Cherbourg-Octeville
Encyclopedia
Main sights
- La Glacerie has a race track.
- The Cité de la MerCité de la merThe Cité de la Mer is a maritime museum in Cherbourg, France.The museum is in the cruise terminal of Cherbourg. This monument was built in 1933; it is one of the bigger art-deco monuments of today....
is a large museum devoted to scientific and historical aspects of maritime subjects. - Cherbourg Basilicahttp://mk37.image.pbase.com/u45/dannyc/large/29336106.IMG_1560.jpg
- Jardin botanique de la Roche FauconnièreJardin botanique de la Roche FauconnièreThe Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière is a private botanical garden located in the Parc de la Fauconnière, Cherbourg-Octeville, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France. The garden was created in 1870 or 1873 by Alfred Favier and maintained by subsequent family members Léon Favier and Dr. Charles...
, a private botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
. - Le Trident theatre
- The Musée des beaux-arts Thomas Henry has a collection of over 300 paintings, founded on the original collection of Cherbourg native, Thomas HenryThomas Henry (patron of the arts)Bon-Thomas Henry, born in 1766, Cherbourg, France, where he died in 1836, was a French painter and patron of the arts.Henry began life as a merchant, travelling to Haiti until the revolution there. He returned to France and studied painting and particularly restoration with Jean-Baptiste Regnault...
.
Interesting facts
- Cherbourg is featured in Ken Follett's popular novel The Pillars of the EarthThe Pillars of the EarthThe Pillars of the Earth is a historical novel by Ken Follett published in 1989 about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. It is set in the middle of the 12th century, primarily during the Anarchy, between the time of the sinking of the White Ship and the...
as the hometown of Jacques Cherbourg, a Frenchman who is washed ashore in England during the European Middle Ages, only to be executed by the English authorities. In the story, Jacques has a son, Jack Jackson, who, as an adult, meets his father's family in Cherbourg while traveling in France. - Cherbourg is the location of the film "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg", where Madame Emery and her 17-year-old daughter Geneviève (Catherine DeneuveCatherine DeneuveCatherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
) sell umbrellas at their tiny boutique.
Rail
The city's stationGare de Cherbourg
Gare de Cherbourg is the railway station of the city of Cherbourg, France. It is the western terminus of the Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway....
is at the end of a railway line built by the Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest
Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest , often referred to simply as L'Ouest or Ouest, was an early French railway company.- Birth of the company :...
from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Regular services operate to Paris-Saint-Lazare via Caen
Gare de Caen
Caen, Gare de l'Ouest or Gare Calvados, is the main and now only station serving the city of Caen. The station stands on the main line from Paris to Cherbourg and although it mainly is an intercity station many regional trains use the station. Typical services link Caen to Lisieux, Evreux, Paris,...
using Corail
Corail (train)
Corail is the name given to a class of passenger rail cars of the SNCF that first entered commercial service in 1975. When introduced, Corail carriages featured air-conditioning, and superior levels of comfort, suspension and sound-proofing than previous InterCity carriages and gave arguably the...
Intercites stock, local TER
TER Basse Normandie
TER Basse-Normandie is the regional rail network serving Lower Normandy, France. Its network is articulated around the city of Caen.Trains are operated by the SNCF, services are subject to regulation by the Conseil Régional de Basse Normandie and are promoted using the TER branding...
services operate from the station to Lisieux
Gare Principale Lisieux
is the main station for the town of Lisieux and was built by CF de l'Ouest in 1855. The station is built in a Y shape and is situated on the Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway main line from Paris to Caen and Cherbourg. The station is also served by trains to Trouville-Deauville...
via Caen
Gare de Caen
Caen, Gare de l'Ouest or Gare Calvados, is the main and now only station serving the city of Caen. The station stands on the main line from Paris to Cherbourg and although it mainly is an intercity station many regional trains use the station. Typical services link Caen to Lisieux, Evreux, Paris,...
and to Rennes
Gare de Rennes
Rennes railway station is situated in the town centre of Rennes, France. It is situated on the Paris–Brest, Rennes–Saint-Malo and the Rennes–Redon railways....
via Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
. As well as a main line station there was also the Gare Maritime Transatlantique
Gare Maritime de Cherbourg
Cherbourg's Gare Maritime or Gare Maritime Transatlantique was a railway station at the end of the railway line from Paris' Gare Saint-Lazare and of the short branch from Cherbourg's main station.-Measurements:...
station. This now forms part of the Cité de la mer.
