The Tourelles

If you glance across the Verdun Boulevard, you’ll notice that the building in front of you stands out as it possesses a little something that its neighbors lack and that  would be its historical heritage. The Tourelles are two circular sandstone and flint towers. It’s one of the few examples of Dieppe’s medieval heritage that can still be seen today. A few centuries ago, the monument had five other copies that punctuated the layout of the town’s fortifications in the 15th century. Unfortunately, this page of history was turned when the town’s seaside profile began to develop and modernisation work was carried out in the 19th century. The Tourelles which is the only remaining gateway to this fortified heritage was used as a prison until 1825. Although it witnessed the departure of the ‘ Daughters of the King’, sent to Quebec by Louis XIV to find husbands and contribute to the settlement of New France, the monument continues to be part of the city’s present-day history. Previously owned by private individuals, the site is now home to the headquarters of the Dieppe International Kite Festival Association, which has been held every two years since 1980.