- Dieppe
Dieppe, 170 km from Paris, is the closest beach to the capital (2 hours via the A13), but it is also linked to the major conurbations of north-western Europe via a network of motorways. By road, it is served to the south by the RN 27 (2×2 lanes), which joins the A151 to Rouen (58 km), the A29 to Le Havre (114 km) or northern France and north-western Europe via the A28. 1h30 from Le Touquet and Deauville via the A28 and A29, Dieppe is just a stone’s throw from the famous sites of the Côte d’Albâtre, such as Varengeville-sur-Mer, Veules-les-Roses, Etretat… to the west, and the Côte d’Opale to the east (Le Touquet, Le Tréport).
- Ancourt
Total population: 724 (2006)
The name of this commune etymologically means “the domain of Angione”, from the Latin cortis (rural domain). Before 830, the commune was called Aionecurte (or Aionecorte). The village was crossed by the Roman road from Dieppe to Beauvais, leading to various archaeological discoveries from the Gallo-Roman era.
- Arques-la-Bataille
Total population: 2,535 (2011)
The commune’s name comes from the word “arcas”, referring to the arches of a bridge over the Varenne river that crosses the village. The qualifier “la Bataille” was added by decision of August 23, 1882, in memory of the famous battle of Arques led by Henri IV.
Situated just a few minutes from the center of Dieppe, and renowned for its castle, church and rood screen, Arques-la-Bataille also boasts an exceptional natural environment.
One of Arques-la-Bataille’s distinctive features is the strong presence of water. In addition to its various bodies of water, Arques-la-Bataille is crossed by three rivers (the Béthune, the Eaulne and the Varenne) which join on its territory to form one of France’s smallest rivers, the Arques, which flows into the Channel at Dieppe.Monuments : Notre Dame de l’Ascension Renaissance church (rood screen and altarpiece), ruins of medieval castle (11th century), school complex (Bauhaus style), baillage (Henri IV and his maréchaussée), Arques forest, avenue verte.
- Aubermesnil-Beaumais
Total population: 455 (2006)
Aubermesnil and Beaumais were once neighboring villages. The etymological meaning of the name “Aubermesnil” is “the mesnil (or domain) of Osbern”, a Scandinavian first name, while “Beaumais” comes from “belmeis” in the 12th century, “beautiful house” from the Latin “bellus” and “mansus”.
The first mention of these communes dates back to the 13th century: the former was under the control of the Cormeilles Abbey, while the latter was under the control of the Saint-Wandrille Abbey. The parishes were united by royal decree on April 24, 1822. - Colmesnil-Manneville
Total population: 136 (2006)
Colmesnil means “the domain of Koli”, from the Low Latin “mensionile”, rural domain, preceded by the Scandinavian personal name Koli. In the 13th century, Colmesnil-Manneville was known as “Collemesnil”. The village had been occupied since Celtic times: before their destruction by order of the Marquis de Manneville in 1777, several Celtic mottes existed on the territory. The preposition “Manneville” only appeared in the 17th century, when the De Manneville family took possession of the fiefdom, which was to be the seat of the illustrious family’s lands for two centuries.
- Grèges
Total population: 796 (2006)
“Greiges” appears as early as the 9th century in a charter from Charles the Bald. The church of Sainte-Madeleine is mentioned in the High Middle Ages: the parish belonged to the canons of Rouen Cathedral. Several village buildings date from the 15th and 16th centuries.
- Hautot-sur-Mer
Total population: 2076 (2006)
Monuments : Saint Rémy d’Hautot church, Hotot castle ruins
The commune of Hautot-sur-Mer was formed when three former villages were reunited by royal decree on July 10, 1822: Hautot (Hotot-sur-Dieppe), Pourville and Petit-Appeville (formerly Appeville-le-Petit).
The first mention of these three communes dates back to the 11th century, when the Sires de Hotot were very powerful lords. Thomas Beckett (Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century), Jacques de Molay (Grand Master of the Knights Templar in the 13th century), and the Duchesse de Longueville (17th century), are just some of the personalities who appear in the history of these ancient communes.
In the 19th century, thanks in particular to its casino, Pourville became a fashionable seaside resort, attracting a host of celebrities for holidays or second homes: painters Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir, actors Louis Baron and Blanche Pierson, tennis player Suzanne Lenglen, musician Claude Debussy and writers Louis Aragon, André Breton, Jean Cocteau and Marcel Proust. Pourville was also the site of one of the most tragic events in the history of the Second World War, Operation Jubilee, the landing of Canadian Allied troops on August 19, 1942.
