When I stated that I used to be going to France, nearly everybody requested if I’d be taking the Eurotunnel. Nobody I spoke to had heard of the DFDS Newhaven to Dieppe ferry crossing, and I felt smug for having found this inexpensive, seamless voyage into France.
Rather than only a port to land in and velocity away from, I discovered that Dieppe is a worthy vacation spot in itself, and need to share the highlights that make it a best choice for cyclists, fishing fanatics or true foodies – and in case you’re all three, all the higher!
A Cyclists’ Paradise
The Avenue Vert is a 470 km biking route between London and Paris. The route is promoted by a community of native authorities and their vacationer establishments, encouraging cyclists to benefit from the surroundings on each side of the channel.
You do not should do the entire thing; simply the Dippe to Forges-les-Eaux leg of the journey is a superb tour, showcasing the apple orchards and fields of cattle that typify Normandy.
The leg takes round 3 hours 45 minutes (56km), and particulars might be discovered on the Avenue Vert web site, together with route highlights and guides to elevation and floor circumstances.
So, whether or not you are planning to discover Dieppe as a part of the entire cycle route, or in case you’re simply hoping for a little bit of nice pedaling in your journey, the Avenue Vert choice is value trying out.
Where to Stay
Camping Deux Rivieres is a lush, rural idyll with pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, in addition to cell properties to hire on the water’s edge.
Whether it is a fast pitstop as a part of your route (keep in mind that the Avenue Vert passes inside 100m of the campsite) or someplace to pitch up for longer and benefit from the space, you are assured to catch your breath at this peaceable location.
If the Avenue Vert is not your factor however you want the thought of a mild pedal round Dieppe, you’ll be able to rent bikes on the campsite, each customary and electrical.
I even noticed visitors utilizing their bicycles to go to the bathroom block – all of the services are at one finish of the campsite, so it is a good 5-minute stroll in case you’re on the opposite facet of the grounds.
Open from April, the campsite is ideal for fishing fanatics, because it’s centered round a three-hectare pond. Guests are inspired to ‘catch the right second’ whereas having fun with relaxed days fishing for carp, pike, eel, trout and extra.
The pond is restocked repeatedly all through the season. As you stroll across the pond, there is a pleasant sense of camaraderie between visitors – admiring one another’s catches or simply sharing a sun-drenched bench on a grassy penis.
Daily, weekly, month-to-month and seasonal fishing playing cards might be purchased from reception, and true anglers need not restrict themselves to freshwater fishing. With the ocean only a 10-minute drive away, you’ll be able to guide your self onto a sea fishing boat to usher in mackerel, sea bass and even pollack.
At the campsite, you’ll be able to expertise the very best of France in your doorstep, so in case you’re in search of a aware getaway the place you barely must stray out of your pitch, this may be achieved at Camping Deux Rivieres.
The store in reception is small, providing a number of requirements alongside specialties equivalent to native beer, brut cider, and wine, in addition to teurgoule (conventional Normandy rice pudding) and Normandy pâté terrines.
Perfect for recollections, or maybe for having fun with as you watch the solar dip behind the timber and ship amber highlights glittering throughout the pond, rippling every time a fish breaks the floor.
At reception, you’ll be able to order contemporary bakery merchandise, prepared for assortment the subsequent morning. I liked the multigrain baguette (simply one in all many baguette choices) and was tempted by apple turnovers, raisin Danish pastries, and chocolate bread.
Compared to selecting up a bag of croissants at Lidl or Auchan (each below a 30-minute cycle away), ordering a croissant on the campsite actually is not the most cost effective choice. That being stated, I can actually say that the freshly baked, premium croissant I had on the campsite was the very best croissant I’ve ever eaten.
You also can order pizza each night, with classics like three-cheese and margherita, in addition to signature choices. Refined pizza appears to be like significantly tempting, topped with truffle oil, mascarpone, contemporary cream and ham. If pizza’s not your factor, there’s chips, burgers and sausages on the menu too.
