
It is odd - yet very convenient to parents - that they don’t bat an eyelid to
the presence of little children in their cafés (the French version of our pubs).
It is odd that they are constantly shaking each other’s hands and pecking
each other on the cheek (with even men indulging in warm embraces
between each other).
It is odd that they address each other as ‘‘vous’’ or ‘‘tu’’, whereas we have
only ‘‘you’’ to use.
It is odd that the French rarely travel north to the British Isles, which
they imagine as a benighted fog-enveloped country where the food is
uneatable and the people talk only in an intolerable and incomprehensible
Shakespearean tongue.
And it is odd that they are all so scared of draughts (‘Il y a un courant d’air
– fermez la fenêtre, s’il vous plaît!’).
But the Brits have their oddities, too: they dress funnily; they learn to drive
on what most of the world considers the wrong side of the road; they have
no trains on Christmas Day; they drink warm beer; and they think everyone
should understand their language, however they care to pronounce it.
As we all have to share and solve the problems of an increasingly
vulnerable world, should we not confine our contemplation of oddities to
the domain of folklore, and get on together with saving our planet from selfdestruction?
© D.R.
Peter Avis
Useful numbers
Affaires Maritimes : leisure boating at sea .......... 02 35 06 96 72
Ambulances (Emergencies SMUR) ........ 02 32 14 75 75 or 15 50
British Consul (Paris) .................................................. (0)144 513 102
Cinéma Rex ...................................................................... 0892 686 902
Cinéma Jean Renoir ................................................... 02 35 82 04 43
Dieppe Ville d’Art et d’Histoire ................................ 02 35 40 18 57
Gendarmerie (outside Dieppe).................................. 02 35 82 04 35
Hôpital (Hospital) ....................................................... 02 32 14 76 76
Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) ......................................... 02 35 06 60 00
Météo marine (Shipping forecast) ......................... 02 32 68 08 76
Météo régionale (Local weather) ........................... 02 92 68 02 76
Municipal police (lost proprety) ............................. 02 35 06 61 95
Pharmacies (chemist shops), after 10pm ............. 02 32 14 49 00
Police (within Dieppe) ............................................... 02 32 14 49 00
Police Secours (Emergencies) ...................... 17 or 02 32 14 49 00
Pompiers (Fire brigade) ................................. 18 or 02 32 90 59 15
Poste (Postal services) ............................................... 02 35 06 99 20
Secours Maritimes (Sea Rescue Service) .............. 03 21 87 21 87
Sémaphore (Coastguard) .......................................... 02 35 84 23 82
SNCF (Main railway station) ................................... 02 35 06 69 33
SNCF (Rail information) ............................................................... 36 35
SNSM (Lifeboat) .......................................................... 02 35 84 16 07
Sous-Préfecture (District government office) .... 02 35 06 30 00
SPA (Society for the Protection of Animals) ....... 02 35 84 26 17
Taxis ................................................................................ 02 35 84 20 05
Tourist Office ................................................................ 02 32 14 40 60
Transmanche Ferries (from UK) .............................. 08 009 171 201
(from France) ........................ 0 800 650 100
51
A taste of Dieppe
THE title says
what it means. ‘‘A
taste of Dieppe’’ is
offered to visitors
as an informal introduction to
a special Normandy town, its
hinterland and its people. It is less
an official guide than a personal
reflection. We hope readers will
be encouraged by this ‘‘taste’’ to
embark on their own discovery of
a fascinating corner of France.
Peter Avis
Comments on this publication will be welcome at
TASTE, Service Communication, Ville de Dieppe,
24, Rue des Maillots, 76 200 Dieppe.
[email protected]