Thames Valley – Events
Weekend in Dieppe
May 17, 2013
Our trip to Dieppe in May promises to be a wonderful weekend away. A ferry can be taken from Newhaven to Dieppe and once you arrive in the town, many sites can be explored on foot. Dieppe is a busy port in the Seine-Maritime department in Upper Normandy,north of Rouen. The port is famous for its fishing industry which still plays a big part in the economy of the district and many of the town’s restaurants are located along the edge of the harbour, much of which is now a marina. With a pretty pebble beach and plenty of leisure facilities, Dieppe is the nearest seaside resort to Paris offering traditional French hospitality and excellent seafood. Approximately 36,000 local residents who are known colloquially as Dieppois (or Dieppoise) live in the town, with a substantial increase in the population throughout the summer months.In the early 19th century, Dieppe became France’s first seaside resort after the Duchesse de Berry started the fad for sea bathing, but the beau monde soon moved on to Trouville and Deauville, and the town today is delightfully unfash- ionable. The old quay is a pleasant promenade with restaurants where families settle down for long lunches. The market fills Dieppe’s narrow streets every Saturday, with coils of boudin noir and boudin blanc, giant snails slithering out of buckets, vats of thick cream and piles of local cheeses. Fishwives display daily catches of scallops, oysters and mussels on beds of ice. Elderly couples arrange homegrown produce on rickety tables -parsley, cut flowers, celeriac or black salsify. This is also the place to buy a tarte aux pommes in Normandy.
The Friday night dinner is at the Auberge de la Foret which is in Arques-la-ataille, fifteen minutes drive from Dieppe. The cost for this dinner, all inclusive, is £63. The Grand Dîner on Saturday night is at the Auberge de Clos Normand in Martin Eglise, 3 miles out of town. A Logis de France, and a typical Norman hotel. Look for the ghost of Oscar Wilde who stayed there after he moved from England. Andrew and Dorothy have eaten there many times, but not stayed. However, all the people they have met rate it highly. The cost for the Grand Dîner, all inclusive, is £65. There are rooms still available at Le Clos Normand. The prices per room will be 69 Euros plus 8 Euros for breakfast. This hotel is a 10-15 minute drive outside Dieppe. Should you wish to book this accommodation please contact the hotel.
Tel No. is 0044 235 40 40 40 Fax: No. 0044 235 40 40 42 E-mail. leclosnormand2@wanadoo.fr Website. Logishotels.com - then type in hotel name and dates
At the moment, depending on numbers, Saturday morning and afternoon will be free to explore the history, cafes and very large market in Dieppe.
Travel arrangements:- The ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe runs twice a day and takes approximately 4 hours.
For further information contact vcmthames@chaine.co.uk