With the annual Dieppe Raid event postponed until September, we decided to press ahead anyway and keep our original late-June dates in the diary. Ten riders set off for Normandy, eager for scenic touring routes on the other side of the Channel - not to mention exploring the delights of Dieppe itself (a beautiful seaside town boasting, crucially, plenty of fantastic food and drink options!).
Saturday: Jazz, Galettes & The Avenue Verte (70 km)
Saturday saw us all set off on a glorious 70 km roll along the Avenue Verte down to Neufchâtel-en-Bray. France was just coming off a heatwave, so the weather was warm, but a well-timed lunch stop ensured we stayed properly fuelled on galettes and local delicacies.
The day’s highlight came just 6 km from the end of the ride, where we stumbled across a local jazz event by the lake near Arques-la-Bataille. Basking in the evening sun with cold drinks and gentle live jazz felt like an absolute French dream.
Sunday: Rolling Countryside & Baguette Logistics (100 km)
Sunday brought more brilliant weather and a longer 100 km route, with options for riders to loop back early if they preferred. Knowing the classic challenge of finding open cafés in rural France on a Sunday, we loaded up on fresh baguettes in Dieppe before heading out.
Following large sections of the official Dieppe Raid route, the ride delivered kilometre after kilometre of stunning, rolling countryside. Keeping a steady pace meant everyone could truly take in the views.
Monday: The Journey Home
The trip came to an end on Monday, but the laughs didn’t stop on the four-hour ferry back to Newhaven. Tired but fulfilled, some riders drove home from the port while three of us hopped on the train back to London for an easy final leg.
Final thoughts
A fantastic trip filled with great company, brilliant accommodation, food, local cider… and cycling, of course! As a first-timer on this tour, I cannot recommend it enough and I will definitely be signing up for future jaunts across the Channel.