Featured image:The view from above the seaside city of Dieppe, with the white cliffs in the background/ Photo by Shutterstock
An gratitude-filled drive along Normandy’s coast
by Carolyn Ray
It’s low tide in Dieppe, France and I’m the only person on the beach looking out at the English Channel on this blustery November morning. Although Dieppe isn’t a D-Day beach, it is a place that holds special significance for Canadians. In August 1942, thousands of Canadian soldiers landed on this rocky, unforgiving shore in a disastrous raid called Operation Jubilee. Despite careful planning, they lost the element of surprise on this heavily fortified beach. Nearly 2,000 of the 5,000 Allied forces who landed were taken prisoner by the Germans, and about 700 of them were killed. Although it is said that the lessons learned at Dieppe were instrumental in saving many lives on D-Day on June 6, 1944, it’s still hard to fathom the loss of life here.
Looking at the high cliffs behind me, I can’t imagine how the Allies even attempted a landing on this rocky shore, but I am full of gratitude for their bravery and courage. I say a prayer of thanks to these heroic soldiers, knowing I am standing in a part of France where so many fought to protect and preserve our freedom during World War II.
Even though my family didn’t fight in World War II, the stories of how we supported the Allies are part of my family’s narrative. Not only did my Nana teach me to scrimp and save every penny and button, my grandfather, a Canadian farmer and engineer, was part of the team that invented the world’s first self-propelled harvester. Thanks to the Massey-Harris Model 20 Self-Propelled Combine, which is in the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, the U.S. and Canada were able to harvest massive quantities of wheat during the War. This effort was known as the Massey-Harris Brigade, which fed both military and civilians with less labour. We all have a connection to these beaches, to those who fought here.
As I drive down Normandy’s coastline, I stop at Canadian, American, French and British cemeteries to pay my respects, noticing many Canadian and French flags together on the tombstones. While many choose to travel to Normandy and the D-Day beaches in the summer, I prefer the off-season, when there are no crowds, no lineups and no traffic jams. In 2024, for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June, 6.6 million people travelled to Normandy, France. But in November, Normandy is quieter, and I can travel at my own pace, with plenty of time for reflection. This is also festival season for fresh seafood, including oysters, scallops, clams and fish, even more of an incentive to visit small towns like Dieppe, Rouen and Caen in the off-season.
Dieppe and Canada’s long friendship
Dieppe and Canada have a long relationship. In 1639, Augustinian nuns arrived from Dieppe to build a new hospital in New France, the first one north of Mexico. That hospital opened in 1644 as the Hotel-Dieu in Quebec City, and was home to the Augustine Sisters for nearly 400 years before reopening as a wellness hotel, Monastére des Augustines.
In the 16th century, Dieppe was one of France’s most important fishing ports and in a nod to its heritage, hosts a Herring and Scallop Festival the third weekend of every November. When I arrive in Dieppe, my first stop is the Comptoir à Huitres, famous for its oysters. There is hardly a free table available, despite the blustery day. I’m served an enormous platter of oysters on seaweed, followed by Croquille St. Jacques with brown butter and oil. It literally melts in my mouth. At L’Ô2 Mer Restaurant underneath the promenade facing the beach, I try the local favourite, Scallops à la Bretonne, with a creamy sauce with caramelized onions and shallots.
In March, Dieppe hosts Canadian Film Festival, which has grown to become the largest event in Europe showcasing short and long features from all of the Canadian provinces. To learn more, visit the festival website here.
There are memorials everywhere in Dieppe that show the long-standing relationship with Canadians. In 1924, Canada Square (Square du Canada), was created, which features a monument commemorating the links between the two nations.The promenade along the ocean is lined with memorials to many Canadian brigades, including the 14th Army Calgary Tank Regiment, Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, the Essex Scottish Regiment, South Saskatchewan Regiment and Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada to name only a few. There’s also a 19 August 1942 Memorial in the municipal theatre, built in 1926 next to the seaside.
Where to stay in Dieppe:
Mercure Dieppe Hotel La Présidence: With only 85 rooms, this small four-story hotel has a view of the sea and a rooftop restaurant for breakfast views. There is an onsite restaurant, bar, fitness room and parking underneath the hotel. I stayed in a Privilege Room on the top floor, with a sea view. Read our full review here.
The D-Day Beaches, Museums and Cemeteries
Less than two hours from Dieppe by car, the D-Day beaches and cemeteries offer us the opportunity to step back into history and acknowledge the sacrifices that so many made for our freedom.
From Caen, it’s a short drive to the D-Day beaches, including Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. For Canadians, there are two cemeteries in Normandy. Over 2,000 servicemen are at Beny-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery, and there is a second cemetery at Bretteville-sur-Laize, south of Caen. Overlooking Omaha Beach, with its silver memorial sculpture, is the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, which overlooks Omaha Beach, and contains the graves of 9,400 soldiers. Over a million people visit every year. Every afternoon, there is a flag lowering ceremony at either 4 pm or 5 pm depending on the season.
