Fête de la Mer de Dieppe
Dieppe pays homage to its sailors and its maritime heritage
2026
About Fête de la Mer
Fête de la Mer — edition 2026
The Dieppe Sea Festival is scheduled for June 6 and 7, 2026, on the port quays. Two days of festivities paying tribute to sailors and Dieppe's maritime traditions.
Sea Festival 2026 — June 6 and 7
The Dieppe Sea Festival returns on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 2026, to the port quays and the Pollet district to celebrate the city's maritime heritage. The detailed program will be announced by the City of Dieppe.
Highlights Fête de la Mer 2026
Key information for 2026
- Dates: June 6 and 7, 2026 (provisional dates)
- Procession, blessing of the sea, parade of decorated boats
- Detailed program to be announced
Programme Fête de la Mer 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026
- 2:00 PM — Opening of association stands and parade by the Fanfare Festive
- 5:00 PM — Official inauguration
- 7:00 PM — Dinner dance with the Legacy orchestra
- 10:00 PM — Torchlight procession
Sunday, June 7, 2026
- 9:00 AM — Procession with boat models, folk groups, and SNSM
- 10:00 AM — Mass (religious service)
- 1:00 PM — Lunch animated by the sea shanty group Kat Mataf
- 2:30 PM — Embarkation for the blessing of the boats
- 3:00 PM — Blessing of the sea
Throughout the weekend: association stands, folk dance demonstrations, exhibition of boat models, boat tours in the port, sea shanties, and brotherhoods. A festive village is set up on the Quai du Carénage (Pollet district); most activities take place on the port, around the quays and the Duquesne basin.
Prices Fête de la Mer 2026
Fête de la Mer — 2027 edition
The 2026 edition was held from 6 June to 7 June 2026. The dates for the 2027 edition have not been announced yet. This page will be updated as soon as the official programme is published.
Practical information — Fête de la Mer
Practical Information
Access and Transport
By car: Dieppe is accessible via the A151 from Rouen (65 km, approx. 1 hour). Parking near the port.
By train: Dieppe station served by TER Normandie from Rouen (approx. 50 minutes).
Location
Port quays of Dieppe and the Pollet district. The festive village is set up on the Carénage quay.
Times
Saturday: activities from 5 p.m., popular ball in the evening, torchlight procession at 11 p.m. Sunday: ceremonies from 10 a.m., boat parade at noon.
Prices
Free admission to all activities.
Practical Tips
- Don't miss the Saturday evening torchlight procession, a magical moment of the festival.
- The Sunday noon parade of decorated boats is the highlight of the celebration.
- Enjoy the food stalls on the Carénage quay to taste seafood products.
The Fête de la Mer de Dieppe: When the City Honors its Sailors
The Fête de la Mer is one of the highlights of Dieppe's life, an event deeply rooted in the maritime identity of this port city, which was once one of France's leading naval powers. Every year in June, Dieppe pays a solemn and festive tribute to its sailors, to those who work at sea, and to those who never returned.
A Centuries-Old Maritime Tradition
Sea festivals have a long tradition in the ports of the English Channel and Normandy. In Dieppe, the celebration perpetuates the ancient rituals of sea blessing and the procession of maritime brotherhoods, traditions dating back to the time when the Newfoundland fishermen left the port for long months of fishing in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. The festival is also a moment of remembrance, an occasion to remember the lost sailors and to show the city's gratitude to those who live from the sea.
A Program Between Solemnity and Festivities
The Fête de la Mer takes place over two days, concentrated on the quays and the port of Dieppe. The program alternates moments of reflection and joy:
Saturday: Inauguration and Festivities
On Saturday afternoon, the festival opens with an official inauguration and a parade on the quays, with the participation of brass bands and musical groups. The procession travels along the port's quays, with the participation of the Brotherhood of Herring and Scallops in ceremonial dress. In the evening, a grand popular ball livens up the quays, followed by a spectacular torchlight procession that illuminates the port at night.
Sunday: Blessing and Traditions
Sunday is dedicated to maritime traditions: solemn mass, religious procession with brotherhoods and authorities, a parade of decorated boats in the port at noon, and sea shanty concerts that echo on the quays. The blessing of the sea concludes the ceremonies in a moment of shared emotion.
Le Pollet, the Beating Heart of the Festival
The Pollet district, the former fishermen's quarter located on the peninsula between the outer harbor and the Canada basin, is the historic and emotional heart of the Fête de la Mer. It is from here that the processions depart, it is here that the sea shanties resonate, and it is on the Carénage quay that the festive village is set up. Le Pollet, with its steep streets, fishermen's houses, and maritime memory, embodies the soul of Dieppe.
Where does it take place — Fête de la Mer
Fête de la Mer in brief
History of Fête de la Mer
Edition 2025 Jun 2025Other festivals near Dieppe
Festival-goer reviews
No review yet. Be the first!
No rating yet — be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community
Have you spotted an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every suggestion is reviewed by our team before publication.
Festival-goer photos
No photo yet. Share yours!
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .
A quick word
Find us more easily on Google
Add Festivals en France to your preferred sources: our line-ups and calendars will show up more often in your Google results. It’s free, it takes two seconds, and you can undo it whenever you want.
Add us to my sourcesYou stay on this page: Google opens a window, then brings you back here.