Sea
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 and has a major artificial harbourCherbourg Harbour
Cherbourg Harbour is the largest artificial harbour in the world, with a surface area of around 1,500 hectares...
. The following operators currently run services from the port:
- Brittany FerriesBrittany FerriesBrittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
to PoolePoolePoole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
(up to 3 sailings daily during the winter, 5 in summer) and PortsmouthPortsmouthPortsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
(up to 2 sailings daily, summer only). - Celtic Link FerriesCeltic Link FerriesCeltic Link Ferries is an Irish ferry company operating a passenger and freight roll-on/roll-off service between Rosslare and Cherbourg.-History:...
to RosslareRosslare EuroportRosslare Europort is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France....
(3 sailings weekly). - Irish Ferries to RosslareRosslare EuroportRosslare Europort is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France....
(3 sailings weekly). - Condor FerriesCondor FerriesCondor Ferries is an operator of ferry services between mainland England and the Channel Islands, between England and France, and between France and the Channel Islands.-Recent history:...
to PortsmouthPortsmouthPortsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
(1 sailing weekly in summer only).
Cherbourg-Octeville has previously had services operated by the following operators:
- Stena LineStena LineStena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
to SouthamptonSouthamptonSouthampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
(up to 2 sailings daily). Withdrawn in 1996. - P&O FerriesP&O FerriesP&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
to PortsmouthPortsmouthPortsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
(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 RosslareRosslare EuroportRosslare Europort is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France....
(up to 3 sailings weekly) and Dublin (weekends only during the summer). Dublin service withdrawn in 2004 and Rosslare service sold top Celtic Link. - HD FerriesHD FerriesHD Ferries was a fast catamaran Channel Islands ferry service between Jersey, Guernsey and Brittany. HD Ferries had daily departures from the port of Saint Helier to St Peter Port and then to St Malo.-History:HD Ferries was established in January 2007 following the cessation of Emeraude Lines...
to GuernseyGuernseyGuernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
and JerseyJerseyJersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
. Operated in 2007 but cancelled in 2008 due to lack of customers.
It should be mentioned that Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
to Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
briefly stopped their conventional ferry service in early 2010 but resumed it in February 2011; the seasonal catermaran service continues to run, as does the freight service to the Dorset port. Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
have introduced more frequent services from Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
to Cherbourg-Octeville with their latest acquisition, "Cap Finistère" (ex- "Superfast V").
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.
Twin towns
PoolePoole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Sarh
Sarh
Sarh is the third largest city in Chad, after N'Djamena and Moundou. It is the capital of Moyen-Chari region and the department of Barh Köh. It lies 350 miles south-east of the capital Ndjamena on the Chari River...
, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
Deva
Deva, Romania
Deva is a city in Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania, on the left bank of the Mureș River. It is the capital of Hunedoara County.-Name:...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
See also
- Les Parapluies de CherbourgLes Parapluies de CherbourgThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a 1964 French musical film directed by Jacques Demy, starring Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo. The music was written by Michel Legrand...
(The Umbrellas of Cherbourg), a musical filmMusical filmThe musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate... - Cité de la MerCité de la merThe Cité de la Mer is a maritime museum in Cherbourg, France.The museum is in the cruise terminal of Cherbourg. This monument was built in 1933; it is one of the bigger art-deco monuments of today....
- Battle of CherbourgBattle of CherbourgThe Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II. It was fought immediately after the successful Allied landings on June 6, 1944...
, 1944
External links
- Cherbourg on Titanic-Titanic.com (English/French/German)