The first sizeable community west of Dieppe is ST-VALÉRY-EN-CAUX, a rebuilt town which is the clearest reminder of the fighting – and massive destruction – of the Allied retreat of 1940. A monument on the western cliffs pays tribute to the French cavalry division who faced Rommel's tanks on horseback, brandishing their sabres with hopeless heroism, while beside the ruins of a German artillery emplacement on the opposite cliffs another commemorates a Scottish division, rounded up while fighting their way back to Le Havre and the boats home.Much the most attractive house to survive in St-Valéry, the Renaissance Maison Henri-IV on the quai d'Aval, serves as the tourist office (May to mid-Sept daily 10am–1pm & 3–7pm; mid-Sept to April daily 10am–12.30pm & 2.30–6.30pm; tel 02.35.97.00.63). The Terrasses, 22 rue le Perrey (tel 02.35.97.11.22; €30–40; closed Christmas & Jan), is the only hotel-restaurant actually facing the sea – en-suite rooms cost almost double those without shower or bath – but several others surround the main market square. In high season the 149 comfortable if characterless rooms of the Relais Mercure, 500m back from the seafront at 14 av Clémenceau (tel 02.35.57.88.00; €55–70), can be a godsend. There are also two campsites: the large four-star D'Etennemare (tel 02.35.97.15.79), set back from the sea southwest of the harbour and open year round, and the two-star Falaise d'Amont (tel 02.35.97.05.07; closed mid-Oct to mid-March), on the eastern cliffs. The Restaurant du Port, overlooking the harbour at 18 quai d'Amont (tel 02.35.97.08.93; closed Sun evening & Mon in low season), serves a delicious €19 seafood menu. Alternate spellings:: France, St-Valéry-en-Caux, St-Valéry-en-Caux, St-Valery-en-Caux
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