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The popular conception is that the name is French in
origin - ‘Tréport’ meaning ‘three ports’. It is actually
Gallo-Roman, the Celtic word ‘traez’, meaning the
shore at low tide and the Latin word ‘portus’, meaning
harbour. The inland river port was the Roman town
Auga – now Eu – and the outer sea port was known
as ‘Ulterior portus’, which later became Le Tréport.
The fishing port
In 2009, more than 9000 tons of fish were caught from
about 70 ships, registered at Dieppe or Boulogne.
Trawlers, net and dragnet fishing and pot fishing in
the estuary are some of the methods in use.
The commercial port
Tréport is one of the leading French ports in both
export and import of fertilizers and kaolin clays,
handling in a year about 100 shipping movements
and more than 280,000 tons of merchandise.
Tréport marina
The marina, with its 320 mooring slips is home
to those passionate about the sea. 2007 saw the
addition of 100 berths in the dry dock area, joining
the 120 places already installed in the marina. Add
to these places more than 100 seasonal berths in the
outer harbour, making Tréport an exceptional site for
pleasure boat users.
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Activities at se
Sailing school
Sea trips and sea fishing
The sailing school was opened in 2009 in the
commercial port. Both adults and children learn the
first steps of sailing in a safe, secure environment,
sheltered from the open seas and rough weather.
For those of you interested in the ecology of the cliffs
and shingle beaches that surround us, come on board
the ‘Eden’ or the ‘Etoile Filante’ for a commentated,
guided sea trip recounting the nautical history of this
region and discover the world of the mariners. You
are also cordially invited aboard a fishing vessel,
completely equipped with electronic technology and
security equipment to take part in a fishing trip with
the crew!
Nautical events
The Nautical Festival weekend takes place in May or
June. This is special time for those of you wanting to
learn sailing, jet skiing and the many different seabased amusements. There are plenty of activities
to watch as well, such as helicopter winching and
coastal sea rescue, all animating the two special
festival days.
The Sea Festival is biannual (even numbered years)
and takes place on a Sunday in July. This festival is
dedicated to those sailors and fishermen lost at sea.
French and foreign naval vessels are present for a
costumed parade, church services, the traditional
fleet blessing and the casting of flowers into the sea.
The training ship Itag
Make a date to meet a fishing and merchant marine
captain on board the training ship Itag during your
stay at Le Tréport. Enjoy a nautical initiation or learn
how to navigate coastal or river waters in a recognized
training environment. (Diploma awarded at the end of
the course.)
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The heart of Tréport cuisine
An incredibly rich fishing region, fish, of course, has
an important place in our culinary art. Come and
enjoy our local specialties, brought fresh to your
plate by Tréport fishermen. Our food is based around
locally-caught sole, plaice, dab fish and the traditional
fresh herring.
Tréport fishmongers
Fish and shell fish are caught and sold as soon as
they are landed either in Tréport fishmongers or the
landing quays, and can also be bought every day
of the year in the town fish market. This was built in
1934 and considerably updated in 1997, in order to
conform to European regulations. It has become an
important part of town life, its liveliness reflecting the
dynamism of Tréport town.
The Cockle Shell Festival
The Firemen’s Benevolent Association organizes an
evening dance festival every year in the February
holidays with a cockle shell theme, the emblem of St.
James. (The famous Coquille St. Jacques of French
cuisine.)
The Mussel Fair
Whitsunday, (Pentecost) the town and a large
number of Tréport local groups organizes the great
mussel fair! About a ton of mussels are served up in
a friendly atmosphere, the whole enlivened by invited
musicians!
Mackerel
Tréport Festival Association organizes the mackerel
festival. It is held on the beach esplanade in August.
The Herring Fair
In and around November of each year, the herring is
king of the catch. Whichever way you cook it – grilled
or marinated – a fresh herring is delicious!
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The old funicular railway
First put into service June 1st 1902, the Tréport
electric tramway ran a regular service between the
town of Eu and Tréport seaside resort. The Tramway
research group, based at Mesnil-Val, was unable
to complete the projected second line because of
the marked unevenness in one of the main streets.
