Short Break Destinations in Normandy
- Cherbourg

Browse & Book from the list below. Alternatively, call our Reservations Team on 0871 244 0439

Cherbourg, the second of Brittany Ferries' arrival ports in Normandy, has been an important naval base ever since Napoleon's time. These days it also boasts a large pleasure port with moorings for over well one thousand private craft.

Cité de la Mer

With such a powerful maritime history, the town is an entirely fitting location for Cité de la Mer, a permanent exhibition which chronicles mans' conquest of the sea through the ages. Almost everything you could want to know about marine life is explained in an easy, hands on way. Among the many exhibits is the former nuclear submarine 'Redoubtable', which you are free to explore the interior of.

Things to do

A stroll through the Cherbourg's centre will reveal many pleasant surprises - the town's 19th century theatre for example, which is considered to be one of the very finest examples of the 'Italian Style'. Then there's the Thomas Henry Fine Arts Museum where you'll be able to view a collection of more than 300 paintings and sculptures dating from the 15th to 19th centuries. This is the third largest museum in Normandy. Other notable attractions include the Emmanuel Liais Gardens, and for those who don't mind a bit of a climb, the magnificent Fort du Roule and Liberation Museum perched high on a hill overlooking the town.

For many however, the attraction of Cherbourg lies in its typically Gallic ambiance. Numerous street cafes allow you to relax with a coffee or glass of wine and soak up the atmosphere as men in berets and women carrying freshly baked baguettes pass by. Adding further to this 'oh so French' feel, every Tuesday there is a lively market held in front of the theatre, and another on Sunday mornings in the suburb of Octeville.

Choose from the hotels listed below that we feature in Cherbourg: