The Gobes

The Gobes, in Dieppe

The Gobes designate old quarries dug into the chalk cliff of Dieppe, witnesses of the exploitation of the subsoil. The Dieppe audio-guided tour stops here to evoke these unusual cavities of the Côte d'Albâtre, vestiges of a past of extraction and geological curiosity of the town.

The old quarries of the cliff

Have you already heard of the gobes? For those who would give their tongue to the cat, this term designates old quarries dug on the side of the cliff, in the white chalk that characterises the Côte d'Albâtre. This Norman coast indeed owes its name to its spectacular chalk cliffs of a dazzling white, that stretch over kilometres facing the Channel. For centuries, the inhabitants exploited this chalk and the flint that it contains, digging in the rock galleries and cavities, the gobes, to extract the materials useful for construction and various uses. These excavations, sometimes impressive, testify to the close link between the town and its cliff, at once a natural rampart, a resource and an identity element of the landscape. Over time, these old quarries have taken on an unusual and mysterious character, and are part of the little-known heritage of Dieppe. They recall that the cliff, far from being only a scenery, has shaped the life and the economy of the region. A geological curiosity and a vestige of a past of extraction, the Gobes is an intriguing stop of the discovery of Dieppe.

What to see

Here you discover the old quarries dug on the side of the cliff in the white chalk of the Côte d'Albâtre, these unusual cavities called gobes, from which the inhabitants extracted for centuries the chalk and the flint useful for construction, witnesses of the close link between the town and its cliff, at once a natural rampart and a resource, with a mysterious character. The Gobes is a curiosity of Dieppe. It is an intriguing stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Gobes is old quarries dug into the cliff that borders Dieppe, on the Côte d'Albâtre. The surroundings of the cliffs are reachable on foot, but caution is required near the edge and the cavities, which may be unstable or closed to access. It is best to inquire and to respect the safety instructions.

What are the gobes in Dieppe?

Old quarries dug on the side of the cliff, in the white chalk that characterises the Côte d'Albâtre; for centuries, the inhabitants extracted there the chalk and the flint useful for construction, digging these unusual cavities that testify to the close link between Dieppe and its cliff, at once a natural rampart and a resource.

Where is the Gobes in Dieppe?

In the cliff that borders Dieppe, on the Côte d'Albâtre, in France.