They decided instead to construct a funicular railway
linking the seaside with the top of the cliff, serving
the prestigious Le Trianon Hotel and its high society
clientele. Work started in 1907 and was finished just
18 months later. Incredibly, it took only 2 months
work with men using just pickaxes to excavate the
two tunnels! The lower funicular halt is decorated with
ceramics and resembles the Paris metro stations.
The tunnel entrance carries the illusion still further,
with its red and white brick frontage. The line was
inaugurated on July 1st 1908, by the Count and
Countess of Eu. They were soon followed by more
than 2000 visitors who bought the first return tickets
on the funicular railway. Those first trips transported
48 passengers at a time in 2 railway cars of varnished
wood and weighing 6 tons each.
The railway was only used during the summer
months and was expensive in terms of personnel
needed for its upkeep, thus becoming financially
unviable. It was functional until its requisition by the
Germans in the Second World War, but never again
saw service after the war ended. Years passed and
the end of the 1950’s saw a new idea come into being
– instead of a funicular railway, a single lined aerial
cable car equipped with 10 two-seater gondolas and
using the two tunnels. The owner was forced to close
at the end of the 1970’s because the violent gusts of
wind hitting the sea front and cliffs forced the frequent
closure of the aerial cable route. The town bought the
site in 1992.
The funicular railway
This town transport works nowadays as an inclined
lift system, but we still call it our funicular railway in
memory of the past. The halt at the top has a two
storey underground parking area, equipped with a lift.
The beautiful terrace gives a panoramic viewpoint.
The lower halt is simpler in design and is set among
local shops. It is free and with a quick call, available
at any time
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Cliffs
Cliff steps
The Trianon Hotel was constructed at the turn of the
last century and overlooks the town from its cliff top
perch. It had 300 rooms, a garden in the French style
and a tennis court. During the First World War, it was
transformed into a hospital for the British wounded on
the Somme. Today, nothing remains of this wonderful
edifice except the stone steps which the town council
hopes one day to restore to its former glory.
At more than 100 m in altitude, at the very top of the
steps, a map chart will help you orient your position
and, in good weather, enjoy the remarkable panoramic
view over the Ailly Cape situated south of Dieppe to
the Somme Bay, 30 km to the north. Two flights of
steps will take you to the terraces and the magnificent
view. Count the steps – going up, if you have the
breath, going down if you haven’t! Apparently, the
number of steps equal the days in the year !
The white cliffs
The Alabaster Coast white cliffs are more than 80
million years old. They reach a height of more than 100
m and stretch over 140 km from the Somme Bay to the
Seine estuary.
Created by marine sediment, the chalk cliffs are slowly
showing the effects of coastal erosion. Depending on
the area, they are diminishing at the rate of 0.10 m to
0.20 m a year, due to rock fragility and fracture zones.
Once fallen to the beach, the chalky flint is subject
to abrasion and crushing by sea impact. The pieces
become shingle after 6 months to a year.
They are now the pride of the Seine-Maritime region
and an essential site for tourists.
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Natural histor y
The flint shingles
The beach
The shingle that forms the coastline is a natural
barrier against the direct impact of the sea against
the cliff foot. Shingles have had many usages over
the centuries: as construction material, munitions in
war, additives for porcelain manufacture and crushing
tools. Normandy’s beaches are the only places in the
world where flint shingle of such high quality (99%
silica) is found in such abundance. Its exploitation
developed properly at the end of the 19th century,
providing work for many inhabitants in Tréport. This
economy collapsed at the end of the 1970’s, due
to concerns from ecologists and nature protection
societies worried about environmental damage.
With over 800m of shingle beach, the sand is only
revealed at low tide. The water has been passed as
safe to bathe and the beach is supervised during July
and August.
Amusement areas: beach library in summer, children’s
garden, beach huts, bowl players and picnic area for
relaxation and enjoyment.
Beach club: Exhibitions and entertainments room.
