Dieppe is one of France’s oldest resorts and is often referred to as the plage de Paris (beach of Paris), being the nearest beach to the capital. It is also one of the prettier Channel ports, and was lucky to escape much of the bomb damage that affected so many of the other coastal towns in World War II. Dieppe has always retained its very individual, French identity but has long been popular with the British, attracting such famous characters as Oscar Wilde.

The Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, sailed from Dieppe in 1524 to explore the East coast of North America and founded the settlement that went on to become New York.

• Dieppe is ideal for families with many activities in the local area including cycling, swimming and beach walks, as well as the aquariums of the Cité de la Mer.
• There are many excellent restaurants, which make good use of the plentiful local produce, especially seafood.