Dieppe

Welcome to your route to Dieppe. You'll drive for around 40 minutes in the heart of the Normandy countryside, passing through typical small villages and encountering nature, wild animals, farms and huge fields. This route will take you straight to the sea, in front of historic Dieppe Castle.

You're now driving through the charming town of Tôtes, a typical Normandy town with half-timbered houses and red brick buildings everywhere. This area is known for its local products, such as goat's cheese from the local producer Moinet, or the products of the Pavilly Market, located only a few kilometres away.

Look around and try to identify the apple trees by the roadside. Did you know that Normandy is a region of France known for its cider and brandy production? Indeed, it is home to a huge number of apples, but also pears, cherries and strawberries. The production of cider here is an ancestral tradition and a source of pride for the Normans.

You're now driving through the middle of Biville-la-Baignarde, a small commune with a history dating back to medieval times. It was not until the 19th century that the village experienced significant development, particularly with the arrival of the railway and the exploitation of stone quarries. But during World War II the village was the scene of intense fighting between Allied and German forces. On 6 June 1944, Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy as part of the famous Normandy Landings. The fighting at Biville-la-Baignarde caused many victims.

As you drive through this countryside and fields you should know that agriculture in the Dieppe region is characterised by a wide diversity of crops and production, as well as an emphasis on local and quality produce. In addition to fruit farming, keeping livestock is an important activity here, with cattle, pig and poultry farms.

Welcome to Belmesnil, a very small village particularly known for the Belmesnil château, which is actually located about 50 kilometres away. The Belmesnil you're seeing now is home to only 450 people, but the château is considered one of the most beautiful in the region, and is now open to the public as a hotel or event venue.

While you gradually approach the sea, keep enjoying the countryside as you enter Bertreville-Saint-Ouen. Destroyed during the war, this small village slowly came back to life after the inhabitants rebuilt their houses and the local economy started to flourish again. Today, the main economic activities are agriculture and handicrafts, but the village is also known for its hiking trails and the surrounding natural landscape.

The Viaduc de la Scie is a bridge of over 35 metres in height. After more than four years of work and seven years of waiting, this viaduct across the Scie Valley was finally inaugurated in June 2022. In 2016 the locals held a giant picnic on this same bridge, which was unused at the time. That scene is hard to imagine now that it's occupied by cars, but there was a time when people could eat salads and sandwiches here, sitting facing the valley.

Since you're driving among the fields, did you know that agricultural land covers more than 50% of the region? In fact, Normandy is the second-largest milk producing area in France, with an annual production of about four billion litres. This milk industry is the basis for the manufacture of many Norman cheeses, such as Camembert, Livarot and Pont-l'Évêque.

If you're looking to skydive around here, the place to be is right on your left. In fact, Dieppe-Saint-Aubin airport offers flying lessons and first flights that go out over the sea and the region. From time to time, the airport is also used for air events such as gliding competitions and pilot gatherings. It's worth checking out if there's anything going on at the moment.

As you're slowly entering Dieppe you can already see the sea from where you are. This is the English Channel right here. The port of Dieppe is known for its historical importance as a fishing, trading and passenger port since the Middle Ages. Today, it's most famous for its historic role in the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II. It was used to disembark Canadian troops during the Dieppe Raid in 1942. You can even find a memorial commemorating the battle on the beach at Dieppe.

In a few moments you'll reach the free car park of Dieppe, which will be right in front of you. From here you can see Dieppe Castle, which has hosted the municipal museum of Dieppe since 1923. You can visit the museum to discover more on Dieppe's history through various historical items and objects.
You have now reached the destination of this route. It is great that I was able to accompany you here. I hope you enjoyed the tour and wish you a pleasant stay and safe onward journey.