Cruise to Cherbourg (France)

In Cherbourg, you come ashore at a historic passenger port: cruise ships use the Quai de France or the nearby Quai de Normandie. The former transatlantic terminal still evokes the atmosphere of the great Atlantic crossings. The tourist information office in the terminal provides city maps.

La Cité de la Mer at the terminal

La Cité de la Mer is right next to the cruise terminal. The maritime museum combines an aquarium with a submarine exhibition, so you don’t need to travel into the city centre to visit it. If the weather is fine and you’d like to explore Cherbourg on foot, the port guide says the centre is about a 10- to 15-minute walk away. Other port towns in Normandy include Le Havre and Honfleur.

The old town and Normandy

The old town lies beyond the Bassin du Commerce, across the Pont Tournant. A shuttle may connect the tourist information office, railway station and city centre; its operation and stops depend on the particular port call. For the Normandy landing beaches farther afield, an organised excursion is another option, but you should allow for a longer transfer. Brest on the Breton coast offers a different focus on port and maritime history.