Editing Cherbourg (section)

===Turn of the millennium===
[[File:Vue panoramique sur Cherbourg depuis le Fort du Roule 03.jpg|thumb|right|A recent view of downtown Cherbourg.]]

The major decisions of the public authorities, on which Cherbourg has depended for many centuries, and the nuclear industry, caused a deep economic crisis in the 1990s. The Arsenal was drastically downsized, the Northern Fleet (FLONOR) moved to [[Brest, France|Brest]] in 1992, and the {{Interlanguage link|Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|fr|3=Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|lt=maritime hospital}} closed. UIE, Burty, CMN, Socoval and Alcatel accumulated social plans or closings. Under the auspices of the {{Interlanguage link|Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|fr|3=Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|lt=urban community}}, the agglomeration developed its academic offerings with the [[Institut universitaire de technologie de Cherbourg-Manche|IUT of Cherbourg-Manche]], the [[Engineering School of the University of Caen Normandy (ESIX Normandie)|School of Engineers of Cherbourg]] and a branch of the [[University of Caen Lower Normandy|University of Caen]], which complemented {{Interlanguage link|Institut national des sciences et techniques de la mer|fr|3=Institut national des sciences et techniques de la mer|lt=INTECHMER}} and the School of Fine Arts.

The new millennium began with the creation of a new commune. Cherbourg-Octeville was created on 1 March 2000 through the joining of Cherbourg and Octeville, following a local referendum within ''"Grand Cherbourg"''. The city revived its tourist and maritime identity through the [[Cité de la Mer]] and the opening to the public of the [[Redoutable-class submarine (1967)|''Redoubtable'']], and became the home of stopovers for cruises and nautical events.<ref name="cite-inquiete" /> The {{Interlanguage link|Opération de rénovation urbaine|fr|3=Opération de rénovation urbaine|lt=urban renewal operation}} "between land and sea", with an emphasis on the commercial and touristic attractiveness of the city and the Bassins Quarter, as well as the economic specialisation in boating, emerged. Meanwhile, the traditional activities of the port (passengers, freight and fishing) were in crisis.<ref name=lesechosfr>{{cite web|url=http://www.lesechos.fr/info/france/300264468.htm|title=Une cité maritime, militaire, exotique - Cherbourg : les réseaux d'influence|language=fr|trans-title=A maritime city, military, exotic Cherbourg: Networks of influence|work=lesechos.fr|date=14 May 2008|access-date=14 September 2015|archive-date=15 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015004433/http://www.lesechos.fr/info/france/300264468.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>