The artificial harbour, an invaluable asset
It was Napoleon 1st who ordered the gigantic works of the military port of Cherbourg and, grateful, the people of Cherbourg would have almost called their city Napoleonbourg!
In the absence of its name, Napoleon left the city the second largest artificial harbor in the world with 4 kilometers of dyke over 1500 hectares and a dozen forts.
A colossal work.
To discover
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Built to counter the hereditary English enemy, the harbor was an invaluable asset for Cherbourg and its development.
During the Belle Époque, in its waters thus protected from the vagaries of the sea and accessible at all times, the great legendary ocean liners could drop their anchors in complete safety.
Four days before its sinking, the Titanic had stopped here and embarked 281 passengers before sailing to Belfast!
Our advice
An original way to discover the harbor and its forts is to take a sea trip with a guided tour aboard the Adèle with the company Hague à Part.
Rotating Bridge, 50100 Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, 06 61 14 03 32, hagueapart.com.
Prices: €14.60 per person / duration 1 hour.
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The Transatlantic ferry terminal and the Cité de la Mer
The Cité de la mer notably houses the highest aquarium in Europe.
Adobe Stock / giumas
A jewel of Art Deco style, the old station faces the harbor and dominates the sea like a cathedral.
The Queen Mary and the Queen Elisabeth docked here every two weeks.
Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor, Salvador Dali… All the big stars of the time passed through this station.
In the 20th century, it was one of the most important transatlantic complexes in the world and Cherbourg, a few hours from Paris by train, was the gateway to the Americas.
Today, the elegant monument built by André Levavasseur in 1933 houses the Cité de la Mer, one of the finest oceanographic museums in France.
An immersive and educational journey called the Ocean of the Future awaits the visitor on three floors around an abyssal aquarium with a depth of 10.70 m, the highest in Europe, all accompanied by the song of whales.
18 interactive spaces and 17 aquariums allow you to explore the ocean to its very depths.
Our advice
Different thematic spaces are offered at the Cité de la Mer: The Ocean of the Future to explore the seabed, the Le Redoutable submarine or even the Titanic Space.
Alley of President Menut, 50100 Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.
Phone.
: 02 33 20 26 69, citedelamer.com.
Prices: €19 per person.
Read alsoMiraculous dive into the ocean of the future at the Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg
The streets of the
Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Sometimes umbrella arbors adorn the streets of Cherbourg.
Adobe Stock / JuliaM
The pedestrian streets of the city center are the historical traces of Cherbourg from the Middle Ages.
The rue des Portes, the most commercial, linked the town to the entrance of the medieval fortress which had disappeared since the 17th century, while the rue des Fossés served as a dump that the tides cleaned up.
From time to time, umbrella arbors, a symbol of the city since Jacques Demy's cult film
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,
decorate these streets like garlands.
At number 18 rue des Portes, don't miss the passage that leads to the Cour Marie.
In
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
, Guy (Nino Castelnuovo) the hero of the film lived in the courtyard with his aunt Elise.
Going up the rue des Fossés, we reach the Rue du Port where several scenes were shot in the umbrella store, run by Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve) and her mother, which nowadays is a fabric store...
Our advice
For fans of the film, a route “In the footsteps of Jacques Demy” in ten stops set up by the city allows you to see the main filming locations.
Information from the Cherbourg tourist office.
14, quai Alexandre III.
Phone.
: 02 33 93 52 02.
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The Golden Theater, symbol of the city
The Italian theater of Cherbourg, known as the "Théâtre d'Or".
Wikimedia Commons
The Théâtre d'Or takes its nickname from the substantial budget allocated for its construction.
In the heart of the city, the Italian theater is imposing with its sculptures on the facade and its eclectic style, between Classic and Renaissance.
Built in 1881 by the Parisian architect Charles de Lalande at a time when Cherbourg was experiencing its golden age, the theater is today considered the symbol of the city's success and a fine example of a superbly Italian style theatre. preserved in its own juice.
The U-shaped auditorium, balconies and boxes are lavishly decorated in gold and crimson red, a color that must have matched the ladies' toilets of the time.
The paintings made by the orientalist Georges Clairin, known for having decorated the foyers of the Opéra Garnier,
Our advice
The Cherbourg tourist office organizes guided tours inside the theatre.
Price: €4.
14, quai Alexandre III.
02 33 93 52 02.
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Emmanuel Liais Park
The Emmanuel Liais park is perhaps the most appreciated by the people of Cherbourg.
Wikimedia Commons
The Gulf Stream, an oceanic and temperate current, has enabled Cherbourg to perpetuate a botanical tradition that dates back to the 19th century, when sailors and explorers brought back exotic plants from their distant voyages.
The city now has five exceptional parks, two of which have the "remarkable" and "eco-garden" labels, such as that of Emmanuel Liais, the most popular with the people of Cherbourg.
Japanese azaleas, despairing monkeys, bird of paradise, Brazilian gunnera, century-old cypress… more than a thousand species of trees and exotic plants cohabit and abound in the garden of the former residence of Emmanuel Liais (1826-1900), botanist, explorer and mayor of Cherbourg.
Upon his death, Emmanuel Liais bequeathed everything to his city, and his home now houses a museum.
Our advice
Rue Emmanuel Liais, 50100 Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, 02 33 53 51 61, Open every day without interruption, free entry.
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GO
By train
Paris-Saint-Lazare - Cherbourg, several trains a day.
The trip takes about 3 hours 20 minutes.
By car
Paris-Cherbourg, about 3h45 by road, 363 km.
More information
Cherbourg Tourist Office, Quai Alexandre III.
Phone.
: 02 33 93 52 02, encotentin.fr/cherbourg
