Mairie déléguée de Biville-sur-Mer

Mairie déléguée de Biville-sur-Mer is the former town hall of Biville-sur-Mer, a village that is now part of Petit-Caux in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy. Biville-sur-Mer was an independent commune until 1 January 2016, when it merged with seventeen other former villages of the community of communes of Petit Caux into a single new commune, Petit-Caux. The old town hall now functions as a mairie déléguée, a local administrative office serving residents of this part of the merged commune.

Where is Biville-sur-Mer located?

The village sits on the English Channel coast, within the historic Pays de Caux region, roughly 13 kilometres northeast of Dieppe. This stretch of coastline is part of the Côte d'Albâtre, or Alabaster Coast, known for its sheer chalk cliffs that drop straight into the sea, cut through by narrow valleys called valleuses. Fishermen and farmers once used these valleuses as the only way down to the pebble beaches below. The village itself keeps the traditional Pays de Caux look: stone farmhouses under slate roofs, set among green hedge-lined pastures.

What is there to see around Biville-sur-Mer?

The village church, Église Saint-Remi, has parts dating back to the thirteenth century. It's a modest rural church, typical of the many parishes scattered across the Pays de Caux, but its age and quiet coastal setting make it worth a short stop for anyone interested in French rural architecture.

The Biville valley is also crossed by the famous GR21 trail, also known as the Sentier des Falaises (Cliff Path), which follows the entire Côte d'Albâtre between Le Tréport and Le Havre. This roughly 190-kilometre route was voted France's favourite hiking trail in 2020. The section running through the Biville-sur-Mer area delivers views over steep white cliffs, green valleys, and stone villages typical of the region — with plenty of climbing and descending through the valleuses along the way.

How do you get to Biville-sur-Mer and what can you do there?

Dieppe is the most convenient base, just a short drive along the coast road to reach Petit-Caux. In the village itself, the main draw is walking out to the cliffs and following one of the valleys down to a pebble beach, much like the rest of the Côte d'Albâtre. It particularly suits hikers looking for a quieter stretch of the GR21 away from the bigger seaside resorts, as well as visitors interested in rural Normandy architecture or in the recent history of French commune mergers, of which the creation of Petit-Caux is a fairly typical example.

There isn't much tourist infrastructure here — this is a quiet, unpolished piece of the Normandy coastline, appreciated by those seeking the raw cliff-and-valley landscape rather than crowded attractions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mairie déléguée de Biville-sur-Mer? It's the former town hall of Biville-sur-Mer, a village that merged with seventeen others in 2016 to form the new commune of Petit-Caux. It now serves as a local administrative office for residents of that part of the commune.

Where exactly is Biville-sur-Mer? On the English Channel coast in the Seine-Maritime department, about 13 kilometres northeast of Dieppe, within the Pays de Caux and the Côte d'Albâtre.

What can you see in Biville-sur-Mer? The Église Saint-Remi, with sections dating from the thirteenth century, and a stretch of the GR21 trail running through the Biville valley with cliff and coastal views.

Is Biville-sur-Mer still its own commune? No — since 1 January 2016 it has been a delegated commune within the new commune of Petit-Caux, formed from the merger of eighteen former communes.