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Cherbourg, France
Cherbourg, France © Thbz/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0
Cherbourg, France © HaguardDuNord/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 3.0Cherbourg, France
Cherbourg is a port town at the north end of the Cotentin Peninsula in Lower Normandy, France.
Cherbourg is located near the D-Day beaches where Allied forces landed in 1944 during World War II. The town was liberated by American troops shortly after that.
Location
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin is located at the northern tip of the Cotentin Peninsula, in the department of Manche, of which it is a subprefecture. Cherbourg is situated at the mouth of the Divette (fr) and at the south of the bay between Cap Lévi (fr) to the east and Cap de La Hague to the west, Cherbourg-Octeville is 120 km (75 mi) from the English coast.
Cherbourg and Octeville-sur-Cherbourg once belonged to the deanery of La Hague, delimited by the Divette. In 1786, a part of Equeurdreville joined Cherbourg, during the... Read more
Destination:Cherbourg, FranceCherbourg is a port town at the north end of the Cotentin Peninsula in Lower Normandy, France.
Cherbourg is located near the D-Day beaches where Allied forces landed in 1944 during World War II. The town was liberated by American troops shortly after that.
Location
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin is located at the northern tip of the Cotentin Peninsula, in the department of Manche, of which it is a subprefecture. Cherbourg is situated at the mouth of the Divette (fr) and at the south of the bay between Cap Lévi (fr) to the east and Cap de La Hague to the west, Cherbourg-Octeville is 120 km (75 mi) from the English coast.
Cherbourg and Octeville-sur-Cherbourg once belonged to the deanery of La Hague, delimited by the Divette. In 1786, a part of Equeurdreville joined Cherbourg, during the construction of the port, and then in 1802, a portion of Octeville. Since 1811, the "mielles" [dunes] of Tourlaville, a commune of the deanery of Saire, are integrated into the Cherbourg territory known as the quarter of Val-de-Saire where the Pasteur Hospital (fr) and the Saint-Clement Church were built. Thus, Cherbourg-Octeville lies both in La Hague and in the Val de Saire.
Like all Chantereyne and the area of the Mielles, the Cherbourg territory was reclaimed from the sea. Built at the level of the sea, the town developed at the foot of the Roule mountain (highest point of the old town) and la Fauconnière. Octeville is a former rural municipality, composed of hamlets, whose settlement extended from the 19th century and whose territory is highly urbanized since 1950, especially around the ZUP (fr) of the Provinces and the University campus.
The bordering communes are Tourlaville to the east, Équeurdreville-Hainneville to the west, La Glacerie to the south and southeast, Martinvast to the south, and Nouainville and Sideville to the south-west.Climate
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin has a temperate oceanic climate. Its maritime character causes high humidity (84%) and strong sea wind, commonly stormy but also low seasonal variations of temperature and few days of frost (7.3). The combined effect of the wind and the tides can generate a rapid change of weather in a single day, with sun and rain which can be a few hours apart.
The influence of the Gulf Stream and the mildness of the winter allow the naturalization of many Mediterranean and exotic plants (mimosas, palms, agaves, etc.) which are present in the public and private gardens of the city, despite average insolation. The climate is similar to areas much further north in Britain and Ireland due to extreme moderation. Summers are far cooler than expected by French standards.
Source:https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Cherbourg
Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0Cherbourg, France: Port Information
The cruise terminal building is magnificent and impressive. There you can find tourist information, a souvenir shop, free tasting of local delicacies, and more.
Shuttle buses are available. However, it is just a 15-minute walk to the city center. So, if the weather is beautiful, take a pleasant walk.Get around Cherbourg, France
A decent enough network of buses runs round the town, but everything can be reached by foot.What to see in Cherbourg, France
- Musée de la Libération, Montée des Résistants. Even if you don't go into the museum (or it is closed), the hill offers great views over Cherbourg.
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La Cité de la Mer
(at the inner harbor entrance next to the Port, about 10 minutes walk from the old town along the east side of the harbor). An interesting maritime museum situated in the restored trans-Atlantic ship terminal. Visitors can explore an aquarium, an ocean diving exhibit, exhibits about the Titanic (which made one of its last stops at these docks) and a French nuclear submarine. - Château des Ravalet, Avenue de Château des Ravalet, Tourlaville (probably requires a car to get to). The picturesque château is only opened occasionally, however, the rambling gardens are open daily and free to access. It is a popular place for picnics and has a café that is sometimes open.
- 13 Rue du Port. The 1964 French musical film Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, starring Catherine Deneuve, was filmed in Cherbourg. The front of the umbrella store used in the film is preserved at 13 Rue du Port. The sign over the door still says Les Parapluies de Cherbourg.
What to do in Cherbourg, France
- Go sightseeing
- Get acquainted with the eventful history of the city
- Take a tour of the city's museums
- Stroll through the Parc Emmanuel Liais, Jardin public de Cherbourg, Jardin Montebello, etc.
- Enjoy a tasting in Cidrerie-Distillerie Theo Capelle
- Visit festivals, and more
What to eat and drink in Cherbourg, France
- Cafe du Port, 20 Quai de Caligny. All-day dining close to the water.
- Fifty's Diner, Place du General de Gaulle. Popular diner (with mostly French dishes) overlooking a square and the theatre.
There are numerous other restaurants in the streets and squares of the old town and along the quay.
Shopping in Cherbourg, France
- Carrefour supermarket, Quai de l'Entrepôt (opposite the train station, next to the end of the harbor). The mall has a large Carrefour supermarket, which includes a large range of bread, cheese, and Bordeaux wine.
Safety in Cherbourg, France
France is a pretty safe country, and Normandy doesn't have any big cities with no-go areas, although as in any place, you should stick to a few obvious rules.
If in trouble, speak to a policeman (Policier or Gendarme) or go to a police station (Comissariat) where you will be given help.
Emergency phone numbers are:- 15 for ambulances
- 17 for police
- 18 for fire service (who also serve as ambulances and deal with issues such as gas leaks, traffic collisions, etc...)
Language spoken in Cherbourg, France
French is the official language, and all the locals will speak it. Some may use some non-standard expression, but most will make the effort not to use them if you are foreign.
Local expressions you might encounter are 'Tantôt' (Soon), meaning either this morning, this afternoon, tomorrow morning/afternoon or yesterday morning/afternoon, depending on the speaker, so ask for details. As Normandy is a premium tourist destination, many of the younger people will speak English and will be willing to speak it. Spanish, Italian, and German are also quite widely studied at school.
Although there are Norman languages, they are mostly dying out, and the speakers will also speak French. You may also meet the occasional speaker of the neighboring regions' local languages, such as Breton or Picard, but in any case, a stranger would address you only in French (or maybe English if you were in a tourist area).
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