Cherbourg

Cherbourg is a city in France, a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in northwestern France. It was formed when the city of Cherbourg absorbed Octeville on February 28, 2000, and was officially renamed Cherbourg-Octeville. Cherbourg holds an arsenal of the French Navy. Cherbourg-Octeville is situated at the north of the Cotentin Peninsula. It is in the Manche département (of which it is the sous-préfecture) in the Basse-Normandie (Lower-Normandy) region. At the time of the 1999 census the city of Cherbourg had an area of 6.91 km² (2.668 sq mi), while the city of Octeville had an area of 7.35 km² (2.838 sq mi). The amalgamated city today has an area of 14.26 km² (5.506 sq mi).

HISTORY OF CHERBOURG

Old Cherbourg is probable built on the site of the Roman camp of Coriallum, although no visible ruins remain. The name of Cherbourg first appeared in 1026 when Duke Richard II donated the castle to his future wife. Development of Cherbourg as a port was significantly aided following creation of the Anglo-Norman state in 1066 after William's victory at Hastings.

In 1204, the King of France, Philip-Auguste, took control of Normandy. Franco-English relations deteriorated and in 1295 the English carried out the first of many raids on Cherbourg, and set fire to the town. Only the castle held firm and it was later fortified several times. In 1337, the Hundred Years War began and Cherbourg became a strategic trump card with the town changing sovereign six times.

In 1563 and in 1574, the Protestants of Normandy, tried to capture Cherbourg but the town was victoriously defended by Jacques de Matignon whose descendants subsequently governed Cherbourg until the middle of the 18th century. In 1686, Vauban suggested important defence works but these were never completed. At that time, the harbour consisted of a natural lagoon where forty vessels could anchor but with no protection as shown by the aftermath of the 1692 battle known as the La Hougue.

From 1739 to 1744, on the orders of Louis XV, the town was given a commercial port that, in 1758, was entirely destroyed when the British again captured Cherbourg. These were restored in a long-term project begun in the 1770s and completed mid-19th century.

In 1940, the Germans occupied Cherbourg and developed the port as a base for U-boats - protected by massive concrete "pens". Allied bombing then, and later during its recapture in 1944 by the Allies, so essential for its port facilities for landing reinforcements and materiel, caused heavy damage.

More informations about the History of Cherbourg on the wikipedia:Cherbourg !

WHAT TO VISIT ?

Voeu's Abbey

The Former Military's Hospital

The "Rade" of Cherbourg

The Saint Trinité's Basilic

The Theater

The Public Garden

Thomas Henry's Art Museum

Emmanuel Liais' Garden

Napoleon 1st

More informations about the places to visit in Cherbourg on the wikitravel:Cherbourg or/and visit the Official Website of the Office of Tourism.

TIPS

Free Internet/Wifi Access

Here is a list of some places in Cherbourg where you can find some free Internet/Wifi access:

• Maison des quartiers Ouest - Adress: 33 rue de Bougainville - Tel: 02 33 94 58 59
• ASCAQ - Adress: 3 rue de Strasbourg - Tel: 02 33 44 38 73
• MJC La Brèche - Adress: 1,rue du Neufbourg - Tel: 02.33.44.86.04
• MJC La Brèche - Adress: 1,rue du Neufbourg - Tel: 02.33.44.86.04
• MEF - Maison de l'Emploi et de la Formation - Adress: 1 Rue d’Anjou, BP 81 50130 CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE - Tel: 02 33 01 64 64
• Village des enfants - Adress: 6, rue Victor Hugo - Tel: 02 33 53 48 14

Nice & Cheap Places to Eat

Nightlife

COUCHSURFERS

There are about 50 Couchsurfers in Cherbourg and its area. You can check the CS Group of Cherbourg or simply a couchsearch to find and contact them.

Meetings

There are sometimes some meetings organised in Cherbourg, just check the CS Group of Cherbourg to see what happen in the city and/or the Regional CS Group of Basse Normandie (Lower Normandy) to see if there is any event in the area.

Coffee or a Drink

Here is a list of persons who are ready to have a drink with you and/or show you the city:

Matthieu, Laurence, Bruno

TRANSPORTATIONS

How to get to Cherbourg

• By Car:
  

Cherbourg is at the end of the N13 road from Paris and Caen.

• By Train:
  

The city's station is at the end of a railway line built by the Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest from Paris. Regular services operate to Paris-Saint-Lazare via Caen using Corail Intercites stock, local TER services operate from the station to Lisieux via Caen and to Rennes via Saint-Lô. As well as a main line station there was also the Gare Maritime Transatlantique station. This now forms part of the Cité de la mer.

• By Boot: Cherbourg-Octeville is a port on the English Channel with a number of regular passenger and freight ferry services operating from the large modern ferry terminal. The following operators currently run services from the port:
  • Brittany Ferries to Poole (up to 3 sailings daily during the winter, 5 in summer) and Portsmouth (up to 2 sailings daily, summer only).
  • Celtic Link to Rosslare (3 sailings weekly).
  • Irish Ferries to Rosslare (3 sailings weekly).
  • Condor Ferries to Portsmouth (1 sailing weekly in summer only).
  • Cherbourg-Octeville has previously had services operated by the following operators:-
  • Stena Line to Southampton (up to 2 sailings daily). Withdrawn in 1996.
  • P&O Ferries to Portsmouth (up to 2 sailings daily by conventional ferry and up to 3 by fast ferry during the summer). Withdrawn in 2005 following a business review.
  • P&O Irish Sea to Rosslare (up to 3 sailings weekly) and Dublin (weekends only during the summer). Dublin serice withdrawn in 2004 and Rosslare service sold top Celtic Link.
  • HD Ferries to Guernsey and Jersey. Operated in 2007 but cancelled in 2008 due to lack of customers.
    

In addition to ferry services the port also handles cruise ships at the Gare Maritime Transatlantique on the Quai de France next to the Cité de la mer and conventional cargo ships in the eastern area of the docks on the Quai des Flamands and Quai des Mielles.

Bus

Bicycles

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

• Police Station:
  

Police : 17
Gendarmerie Nationale : 02 33 88 74 10

• Health Urgency:
  

SAMU : 15

• Hospital:
  

Centre Hospitalier Louis Pasteur 46, rue du Val de Saire - Cherbourg-Octeville
Tel: 02.33.20.70.00 (Standard)
Polyclinique du Cotentin Avenue du Thivet - Equeurdreville-Hainneville
Tel: 02 33 78 50 50

• Fireman Station:
  

Pompiers: 18
Sea's Lifeguard: Marins Pompiers : 02 33 92 61 01

• Embassy:
• Emergency Doctor:
  

SOS Médecins: Tel: 0 820 33 22 24 or 02 33 01 58 58
Doctor available 24h/24h: tel: 02 33 20 76 90

LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS

This article is a stub. You can help by expanding it.wikitravel:Cherbourg

INTERESTED LINKS

• Regional CS Group: Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandie)
• City CS Group: Cherbourg

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• Cherbourg on Wikitravel
• Cherbourg on Hitchwiki
• Cherbourg on Wikipedia