Another gem only a stone’s throw away from the campsite is the galette stall, which overlooks a neighboring pond. La Guinguette des Copains opens for the season concurrently the campsite, the place you’ll be able to head out from the rear exit alongside a tranquil path to succeed in the al fresco consuming space.
Deckchairs overlook a pond with resident geese, the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from a espresso or a beer with a candy crepe or waffle. I went for lunch, selecting a salmon and cheese galette, however additionally they served chips, sandwiches and different meal choices.
Throughout the season, you’ll find reside music, BBQ nights and different social occasions. Whether you’d prefer to whereas away a sunny afternoon there with ice-cream and walks across the pond, or head again within the night to get pleasure from some twilight jazz with a beer, it is a nice asset to have simply across the nook out of your pitch.
Explore Dieppe
It’s only a 10-minute drive to Dieppe, however visitors on bikes will choose to pedal to an ideal picnic spot, stopping on the way in which at one of many most interesting markets in France. The Dieppe Market is understood for its “cultural diversity, fresh products and dynamism”, and you will get the whole lot from contemporary produce to luxurious deli meals.
Top Tip – ensure you carry your personal cutlery in case you plan to get pleasure from a picnic, because the distributors we purchased from did not have any takeaway cutlery. If you propose to get pleasure from some luxurious French cheese, search out Neufchâtel, an area favourite produced simply 16 miles from the market.
Dieppe apple-flavored caramel is one other regional specialty to not be missed, and jars of this golden unfold are an ideal memento to take residence. Fill your panniers with luscious greens, and surrounded seafood, the native scallops and mussels are essentially the most wanted.
There’s a couple of market in Dieppe, so see which markets are operating on the times you may be within the space. Once you have chosen a scrumptious array of issues to eat, an ideal selection is heading to the 1.5-kilometer stretch of seashore that Dieppe has to supply.
An unfettered view of the ocean earlier than you and the chalk cliffs behind can be simply the best accompaniment to your luncheon. For swimming, head to Puys Beach, a sandy, safe spot with a family-friendly really feel.
It’s the seashore locals frequent quite than one vacationers flock to, and if you’d like one thing much more particular, search for Vasterival seashore, positioned between Varengeville-sur-Mer and Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer. Access to this secret seashore is down a rickety staircase, the place journey lies on the backside.
Dieppe is crammed stuffed with bakeries and pastries the place, after a mild cycle, a café au lait paired with an beautiful pastry is the right reward. I like to recommend Divernet, on the Grand Rue, which has been in situ for 120 years and is adorned within the Art Deco type.
If you need to attempt an area specialty for lunch or dinner, marmite dieppoise (a wealthy fish stew) might be discovered on the appropriately named A La Marmite Dieppoise on rue Saint Jean. Finally, the multi-award-winning restaurant Le New Haven sits with an ideal view of the harbor and serves conventional dishes. The seafood platter appears to be like sensational.
The Ferry
Newhaven to Dieppe is a clean 4-hour journey, with inexpensive costs regardless of the luxurious really feel on board. A wide range of seating areas, many with panoramic views, are free to select from – I believed I’d stumbled into top quality after I noticed the spacious tub chairs lining the home windows and felt significantly superior at having bagged the right desk for my journey.
While normally away from onboard eating places after some unhealthy experiences on boats, I made a decision to have a scorching meal on each legs of the journey and did not remorse it. While the dishes on provide do not at all times match what the printed menu suggests. There have been actually loads of decisions, and lots of of them have been increased high quality than your normal boat fare.
Children’s meals can be found, and I could not resist utilizing up my previous couple of euros on a small bottle of wine. Also on board is an honest reward store and a small play space for kids.
You pays for a personal room on board, however with the journey solely taking a number of hours, I used to be more than pleased in guidance.
In 2025, DFDS ferries was once more awarded the title of World’s Leading Ferry Operator, amongst different prizes, and I’d say that the title is completely deserved.
Lead photograph credit score: Port of Dieppe Photo: Marie Joubert ©
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