The exterior theatre is transformed into an open-air
dance hall each evening in summer.
The Fitness Route
An especially designed route of 2 km for testing your
fitness. Equipped with 26 wooden apparatus structures
for everyone to use and suitable for all ages and types.
We recommend you follow each stage as programmed,
in order to benefit from warm-up sessions and resting
phases.
St. Croix Park marshes
This wetland area is at the moment in the process
of becoming a protected area. There are many plant
species and their characteristics and history are
explained in the plant guide.
The Lakes Path
A 17 km path that leaves from Tréport and goes
through Eu town and runs by the side of the Bresle
River. You will arrive at the Longroy-Gamaches lakes
- a natural, harmonious paradise of fishing and water
sports.
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Historical note
Town history
St. Michael’s Abbey was built by Count Robert 1st of
Eu and his wife Beatrix in 1036 and is dedicated to
the archangel Michael. It was designed to reflect its
more famous namesake to the west, Mont St. Michel
Abbey facing Brittany and Picardy and under the
protectorate of the Duchy of Normandy. Around 1101,
Count Henry 1st of Eu diverted the course of the river
Bresle in order to develop port access, but the venture
failed and it silted up. Tréport, between the 14th and
16th centuries, was burnt, pillaged and sacked on
numerous occasions by the English armies.
The Count of Artois, in 1460, had a canal constructed,
but this too silted up around 1483. Francis 1st of
Clèves, his son, ordered the construction of wharfs,
the port harbour and a wooden jetty. He also built a
large sandstone tower, situated at the foot of the pier
head for the town’s defense.
St. Jacques (James) church was built and finished at
the end of the 16th century. The well-loved Duke of
Penthièvre, Count of Eu had a lock put in place for
hunting wild fowl and to prevent the port, which was
constructed in 1776, from being inundated. A navigable
waterway between Eu and Le Tréport was started, but
not completed.
1756 saw the town officially granted its municipal
independence and awarded its coat of arms:
Sequanae Inferioris Ulterior Portus or ‘Last port on the
lower Seine’. 1835 saw Victor Hugo writing one his
‘Contemplations’ letters here. Under Louis-Philippe of
Orléans, who, as the last king of France reigned from
1830 to 1848, the construction and enlargement of the
canal was undertaken, thus improving port conditions.
The course of Bresle River was also altered and the
canal and its towpath became a means of commercial
transportation between Tréport and Eu. The Orléans
Pavilion, the most splendid villa on the sea front was
visited by Queen Victoria in 1843 and 1845. Seaside
bathing and excursion trains - Tréport became the
fashionable seaside resort for Parisians.
St. Michael’s Abbey
Built on the site of St. James’s church, it was at its
most glorious until the 14th century. Attacked by the
English on frequent occasions, it also suffered in the
religious wars of the 16th century. The 17th century
saw a period of peace and its eventual collapse into
ruin was during the Revolution. The remains were
saved by Alexandre Papin, Mayor of Tréport in the
19th century.
A remaining buttress wall of this ancient abbey can be
seen in the back courtyard of Brossolette School.
St. Jacques (James) Church
The church, built in 1362, suffered considerably during
the Hundred Years War waged between France and
England (1337-1453). 43 m in length, 15 m wide and 15
m in height, it was restored in 1699 and dominates the
town of Tréport.
St. Jacques Church really should be a ‘must see’ during
your visit. This beautiful structure has a façade laid
out in a chessboard pattern – an effect created by the
use of white Caen stone and flint – a gothic tower, a
Renaissance entry with a subtly decorated tympanum
above and superb hanging keystones in the interior, the
highest being 3,80 m.
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The Tourist Tra
St. Julien Chapel
Granite Cross
Built in the 14th century for use by the neighbouring
hospital, it possesses one of the oldest single pedicle
baptismal fonts from the 12th century. The font is
constructed from shale and decorated with human
images.
This is a commemorative cross erected after a Plague
epidemic in 1618. King Louis-Philippe had it restored
and it bears the emblems of the Orléans House of
France.
