In the past, Dieppe was but a village in Normandy. The development of its harbour, which is open to the Atlantic ocean, transformed it into a thriving city and one of the most important French ports. In the early XVIIth century, Dieppe was a center of trade with New France. Four other ports are generally associated with the history of exploration, immigration and trade between France and Canada: Saint-Malo, Honfleur, Rochefort and La Rochelle.