Dieppe Beach and Seafront

On August 19, 1942, this beach witnessed one of WWII's most tragic operations - the Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee). Over 6,000 Allied soldiers, mostly Canadian, landed here in an attempt to test German coastal defenses. The operation was a disaster: in just nine hours, 907 Canadians were killed, 2,460 wounded, and 1,946 captured. The shingle (pebble) beach proved deadly, as tanks became bogged down in the large stones. However, the painful lessons learned here directly contributed to the success of D-Day two years later.

Every two years in September, Dieppe's seafront lawns transform into the world's largest kite festival. Created in 1980 with just a handful of European countries, the Dieppe International Kite Festival now attracts over 500,000 visitors and kite flyers from more than 40 countries representing all five continents. The 8 hectares of lawn behind the beach form a natural amphitheater where colorful creations from around the world fill the sky for ten days.

Dieppe was once one of Europe's premier ivory carving centers, thanks to its role as the main entry port for West African ivory from the 16th through 19th centuries. Explorer and privateer Jehan Ango brought exotic materials from distant lands, establishing a flourishing carving tradition. Dieppe artisans became famous for creating intricate model ships carved from single pieces of ivory, along with elaborate fans, rosaries, and decorative items that won medals at international exhibitions.