Dieppe
Sunday morning we decided to get on the train for Dieppe right after checking out, rather than dragging our bags around for more sightseeing in Rouen. We wanted to see the water. We were both a bit nervous that everything was going to be closed and I also expected it to be a kind of overcast day. The weather ended up being glorious though and Dieppe on a quiet Sunday was a delight.
We weren’t able to check in until 4 and there were no storage lockers for our luggage, so at first things were looking a bit iffy. We asked at a hotel near the port if they would mind storing our bags for us and they said no problem. They couldn’t have been nicer and even gave us two free tickets to the Ferris wheel by the port, which was closing after this weekend.
Neither one of us is all that comfortable with heights but we went for it and it was hilarious and terrifying all at once. The Ferris wheel went around three times, stopping and leaving us perched at the very top on the 2nd round for a few stomach-dropping minutes.
The view from the top
After that we walked through the port to the ferry terminal and then back to the center via the rocky beach.
There were several memorials to Canadian regiments and soldiers from the battle there in 1942.
We ended the day with oysters and moules frites, all from just a mile or so up the beach. We didn’t get to visit the Dieppe castle but I caught a great picture of it on our walk back to our lodgings.
The next morning we snuck in one more quick walk to the beach. I think if I had stayed a few more nights and we’d had another sunny day I’d have been inspired to go in the water, although I didn’t see any swimmers and the water is definitely colder than where I swam in Kent.
I would definitely go back to both Dieppe and Rouen, there was lots more we could have explored.
