- History of Cherbourg
- Cherbourg nowadays
- What to visit in Cherbourg?
- Private car service from Paris airport to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Located in the beautiful Basse-Normandie region, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin is a recent town in northern France. Cherbourg is really attached to his story : book car service from Paris airport to Cherbourg.
History of Cherbourg
Since antiquity, Cherbourg was a fishing port Gallic. It was also a road map of Roman legions since Coriallo is mentioned on the Peutinger table. In 1503, under the impetus of William the Conqueror, the city became one of the important places of the duchy to receive a life annuity allocated to help a hundred poor. Thus, hamlets and farms became a village. During the Hundred Years War, it became a fortress. Especially since she changed owner six times at that time.
A strategic place during the wars between the kingdom of France and England
It has always had a strategic place during the wars between the kingdom of France and England with one of the strongest castles in the world according to Froissart. In the 15th century, the city was besieged many times by the English before being definitively attached to France. Cherbourg has always been considered a military and commercial port. The new trading area was laid out in 1769 and inaugurated in 1775. In 1786, Louis XVI visited the site of the sea dike, an artificial defense that is one of the most remarkable military architecture complexes in Europe. However, the events of the French Revolution did not have much impact on the activities of the city except that some neighborhoods such as Pelee Island had to accommodate political prisoners.
A maritime prefecture and a chief town of the Manche district
In 1811, Napoleon also made Cherbourg a maritime prefecture and a chief town of the Manche district. In 1858 he also visited the first railway convoy. At that time, the construction of submarine was one of the activities of the inhabitants. One of the highlights of the city is the Titanic stopover in 1912. After the first world war, Cherbourg took advantage of the development of the port and the multiplication of lines to the United States: the transatlantic station, a masterpiece of Art Deco, is inaugurated in 1933.
The first port in the world in 1944
During the second world war, Cherbourg is a historic place since it was a strategic point of occupation and liberation. In 1940, the Germans landed in the city and occupied it until 1944. The Battle of Cherbourg is an episode of the Battle of Normandy. The war ravaged the city, but it was returned to France by the Americans on October 14, 1945. The reconstruction took time despite the fact that Cherbourg became the first port in the world in 1944. With the “glorious thirties”, Cherbourg and Octeville develop and merge in 2000. For your travels in the city, do not hesitate to ask us a car service.
Cherbourg nowadays
Cherbourg is a maritime city with four ports that are intended for fishing, trade, pleasure and military. It is a city where life is good. With the merger of the towns of Cherbourg and Octeville on March 1, 2000, a new commune Cherbourg-en-Cotentin was created in 2016. Cherbourg-Octeville became common delegate of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. Currently, it is a city of the future which wishes to develop the blue energies. Indeed, the municipality is also concerned about ecology with its policy for the environment and sustainable development.
It is a dynamic city which multiplies the international exchanges including the exchanges beyond the sleeve. It has various quality universities such as the Cherbourg-Manche University Institute of Technology and the branches of the University of Caen, also based in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. Not only, it has a remarkable natural heritage with parks and gardens with surprising diversity of plants with tropical accents but it also holds a jealously preserved historical heritage. In addition to services for trains in Paris train stations, we can also take you to the city of Cherbourg.
What to visit in Cherbourg?
Cherbourg is a tourist town. You can visit sites and monuments such as Cherbourg salmon gardens, the manor house or go for a walk in the bay of Cherbourg.
The City of the Sea
The Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg is an essential tourist site dedicated to the adventure of man under the sea. Built in 2002 in the former Transatlantique Maritime Station, a prestigious Art Deco building, it is a real oceanographic museum. The park offers various spaces and attractions. When visiting the Titanic, Back to Cherbourg space, you can travel back in time and relive life in this legendary liner. With the same rate, you can also visit the submarine Le Redoutable and see the different places of life of the submariners. Other attractions are at your disposal like “We walked under the sea” or “Ocean of the Future”.
Castle of Ravalet
Castle of Ravalet is both a park and a castle in the Renaissance style made of blue schist with its molded doors and dormers scrolls. It was renovated by René de Tocqueville in 1872 and since then the estate covers eighteen hectares. It includes /
- ponds,
- a cave,
- a rotunda greenhouse,
- flowerbeds,
- water features and French gardens.
Ideal place for walks, especially as it opens its doors every day, all year long.
The Redoutable
It is the first French atomic submarine also known as nuclear submarine launcher. It was launched on March 29, 1967 by General de Gaulle himself. A 9,500-ton, 128-meter-long steel giant has become a ship / museum since 1996. It has been disarmed and denuclearized. So, you can visit it. An audioguided tour on board is offered. You can discover the engine room, the command post, the cafeteria, the crew room and officers and the torpedo room.
Thomas Henry Museum
With its collections of works of art, the Thomas Henry Museum is classified as the third museum of fine arts in Normandy. Created by Thomas Henry in 1835, he bequeathed a party to the city. It benefits from the name Museum of France and is even nicknamed the “Small Louvre”. It includes an exceptional collection of three hundred paintings and sculptures from the 15th to the 20th century, including works by Fra Angelico, Lippi, Jordaens, Chardin, Poussin, David and Signac.
Military Port of Cherbourg
The arsenal of Cherbourg consists of the military port and the direction of shipbuilding specialized in the construction and reception of submarines. It was built in the 1780s and was able to protect the city from English attacks. During a walk, you will have the pleasure of discovering the whole harbor of Cherbourg. If you are traveling with your family, contact us to reserve one of our vehicles for 8 people.
Private car service from Paris airport to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin is a town with magnificent maritime environment just across the Channel and England. It is 39 km from the Airborne Museum and only 30 km from the Gatteville Lighthouse. It should also be remembered that it is 375 km from CDG Airport and 117 km from Caen Airport.