Dieppe 2025

There were relatively few of us in Dieppe this year. 8 A's including Hans on Sunday morning plus Diane. Although the traditional Friday-Monday weekend was most popular some of us were there for longer with Neil W and I travelling out on Thursday. Clive can almost certainly claim a first by having sailed himeself to Dieppe. There were three days with group rides.

Friday 27th

Neil, Steve D and I rode inland to Saint-Saens. It was a rather damp morning with intermittent drizzle. We followed the Avenue Verte to St Aubain le Cauf and then struck off up the lane (D98/107) that leads to Val de Ricarville. A lovely route which we had mostly to ourselves.

After 10 miles, and fewer cars, we turned right onto the D12 and went over the hills to Saint Saens, a small town equipped with a few cafes, an excellent bakery and, surprisingly, two red GPO post boxes in the square. After lunch an unplanned bonus was leaving the town via the pretty Rue des Tanneurs.

We set off back along the D154 (well known as a regular exit from Dieppe) and met a rather hungry Patrick in Bellencombre who had ridden from Fecamp and found no lunch. We offered hope of finding food in Torcy le Grand but on arrival the bakery was shut - but fortunately only for 5 minutes until it re-opened at 3pm. So ice creams for us and a sandwich for Patrick and we had four happy cyclists ready to ride back to Dieppe.

Saturday 28th 

All seven of the As together with Duncan Stewart and his pilot Andy on a tandem decided to follow Simon's 2018 route west to Veules les Roses. 

After the customary photo stop before Pourville we avoided the brutal climb up the lane and stayed on the D75 to Varengeville. After coffee at Quiberville I naively believed that the gpx would follow the route I remember doing with Simon. Unfortunately it stuck to the main road as we approached Veules and Andy H, dutifully following the gpx, tried to lead us left at the top of the village into the foodless wilderness. A few old hands rebelled and we all rode down into Veules for lunch. Fortunately we had no repeat of the 35C afternoon that we endured on the previous trip and the return was uneventful.

 

We all had dinner as a group that evening. 

 

Sunday 29th

 

Duncan and Andy had decided to set off early - supposedly because they wanted plenty of time on the tandem but in fact beat the rest of us by an hour.  

 

The As (now 8 with Hans) all started the 140km at about 8.15 with a slightly damp sea mist spreading inland. We were promised sun later in the day but didn't get it until we were back in Dieppe though this did give us a comfortable temperature for the ride. 

 

As on previous rides the arrows on the road and the gpx diverged at times - much more so this year than I have ever known. One very steep descent through a wood was definitely not the usual/intended route and the regular confusion in Baqueville en Caux divided the group with those of us preferring tradition to the gpx waiting a while after the town before we all regrouped. 

 

Coffee and pastries in Auffay has now become a regular feature of this route.

 

Neil W and Hans left us at lunch and so we were down to six for the afternoon. The pace had been quite fast to lunch. I struggled a bit to keep up with the youngsters in the afternoon though eventually the tortoise beat a couple of the hares up the final climb from Cuverville. A swift run into Dieppe had us back before 4.30 and we celebrated with a beer or two at a bar by the port.

It has to be said that second Pelforth on relatively empty stomachs didn't enhance some of our bike handling skills on the return to the hotel! Finally we all joined forces again for dinner.

It was a lovely weekend of cycling - just a pity that there weren't a few more Sou'westers to share it with. Maybe next year?

 

I think Janice and Andy H rode home from Newhaven on Monday but given the 30C temperatures in the UK I let the train take the strain.