Established in 2003, the Juno Beach Museum honours the Canadian war effort at home and abroad. Since then, the Centre has welcomed over 1.5 million visitors; one in four under age 18. Attendance continues to increase, and 30 per cent of the 100,000 2024 visitors are Canadian.
“One out of 10 Canadians wore a uniform, making Canada the third largest army by population, which in 1939 was 11 million people,” says Nathalie Worthington, Director of the Juno Beach Museum. “Out of the million people that volunteered, 450,000 Canadians went to fight overseas. I’ve met with veterans from Quebec who have told me it was very difficult because we were seen as the ones who went to fight for the British. And that is just not the case.”
Read More: Five Superb Train Trips from Paris for Women
The D-Day connection to Caen
Caen (pronounced ‘Kahn’) is only 10 minutes from the D-Day beaches and was almost completely destroyed in WW2. When it was liberated by the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division on July 4, 1944, almost 75 per cent of the city had been levelled. Incredibly, its famous Abbaye aux Hommes founded by William the Conquerer in 1063 survived, due to the red cross marking it as a hospital on its roof. Now a bustling university town with more than 30,000 students, Caen’s now restored streets are full of small shops, bookstores and half-timbered houses, including the red Maison des Quatrans at 25 Rue de Geôle, the oldest house in Caen, built in the 1460s. There are a pair of 16th-century half-timbered houses at 52 and 54 Rue Saint-Pierre, and some that survived the bombings in the medieval Vaugueux District, which is near the Cathedral.
Caen is famously known as the hometown of William the Conqueror, who became King of England in 1066, marking the beginning of Norman rule in England. After parking the car at my hotel, I walk through the shopping area to Chateau de Caen/Caen Castle for a striking view of the city. Built around 1060 by William the Conqueror, Caen Castle is now home to the Musée de Normandie (Normandy Museum) and the Musée des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts). It is free to enter the castle grounds.
Another main sight in Caen is Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Étienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes, founded in 1063. Although there is a tomb for William the Conquerer in the Church, it is believed that all that remains is a single thigh bone. William’s wife, Matilda of Flanders, commissioned a Women’s Abbey on the other side of the city.
Where to eat: Horace, located in the historic and charming Vaugueux district, near Caen Castle. Look for bookstores with cafes, like Memoranda Café. For something more upscale, try The Carlotta.
Where to stay: Le Clos Saint-Martin, a beautifully restored 16th-century historic mansion near the city centre. There are only six rooms on three floors; I stayed in the Blue Room on the second floor; however, there are no elevators. Street parking is available nearby.
How to get to Normandy’s D-Day and WW2 beaches
France has an extensive train network with trains arriving in Caen from almost anywhere. Check train times and purchase your tickets on Trainline.
Once you’re in Caen, car rental is available at the Caen Train station. I rented a car from Europcar and road tripped around Normandy from Rouen to Caen to Mont-Saint Michel, returning my car in Saint-Malo, where I took the train to Nantes. You don’t need an International Driver’s License but it’s always a good idea to have one.
Other nearby towns to explore include Saint-Malo, Honfleur, Étretat and Bayeux. Find a place to stay here.
Why not make it a longer stay? Several companies operate river cruises from Paris on the Seine River and have stops in Rouen, including Viking, Uniworld, Avalon Waterways, Tauck, Emerald Cruises, and CroisiEurope. Find a river cruise in Normandy here.
While in France I used an eSim from Saily and the Wise app on my phone for small transactions, avoiding currency exchange fees.
Disclaimer: As a guest of Normandy Tourism and Dieppe and Caen Tourism, Carolyn Ray was not compensated for her time spent researching, travelling and writing this feature, nor was JourneyWoman for publishing it. In addition, the host organizations did not review this article before it was published, a practice that allows the writer to express her perspective with integrity and candour.
Carolyn Ray
In 2023, Carolyn was named one of the most influential women in travel by TravelPulse for her efforts to advocate for women over 50 in travel. She has been featured in the New York Times, Toronto Star and Conde Nast as a solo travel expert, and speaks at women's travel conferences around the world. In 2025, she received her second SATW travel writing award and published her first book "Never Too Late: How Women 50+ Travellers Are Making the Rules" with co-author Lola Akinmade. She leads JourneyWoman's team of writers and chairs the JourneyWoman Women's Advisory Council, JourneyWoman Awards for Women 50+ and the Women's Speaker's Bureau. She is the chair of the Canadian chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), a member of Women Travel Leaders and a Herald for the Transformational Travel Council (TTC). Sometimes she sleeps. A bit.
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