Cherbourg (France)

Cherbourg-Octeville is a major port city in France, located at Cotentin peninsula's northern end, and in the northwestern department of Manche. It is a subprefecture of the department, and was formed when the former commune absorbed Octeville on February 28, 2000. On January 1, 2016 Cherbourg was merged into the newly formed commune of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. Cherbourg is also an important fishing, military and cargo port. It features the world's largest man-made harbour and also has an yacht marina.

The city of Cherbourg is a subprefecture and Maritime prefecture of La Manche. Due to its union, it's the most populated in its department - with around 37,000 inhabitants, ranking it the region's second - following Caen.

The port is protected by Cherbourg Harbour, located between La Hague and Val de Saire. Over the centuries, the town has been a strategic position disputed between France and England. It became a first-rate military port under the leadership of Louis XVI (1754-1793) and Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Cherbourg holds an arsenal of the French Navy. Stopping point for major Transatlantic liners in the first half of 20th century, the port was primary goal of US troops in 1944 during the invasion of Normandy.

Cherbourg is established on the probable location of the Roman camp of Coriallum. In 1295, the settlement was sacked by the English, but withstood several of their sieges during the next two centuries. In the 17th century were were initiated projects for improvements and fortification of the harbor.

The town was captured by the British in 1758, and its port facilities were completely destroyed. In the 1770s they were restored in a long-term project and completed in the middle of the 19th century. During WW2 (1939-1945), Cherbourg was occupied by the Germans (in 1940) and suffered heavy damage while being recaptured by the Allies in 1944.

From Cherbourg, cruise passengers can visit Arromaches, Normandy Beaches, Mont Saint Michel.

Cherbourg cruise terminal