Château de Dieppe

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The Château de Dieppe is a castle in the French town of Dieppe in the Seine-Maritime département. It has been officially classed as a Monument historique since 1862.

A castle in Dieppe certainly existed in the 11th century in the times of Philippe Auguste. A later castle, built in 1188, was destroyed in 1195. The town walls were built around 1360. The walls were extended between 1435 and 1442 and the construction of the present castle started in 1443 at the instigation of Charles des Marets. The west tower dates perhaps from the 14th century. A true fortress castle, it appears today as a mixture of architectural styles; the flint and sandstone construction has often been reshaped. A brick bastion and various other buildings have been added.

Although the town was largely destroyed by an Anglo-Dutch naval bombardment in 1694, the castle survived.

Until 1923, the castle housed the Ruffin barracks. It was bought by the town in 1903 and today is home to the Dieppe museum with its collection of ivories (crucifixes, rosaries, statuettes, fans, snuffboxes, etc), maritime exhibits and the papers and belongings of Camille Saint-Saens.

The castle offers a panoramic view over the town and the coast.