Dieppe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dieppe
Subprefecture and commune
A view of the centre of Dieppe in July 2022
Coat of arms
Dieppe Location in France Show map of France Dieppe Location in Normandy Show map of Normandy
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Seine-Maritime
Arrondissement	Dieppe
Canton	Dieppe-1 and 2
Intercommunality	CA Région Dieppoise
Area 1	11.67 km2 (4.51 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	28,358
• Density	2,430.0/km2 (6,293.6/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	76217 /76200
Elevation	5–70 m (16–230 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Dieppe (pronounced "dee-EP") is a coastal town in Normandy, northern France. It is a seaport located on the English Channel, where the Arques River meets the sea. A ferry service regularly connects Dieppe to Newhaven in England.

Dieppe is well-known for its tasty scallops. It also has a popular pebbled beach, an old castle from the 15th century, and beautiful churches like Saint-Jacques and Saint-Remi. People from Dieppe are called Dieppois (for boys and men) and Dieppoise (for girls and women).

History of Dieppe

Dieppe was first mentioned as a small fishing village around the year 1030. It became an important place that was often fought over during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 1500s, Dieppe was home to the best French school for making maps. Two famous French sailors, Michel and Thomas le Vasseur, joined an expedition from Dieppe in 1564. This trip led to the building of Fort Caroline, the first French colony in the New World (America). Another trip two years earlier helped start Charlesfort in what is now South Carolina. Dieppe was the most important port in France during the 1600s.

In 1632, 300 colonists left Dieppe to settle in New France (Canada). Later, in 1685, about 3,000 Huguenot citizens (French Protestants) had to leave Dieppe and flee to other countries. This happened when the Edict of Nantes, which protected their rights, was cancelled.

Dieppe was a key target during wars. In 1694, the town was mostly destroyed by a naval attack from England and the Netherlands. It was rebuilt after 1696 in a classic French style. The town became a popular seaside resort after 1824. This was thanks to the Duchess of Berry, who encouraged building places like the Petit-Théâtre (Little Theatre).

During the late 1800s, Dieppe was a favorite spot for English artists. Many famous writers also visited to enjoy the latest trends from France.

Dieppe in the Second World War

Dieppe Dawn, 19 August 1942, memorial stained glass, Royal Military College of Canada

During Second World War, German forces took over Dieppe after France fell in 1940. To better defend the coast, the Germans destroyed a large casino near the beach.

On August 19, 1942, Allied soldiers, mostly from Canada, landed at Dieppe. This event is known as the Dieppe Raid. Their goal was to briefly take over the town, gather information, and challenge the German air force. The Allies faced heavy losses, with over 1,400 deaths, including 907 Canadians. Also, 1,946 Canadian soldiers were captured. The raid did not achieve its main goals. Some recent studies suggest it was a secret mission to get parts of German code machines.

French soldiers captured in 1940 were allowed to return to Dieppe after the raid. This was a reward from the Germans, who felt the local people had not helped the Allies during the battle.

German forces stayed in Dieppe until the end of the Battle of Normandy. When the First Canadian Army arrived in late August 1944, the Germans left without a fight.

Dieppe was freed on September 1, 1944, by soldiers from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. A victory parade was held a few days later. A special service honored those who died in the Dieppe Raid.

After the War

The city of Dieppe in Canada was named in 1946. This was to remember the 913 Canadian soldiers who died in the Dieppe Raid. Most people living there are of French-Canadian (Acadian) background.

Panoramic view of Dieppe from a hill near the castle Château de Dieppe.

Geography of Dieppe

Dieppe is part of the Pays de Caux area. It lies along the Alabaster Coast in the Normandy region of France. The town is on the Channel coast, north of Rouen. It is located at the mouth of the Arques River and east of the mouth of the Scie River.

What Dieppe Means

The name "Dieppe" comes from old words meaning "deep." It was first mentioned as Deppae around 1015. The name likely refers to a deep river or stream. This is similar to other place names like Deepdale in Great Britain. The stream running through Dieppe was once called Tella before it was named Dieppe in the 900s. The town kept the name, even though the stream's name changed again to Béthune.