- Martigny
Total population: 498 (2006)
Martigny owes its location partly to its excellent geographical position, at the beginning of the Varenne valley on land that is not flooded and sheltered on either side by forest-covered hillsides, and partly to the very high quality of the land and the river’s many resources. “Martigny” comes etymologically from the Gallo-Roman estate name “Martiniacum”, composed with the first name Martin, “Martinus”. The first references to the commune date back to the 11th century, when the church was already in existence. The parish was returned to the Abbey of Saint-Wandrille by Duke Richard II in 1024.
- Martin-Eglise
Total population: 1,512 (2006)
Archaeological discoveries show that the village already existed in Gallo-Roman times. The territory of Martin-Eglise belonged to the Church of Rouen from 762 (first mentions) until its sale at the end of the 10th century by Archbishop Robert of Normandy, son of Richard I, to Lord Giffart.
The former village of Etran was united with Martin-Eglise by royal decree signed on March 19, 1829. It was from the port of Etran that William the Conqueror’s army, encamped at Martin-Eglise, set sail in 1066 for the second conquest of England.
The village became known as Saint-Martin-Eglise in 1820. During the French Revolution, the prefix “Saint” was removed from all place names, then restored. Martin-Eglise, which had never been “Saint-Martin-Eglise”, was then given this prefix for some time. A request was made in 1860 for the name to be rectified, and this was done by prefectoral decree in 1867, restoring it to its former form.
- Offranville
Total population: 3,643 (2006)
Monuments : Saint Ouen church with twisted bell tower, thousand-year-old yew tree, dovecote circuit, Avenue Verte. Jacques Emile Blanche Museum
- Rouxmesnil-Bouteilles
Total population: 1,890 (2006)
The first mention of Bouteilles dates back to a 7th-century charter concerning saltworks: the village in fact possessed numerous saltworks, which were the object of envy of the largest Norman abbeys from the 11th to 16th centuries.
- Saint-Aubin-sur-Scie
Total population: 1,302 (2006)
The name of the commune was originally “Sancti Albini”; the qualifier “sur-Scie” was added at an unknown time, as the river La Scie runs through the commune.
The first references to the parish of Saint-Aubin-sur-Scie date back to the 11th century, when the Barony of Jardin was given to the monks of Fécamp Abbey by Renaud, Viscount of Arques, around 1030. Saint-Aubin belonged to the Count of Ponthieu in 1219.
- Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer
Total population: 514 (2006)
Sainte Marguerite sur Mer is a Normandy commune nestled on the cliffside of the Côte d’Albâtre. Situated in an exceptional site, between the Pointe de l’Ailly and the mouth of the Saâne valley, Sainte Marguerite sur Mer is a rural seaside village, with pastures, crops, gardens, woods, a beach, a lighthouse and shores renowned for fishing. The original name of the village was Caprimont. It had been chosen by the Gallo-Roman administration to house a villa, the residence of the governor.
The 12th century saw the completion of a fine Romanesque church, which was remodeled in the 16th century.
The lighthouse dominates the pointe de l’Ailly and its wood, offering a magnificent panorama of the sea and surrounding countryside.
> Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer Town Hall
Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer was the scene of the D-Day landings on August 19, 1942: Allied Commando No. 4, led by Lord Lovat, landed on the beach. After destroying the enemy batteries at Blancmesnil, these soldiers re-embarked at Vasterival.
Monuments : Church of Sainte Marguerite, Cap d’Ailly
- Sauqueville
Total population: 375 (2006)
The oldest sources on Sauqueville date back to the 12th century, when the collegiate church was founded. In addition to the collegiate church, in 1479 the village still had a hospital for the poor, under the protection of Saint Jean. In the 16th century, 2/8 of the fiefdom of Sauqueville belonged to the canons of the collegiate church, the remainder to the castellany of Longueil.
- Tourville-sur-Arques
Total population: 1,185 (2006)
The first references to this commune date back to the 11th century. In 1466, the fief of Salsomesnil in Tourville was recognized as a “free and noble vassalage”.
- Varengeville-sur-Mer
Total population: 1,113 (2006)
The site and its proximity to the sea must have attracted people from time immemorial. Calets, Romans and Normans have all lived here in turn. On August 19, 1942, VARENGEVILLE SUR MER witnessed a brilliant feat of arms by the British commando who destroyed the German battery installed at VASTERIVAL. It was only on September 1, 1944, with the arrival of the Canadians, that the enemy left the country.
Since the end of the 19th century, VARENGEVILLE SUR MER has become a residential village, a favorite haunt of painters, musicians, writers, artists of all kinds and simple nature lovers.
Monuments : Saint-Valéry church and marine cemetery (tomb and stained-glass windows by Georges Braque).
Vue Aerienne Plage De Dieppe Thomas Delaunay
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