VW campervan weekend hire in Sussex

If you prefer to go further afield, we highly recommend a long weekend sailing from Newhaven to Dieppe in France where you can enjoy the famous Normandy hospitality, fine wines and food. The port being much more of a resort than it's fellow northern France ports, makes for a pleasant short break. If you have longer, there is much to visit in Normandy including Caen, the regional capital; the cathedral city of Rouen; the picturesque, arty port of Honfleur and the historical D-Day beaches.

Our Campervan hire price for France includes insurance for the first named driver, 5 Star break-down recovery, maps and guides of northern France, info on campsites, headlight deflectors, spare bulbs, 1st aid kit and warning triangle. The cost is just £12.50 extra per day. (ferry crossing is not included and will need to be booked by you).

Newhaven is just a 30 mile drive from Balcombe (approx 1 hr) and the ferry crossing to Dieppe takes approximately 4 hours.

Dieppe - a city of art and history and a seaside port for 1000 years has a fine reputation for its charm and hospitality. To get an overview of Dieppe take a ride around town on the "petit train" (runs April-September), the first stop is outside the Tourist Office, but you can get on and off at various stops around town.

Food and drink:

Dieppe is renowned for its fine foods, and the town centre houses a number of excellent and varied restaurants, many of which specialise in seafood. There are several good restaurants in Quai Henry IV area, the St Jacques quarter and Quai Duquesne. Cider is a renowned drink in the area, either drank with a meal like the locals do, or just on its own. Another local speciality is Calvados, which is drunk between meal courses

Shopping:

Saturday Market: Each Saturday, from 8am until noon, the long pedestrian Grande Rue, lined with some 200 shops, becomes a massive open air emporium, with locals selling a wide variety of wares.

All the major French hypermarkets are represented in or near Dieppe. Auchan, Intermarché, Leclerc and Lidl are all on the outskirts of town, and are good for bargain booze. However there are several supermarkets in the town centre, which can provide more advice eg Shopi on Rue de la Barre, and Huit à 8 on rue Thiers.

If you are looking for fish, visit the Marée du Jour on Place Nationale. Olivier - on rue St Jacques - is a well known cheese shop and well worth a visit to sample from over 130 varieties ranging from tiny local producers to famous brands. The shop supplies many of the local restaurants and it will be a great gift for the dairy lover to bring home an unusual cheese. Just enter for the smell of hundreds of ripening cheeses out back.

Dieppe Museum:

Rue de Chastes at the top of the hill at the west end of the town. The 15th century castle dominates the town and it's walls are built of flint and sandstone. It served as a prison during the French revolution. Now it is an interesting museum and houses fascinating exhibits evoking Dieppe's history and maritime connections, along with a collection of impressionist paintings as well as ivory carvings.

Cite de la Mer:

The aquarium is a great attraction for the whole family. The tanks are well laid out and contain sea life from all over the world.

St Jacques Church:

This 600 year old church is situated alongside the Saturday market and is a classic gothic monument with it's growling gargoyles and beautiful stained glass windows. There have since been sculptures added to the church. the narrow streets in this quarter are interesting for wandering around.

Casino Dieppe:

3 Bd de Verdun, The town's casino is busy especially at weekends. Located in the Grand Hotel, this sophisticated gaming hall boasts slots and many gaming tables for roulette, blackjack and shove ha'penny. There is a relaxing piano bar where you can drown your sorrows to the sounds of lift music and several restaurants.

The Dieppe Raid:

In August 1942 the allied troops landed on the Normandy beaches to protect Europe from the advancing Nazi troops. The Juno Beach Centre at nearby Courseulles-sur-Mer was opened in 2003 and sponsored by the Canadian Government in tribute to their troops that fell during the operation. There are many memorials and museums dotted along this coast to remind the world of the soldiers that gave their lives for freedom.

For more information on Dieppe visit www.dieppetourisme.com and
www.day-tripper.net.

Ferry Crossings:

Please see www.transmanche.co.uk for the most up to date information about crossings times.