Dieppe

Research Status: Moderate Last Updated: 2025-11-20 Diary Coverage: Book 13 (1879) - 25 mentions

Overview

Dieppe is a coastal town in Normandy, northern France, on the English Channel. In the late 19th century, it was a fashionable seaside resort popular with Parisian society during summer months.

Historical Context

Seaside Resort

• Location: About 170 km northwest of Paris, easily accessible by train
• Beach resort: Sandy beach, promenade, sea bathing
• English Channel: Direct ferry connections to England (Newhaven)
• Architecture: Grand hotels, casino, elegant villas
• Season: Summer destination for wealthy Parisians escaping city heat

Social Life

Dieppe's attractions included:

• Casino de Dieppe: Gambling, entertainment, social gathering
• Promenade: Sea-front walking and socializing
• Hotels: Grand establishments hosting elite visitors
• Bathing: Fashionable sea-bathing culture
• Excursions: Nearby Norman countryside and villages

British Connection

• Cross-Channel: Closest major French port to England
• British visitors: Popular with English tourists
• Cultural mix: French and English society mingling
• Transit point: Gateway between France and England

Marie's Dieppe Visits (1879)

Based on 25 mentions in Book 13, Marie spent time in Dieppe during summer 1879:

• Season: Likely July-August, peak of social season
• Social activities: Casino, promenade, social calls
• Health: Sea air considered healthy and restorative
• Society: Met and socialized with other visitors

Contemporary Significance

Dieppe represented:

• Fashionable society: Place to see and be seen
• Leisure culture: Emerging vacation patterns of the wealthy
• International mixing: French and English worlds intersecting
• Artistic appeal: Later attracted Impressionist painters (though Marie was there before peak of that)

Related Entries

• #Casino_de_Dieppe - Social center in Dieppe
• #Paris - Capital from which visitors came
• #Dover - English counterpart across Channel
• #Nice - Winter resort equivalent in South of France