The Dieppe Raid - or Tour des Trois Vallées - has been an annual fixture for Sou'Westers since many of us were in short trousers. Organised by the Cyclo-Club Dieppois, the formal event consists of a Sunday ride in the beautiful Normandy countryside with optional distances from 60km to 140km, a multitude of prizes after the event, and a meal on Sunday evening. It's made extra-special by the company of many other riders from other clubs - about 240 Brits this year plus 150 French cyclists.
The Sou'Westers have been attending in force for many years. Most go for a weekend of riding, good food and good company, and some stay longer. This year the event was under new leadership after Caroline Street handed over the UK reins to Will Faas, and the sad death of Michel Lefevre, CDC president, meant that David Martine took over the French side of the organisation, planning routes, coordinating with the local authorities and organising the catering and all-important orange arrows marking the routes on the road.
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| Riding from Tanhouse Farm |
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| Already on the early ferry |
We think there were 24 Sou'Westers this year, mostly arriving on Friday ferries after driving, training or riding to Newhaven. A bit over half stayed in the Hotel de la Plage while others stayed in hired villas and mansions found on the internet, and Bob camped.
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| Traditional French welcome |
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| The Saturday fast food (or was it ride?) group |
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| Saturday slower group out of Criel Plage |
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| Saturday evening meal |
On Saturday some opted for a day of sightseeing, and others went on two different rides: a faster ride south-west to Veules-les-Roses, and a larger group opted for a B group paced ride north-east along the coast to Criel Plage, where the waitress hardly blinked when asked for a table for 18 for lunch.
On Sunday a hardy group set off early to ride 140km while most had a more relaxed start to a 100km or 60km ride. Too relaxed, in our case of the 100k ride. Paul and I calculated that we could ride 100k with a few stops and return in time for the presentation, but we hadn't allowed for the 30+ degree temperature. We had a lovely ride, took it easy up the hills and enjoyed the views, but had to stop frequently for shade and water, and we were a bit late for the 5pm prize presentation, which unexpectedly started at 5pm.
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| 140k group on the road |
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| 60k ride |
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| Lunch stop |
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| Tea(!) at the tea stop |
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| That view! |
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| Seeking shade |
At the prize giving, we were slightly disappointed to only be awarded the prize for 2nd largest club attending, narrowly beaten by Bedwell Wheelers who had 25 signed up. There was muttering and questioning of whether Bedwell Wheelers is a real club, all in good humour. However both Terry and Pam won individual prizes - for merit, I think they said - and Pam attempted to run off with one of the French organisers on the stage as her prize.
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| Prize winners |
A meal is offered on Sunday after the ride, and this year it was a buffet in a new location, a large sports pub near the station. This allowed more people to attend, and there were a few teething problems with feeding 200 hungry cyclists from a single buffet table, but I think everyone managed to get a decent meal in the end. We were briefly the proud holders of the Neville Chanin trophy for the most numerous club, but only after one of our members (who shall be nameless) stole it from the Bedwell Wheelers' table. They soon stole it back.
It was over all too soon, and many of us were bid farewell and adieu by the fair seagulls of Dieppe as we stood in a very long queue of cyclists to board the ferry. The long journey to Newhaven was interrupted up by a dramatic plot twist involving Linda's book and an unidentified book-napper. It was a whodunnit. The ferry docked at Newhaven, there was the usual mad scramble to retrieve our bikes and join a queue to show our passports, and we all scattered to our various means of travel home. See you next year, Dieppe!
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| Ready to go |
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| A leaving present for Francis |
Thanks to all those who contributed photos, including Bob, Brian, Chris, Diane, Francis, Ged, Geoff, Janice, Linda, Neil and Pam. They can be seen in an album here.
