Castle-Museum

From here, turn slightly to the right towards the cliffs, as if by magic you’ll see Dieppe’s famous Castle-Museum. The name Castle-Museum is a strange combination. However, as you’ll see, it’s an excellent way of linking Dieppe’s past and present history. The town’s castle was probably built on the remains of a rather basic medieval fortification around 1188 by Henry II Plantagenet, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, who was also King of England, and later by his son Richard I, known as the Lionheart. The castle’s terraced position, some 30 metres above sea level, ensured the protection and defence of the town by keeping a constant eye on the Channel coast. This was a considerable luxury when you consider that Dieppe was particularly targeted by Flemish and English attackers at the time. The fortress was destroyed in 1195, restored in the 14th century and finally enlarged in 1433 by Charles des Marets. He was a French knight to whom the Norman town owes its liberation from the English in 1435. The Dieppe fortress has evolved architecturally on more than one occasion, and today resembles a quadrangular enclosure made of flint, sandstone and brick, flanked by round towers and an adjoining low courtyard. There’s more! Its functions also underwent several changes. It went from being a royal fortress to a military site, and even a prison during the French Revolution. Since 1923, the historic building has housed the municipal museum. After all, it’s a lot better than the demolition that was attempted at the beginning of the 20th century. Inside its thick walls lies a multi-disciplinary collection of 25,000 objects designed to present the rich maritime history of Dieppe and its port from different angles. The museum’s exhibition of 2,000 finely chiselled pieces and the reconstruction of an ivory-maker’s workshop, for instance, show the Norman town’s role in the ivory trade. You may not know it, but for more than three centuries, Dieppe was the main centre for ivory work in France. Over 300 ivory-makers with their incomparable skills made the Normandy region famous far beyond its borders. The tour continues with a presentation of the town’s role as a resort and seaside town from the late 19th century onwards. Other treasures include Impressionist paintings by famous names such as Renoir and Pissarro, and personal objects belonging to French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. The Castle-Museum is a magnificent example of the coastal fortifications of the English Channel and has been listed as a historic monument since 1862. It will tell you everything there is to know about the history of Dieppe, with a stunning view of the seafront as a special bonus!