Dieppe Herring and Scallop Fair

The Herring and Scallop Fair: Dieppe's Maritime Soul

Dieppe's history is intimately linked to the sea. As Normandy's leading fishing port, the town built its prosperity on herring, a humble yet precious fish that ensured the survival of its people during medieval winters, and on scallops, the true "white gold" of Dieppe sailors, fished in the cold waters of the English Channel from the opening of the season in October.

From Popular Origins to an Unmissable Event

Born in the early 1970s as a simple direct sales point for fishermen on the quays, the Herring and Scallop Fair has gradually established itself as one of the major gastronomic events on the Norman coast. What was originally just an informal market for sailors wanting to sell their day's catch has become, over the decades, a true popular festival celebrating Dieppe's maritime and culinary heritage.

The Brotherhood of Herring and Scallops, whose members parade in traditional attire during the inauguration, ensures the promotion of these two emblematic products and renews its oath each year to honor the "noble shellfish and the king of fish".

A Feast of Maritime Flavors

The heart of the fair beats on Quai Henri IV and the surrounding quays of Dieppe port. Dozens of stalls offer herring grilled over hot embers, scallop skewers, seafood platters, and countless other maritime specialties. The *nec plus ultra* is to taste the herring fresh off the grill, served with a potato baked in the embers, and a generous piece of melting salted butter.

A Festive and Cultural Program

Beyond gastronomy, the fair offers a rich program of entertainment: a solemn inauguration with a brass band and the Brotherhood's parade, concerts and musical performances, scallop shucking contests, cooking classes, guided tours of the Pollet district, an artisan market, a flea market, and fireworks on the Quai de la Marne. A festive village is set up on the Quai du Carénage, in the heart of the Pollet peninsula.

A Tribute to Seafarers

The Herring and Scallop Fair is also a moment of remembrance and recognition for the sailors and fishermen who made Dieppe great. Maritime traditions are honored, recalling the era when the Newfoundland fishermen set sail for long months of fishing in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.