The Old Town Hall
Presbytery
Built in 1882, the old town hall has a beautiful flint
and brick frontage and an arch dating from the 16th
century. There is also a pepper pot tower from the
19th century. The town’s Croix de Guerre with bronze
star is on display here – it was awarded in 1950 for
bravery and resistance in WW2.
Renaissance in appearance, but dating from the
Middle Ages, this lovely building has a statue of
the Manneken-Pis reminding the visitor of the more
famous depiction in Brussels.
Virgin Mary statue in Place
Notre-Dame
Old Market
A gathering place for centuries, her origin is unknown.
Some think she was fished from the sea in nets,
others say she came from the old St. Michael’s Abbey.
This magnificent structure with its splendid carpentry
was built after the First World War by Charles Duprey,
himself wounded in that war. The building will soon be
home to the multimedia library.
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The Tourist Tra
Calvary Sculptures
The Terraces Calvary, erected in 1887, was removed
to the church square during the German occupation
and raised manually to its cliff top place in 1948.
Commonwealth War Graves
On the Dieppe road (D 940): 448 graves from 1945:
British, Canadian, Australian, Indian, German and
New Zealand.
On the Mesnil Sorel road (D126): 2349 graves from
1945: British, Australian, Canadian, Indian, New
Zealand, South African, Belgium and German.
Wall Fresco
This is a huge fresco of 30 m divided into 4 sections
and put in place by the town council along the tourist
trail. It is situated in the parking area next to the Old
Tréport Museum and traces the history of the town
in its full glory, from the original funicular railway, the
bathers, life at sea and the image of an old fisherman.
The Sailors Calvary was, for a long time, one of the
most striking on the French coastline. It is the work of
Franconville, an ironsmith from Eu and was crafted in
1846 and installed in the Place de Poissonnerie.
Kalhburg emplacement
Dug out of the chalk cliffs by prisoners-of-war,
Tréport inhabitants and German soldiers in 1942,
it was used for housing the most important heavy
artillery battery used in the defense of the Ault
to Tréport sector. This anti-aircraft shelter was
built from bricks and has 270 m of tunnel and 32
rooms. Openings can still be seen in the cliff face.
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Sites to see
Museum of Old Tréport
The museum presents the history of Tréport and is
laid out over three floors in the old prison and the old
town hall. Discover the story of St. Michael’s Abbey,
the funicular railway and the shingle gatherers – the
last people in the world to use the horse in this ancient
trade. Traditional costumes and model ships evoke
the sea, its people and trades – an old fish cart or the
unusual collection of sailors’ hand-painted bags.
The start of a flourishing seaside resort is represented
by a beach scene from the 1900’s and the swimming
wear of that era.
Be careful though, because anyone making too
much noise…. This is still an old prison and cells are
available!
Glass and Sea Gallery
The Frédéric Marey Workshop
A unique workshop and gallery tucked between the
cliffs and the sea, where glass meets fire in the hands
of its creator. A craft fair of glass pearls, modeled
using the intensity of fire.
Jewels fashioned from glass - Contemporary-style
pearls – Small collections – Original creations
– Thermally moulded glass – Workshop technical
training and improvement.
The Line fishers quarter
These houses, 2 to 3 stories high, all in a row and
huddled together, were built at the foot of the cliff and
possess a style all of their own. They were built with
magnificent bow windows and forged iron balconies
and were home to Tréport fishermen who were too
poor to go out net fishing. Instead, they used long
hooked lines baited with sandworms.
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WELCOME TO
Office de Tourisme Le Tréport***
quai Sadi Carnot
76470 LE TREPORT
Tél 00 33 (0)2 35 86 05 69 – Fax 00 33 (0)2 35 86 73 96
mail : [email protected]
www.ville-le-treport.fr
Rédaction O.T. Le Tréport / sauf erreurs typographiques / ne pas jeter sur la voie publique - Réalisation/Impression ICH Criel sur Mer 02 35 50 98 00