Dieppe's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms for Dieppe shows a three-masted ship with its sails furled. The background is split into blue and red sections.

Historical Images of Dieppe

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  View of Dieppe's Grand quai (main dock)

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  J. M. W. Turner, The Harbor of Dieppe, 1826

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  Walter Sickert, The Basket Shop, Rue St Jean, Dieppe, around 1911-1912

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  Georges Boillot winning the 1912 French Grand Prix in Dieppe

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  Carl Spitzweg's painting Frauenbad in Dieppe III (Women's Bath in Dieppe III)

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  Frits Thaulow's Fra Dieppe med elven Arques (From Dieppe with the Arques River)

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  Ernst Oppler At the beach (around 1912)

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  Nicolae Vermont's painting View of Dieppe's beach (1929)

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  The castle in the 1890s

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  Aerial photograph taken in June, 1945

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  Au Val Saint-Nicolas près Dieppe by Claude Monet. Painted 1897.

Population Changes

Places to See in Dieppe

The Château de Dieppe (Dieppe Castle) survived the 1694 attack. It is now a museum with many items about the sea. It also has old ivory carvings and items belonging to the composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The castle's inner courtyard is very pretty.

At the Square du Canada, near the castle, there is a monument. It celebrates the long friendship between Dieppe and Canada. It mentions events from the 1500s to the Dieppe Raid and the town's liberation in 1944. The monument says "nous nous souvenons" (we remember). The Flag of Canada flies next to the French flag there.

The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel of Dieppe is a beautiful chapel on the coast.

Some Canadian soldiers who died are buried in the Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery. This cemetery is in Saint-Aubin-sur-Scie, a town near Dieppe.

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  Château-musée de Dieppe

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  Château-musée

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  The harbour

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  The waterfront

Other interesting places and buildings include:

• The small municipal theatre, which reopened in 2002. It was built in 1900 and has a beautiful old style.
• The casino, opened in 1961. It replaced older casinos and has unique architecture.
• L'Estran Cité de la mer, a science center about the Upper Normandy coast. It has exhibits on shipbuilding, fishing, and sea animals.
• The underground aqueduct, built in the 1500s. It used to bring water to the city and is still used for cables today.
• The water tower, built in 1971. It has a colorful design by artist Victor Vasarely.
• A new seaside resort opened in 2007. It has an outdoor seawater pool and other fun pools.
• A Canadian military cemetery is also located in Dieppe.

Getting Around Dieppe

The Dieppe railway station has regular trains to Rouen. Buses also run to Gisors.

Dieppe has a ferry port with direct services to Newhaven in England. DFDS Seaways operates this service, which runs several times a day.

Local Government

The current mayor of Dieppe is Nicolas Langlois. He is a member of the French Communist Party. He was first elected in 2017 and again in 2020.

Dieppe's Economy

Dieppe has always been an important fishing town. It is still a busy ferry port and one of the most active ports in Europe. In the 1600s, the Dieppe Company operated from this port. Today, the town is home to the main office of Alpine Automobiles, a car company.

Sports in Dieppe

Dieppe is home to FC Dieppe, one of France's oldest football clubs. It was started in 1896.

Sister Cities

Dieppe has special friendships with other cities around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities."

• Brighton, United Kingdom
• Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada

Famous People from Dieppe

Jean Ribault

Abraham Duquesne

Albert Réville

Louis de Broglie, 1929

Emmanuel Petit, 2005

Many notable people have come from Dieppe, including:

• Jean Ango (1480–1551), a ship owner who helped the King of France.
• Jean Parmentier (1494–1529), a navigator, mapmaker, and poet.
• Jean Ribault (1520–1565), a French navigator and explorer.
• Abraham Duquesne (1610–1688), a French Navy general.
• Louis de Broglie (1892–1987), a physicist who won the Nobel Prize for his work on quantum theory.
• Emmanuel Petit (born 1970), a famous former football player for France.
• Thomas Pesquet (born 1978), an astronaut, aerospace engineer, and pilot.

See also

In Spanish: Dieppe (Sena Marítimo) para niños