When I said that I was going to France, almost everybody asked 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 discovered this affordable, seamless voyage into France.
Rather than just a port to land in and speed away from, I found that Dieppe is a worthy destination in itself, and want to share the highlights that make it a top choice for cyclists, fishing enthusiasts or true foodies – and if you’re all three, all the better!
A Cyclists’ Paradise
The Avenue Vert is a 470 km cycling route between London and Paris. The route is promoted by a network of local authorities and their tourist institutions, encouraging cyclists to enjoy the scenery on both sides of the channel.
You don’t have to do the whole thing; just the Dippe to Forges-les-Eaux leg of the journey is an excellent excursion, showcasing the apple orchards and fields of cattle that typify Normandy.
The leg takes around 3 hours 45 minutes (56km), and details can be found on the Avenue Vert website, including route highlights and guides to elevation and surface conditions.
So, whether you’re planning to explore Dieppe as part of the whole cycle route, or if you’re just hoping for a bit of pleasant pedalling on your trip, the Avenue Vert option is worth checking out.
Where to Stay
Camping Deux Rivieres is a lush, rural idyll with pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, as well as mobile homes to rent at the water’s edge.
Whether this is a quick pitstop as part of your route (bear in mind that the Avenue Vert passes within 100m of the campsite) or somewhere to pitch up for longer and enjoy the area, you’re guaranteed to catch your breath at this peaceful location.
If the Avenue Vert isn’t your thing but you like the idea of a gentle pedal around Dieppe, you can hire bikes at the campsite, both standard and electric.
I even saw guests using their bicycles to go to the toilet block – all the facilities are at one end of the campsite, so it’s a good 5-minute walk if you’re on the other side of the grounds.
Open from April, the campsite is perfect for fishing enthusiasts, as it’s centred around a three-hectare pond. Guests are encouraged to ‘catch the perfect moment’ while enjoying relaxed days fishing for carp, pike, eel, trout and more.
The pond is restocked regularly throughout the season. As you stroll around the pond, there’s a friendly sense of camaraderie between guests – admiring each other’s catches or just sharing a sun-drenched bench on a grassy verge.
Daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal fishing cards can be bought from reception, and true anglers don’t need to limit themselves to freshwater fishing. With the ocean just a 10-minute drive away, you can book yourself onto a sea fishing boat to bring in mackerel, sea bass or even pollack.
At the campsite, you can experience the best of France on your doorstep, so if you’re looking for a mindful getaway where you barely need to stray from your pitch, this can be achieved at Camping Deux Rivieres.
The shop in reception is small, offering a few necessities alongside specialities such as local beer, brut cider, and wine, as well as teurgoule (traditional Normandy rice pudding) and Normandy pâté terrines.
Perfect for souvenirs, or perhaps for enjoying as you watch the sun dip behind the trees and send amber highlights glittering across the pond, rippling each time a fish breaks the surface.
At reception, you can order fresh bakery products, ready for collection the next morning. I loved the multigrain baguette (just one of many baguette options) and was tempted by apple turnovers, raisin Danish pastries, and pain au chocolat.
Compared to picking up a bag of croissants at Lidl or Auchan (both under a 30-minute cycle away), ordering a croissant at the campsite certainly isn’t the cheapest option. That being said, I can honestly say that the freshly baked, premium croissant I had at the campsite was the best croissant I’ve ever eaten.
You can also order pizza every evening, with classics like three-cheese and margherita, as well as signature options. Pizza raffinée looks particularly tempting, topped with truffle oil, mascarpone, crème fresh and ham. If pizza’s not your thing, there’s chips, burgers and sausages on the menu too.
Another gem just a stone’s throw away from the campsite is the galette stall, which overlooks a neighbouring pond. La Guinguette des Copains opens for the season at the same time as the campsite, where you can head out from the rear exit along a tranquil path to reach the al fresco eating area.
Deckchairs overlook a pond with resident geese, where you can enjoy a coffee or a beer with a sweet crepe or waffle. I went for lunch, choosing a salmon and cheese galette, but they also serve chips, sandwiches and other meal options.
Throughout the season, you can find live music, BBQ nights and other social events. Whether you’d like to while away a sunny afternoon there with ice-cream and walks around the pond, or head back in the evening to enjoy some twilight jazz with a beer, this is a great asset to have just around the corner from your pitch.
Explore Dieppe
It’s just a 10-minute drive to Dieppe, but guests on bikes will prefer to pedal to a perfect picnic spot, stopping on the way at one of the finest markets in France. The Dieppe Market is known for its “cultural diversity, fresh products and dynamism”, and you can get everything from fresh produce to luxury deli foods.
Top Tip – make sure you bring your own cutlery if you plan to enjoy a picnic, as the vendors we bought from didn’t have any takeaway cutlery. If you intend to enjoy some sumptuous French cheese, seek out Neufchâtel, a local favourite produced just 16 miles from the market.
Dieppe apple-flavoured caramel is another regional speciality not to be missed, and jars of this golden spread are a perfect souvenir to take home. Fill your panniers with luscious vegetables, and amongst seafood, the local scallops and mussels are the most sought after.
There’s more than one market in Dieppe, so see which markets are running on the days you’ll be in the area. Once you’ve selected a delicious array of things to eat, a great choice is heading to the 1.5-kilometre stretch of beach that Dieppe has to offer.
An unfettered view of the sea before you and the chalk cliffs behind will be just the right accompaniment to your luncheon. For swimming, head to Puys Beach, a sandy, secluded spot with a family-friendly feel.
It’s the beach locals frequent rather than one tourists flock to, and if you want something even more special, look up Vasterival beach, located between Varengeville-sur-Mer and Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer. Access to this secret beach is down a rickety staircase, where adventure lies at the bottom.
Dieppe is crammed full of boulangeries and pâtisseries where, after a gentle cycle, a café au lait paired with an exquisite pastry is the perfect reward. I recommend Divernet, on the Grand Rue, which has been in situ for 120 years and is adorned in the Art Deco style.
If you want to try a local speciality for lunch or dinner, marmite dieppoise (a rich fish stew) can be found at the appropriately named A La Marmite Dieppoise on rue Saint Jean. Finally, the multi-award-winning restaurant Le New Haven sits with a perfect view of the harbour and serves traditional dishes. The seafood platter looks sensational.
The Ferry
Newhaven to Dieppe is a smooth 4-hour journey, with affordable prices despite the luxury feel on board. A variety of seating areas, many with panoramic views, are free to choose from – I thought I’d stumbled into first class when I saw the spacious tub chairs lining the windows and felt particularly superior at having bagged the perfect table for my journey.
While usually wary of onboard restaurants after some bad experiences on boats, I decided to have a hot meal on both legs of the journey and didn’t regret it. While the dishes on offer don’t always match what the printed menu suggests. There were certainly plenty of choices, and many of them were higher quality than your usual boat fare.
Children’s meals are available, and I couldn’t resist using up my last few euros on a small bottle of wine. Also on board is a decent gift shop and a small play area for children.
You can pay for a private room on board, but with the journey only taking a few hours, I was more than happy in steerage.
In 2025, DFDS ferries was again awarded the title of World’s Leading Ferry Operator, amongst other prizes, and I would say that the title is thoroughly deserved.
Lead photo credit : Port de Dieppe Photo: Marie Joubert ©
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