Editing Cherbourg

{{Short description|Former municipality in Manche, France}}
{{for-multi|the city established in 2016|Cherbourg-en-Cotentin|other uses|Cherbourg (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name                   = Cherbourg
|native name            = {{native name|nrf|Chèrbourg}}
|image                  = Cherbourg.jpg
|caption                = May 2006 aerial view of Cherbourg
|image coat of arms     = 
|coordinates            = {{coord|49.63|-1.62|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|arrondissement         = Cherbourg
|canton                 = 
|INSEE                  = 50129
|postal code            = 50100
|commune                = Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
|elevation max m        = 139
|area km2               = 6.91
|population             = 25370
|population date        = 1999
|population footnotes   = 
}}
'''Cherbourg'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|ˈ|ʃ|ɛər|b|ɜːr|ɡ|,_|ˈ|ʃ|ɛər|b|ʊər|ɡ}} {{respell|SHAIR|burg|,_|SHAIR|boorg}}, {{IPAc-en|alsoUK|ˈ|ʃ|əːr|b|ʊər|ɡ}} {{respell|SHUR|boorg}},<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/cherbourg|title=Cherbourg|work=[[Collins English Dictionary]]|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|access-date=28 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Cherbourg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727203502/https://www.lexico.com/definition/cherbourg |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-07-27 |title=Cherbourg |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|ʃ|ɛər|b|ʊər|,_|ʃ|ɛər|ˈ|b|uːr}} {{respell|SHAIR|boor|,_|shair|BOOR}},<ref>{{Cite American Heritage Dictionary|Cherbourg|access-date=28 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Merriam-Webster|Cherbourg|access-date=28 July 2019}}</ref> {{IPA|fr|ʃɛʁbuʁ|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-Jules78120-Cherbourg.wav}}; {{langx|nrf|Chèrbourg}} or {{lang|nrf|Tchidbouo}}.}} is a former [[Communes of France|commune]] and [[Subprefectures in France|subprefecture]] located at the northern end of the [[Cotentin peninsula]] in the northwestern French [[departments of France|department]] of [[Manche]]. It was merged into the commune of [[Cherbourg-Octeville]] on 28 February 2000,<ref name=decret>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000750489&fastPos=9&fastReqId=655584624&categorieLien=id&oldAction=rechTexte Décret] 23 February 2000 {{in lang|fr}}</ref> which was merged into the new commune of [[Cherbourg-en-Cotentin]] on 1 January 2016.<ref>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/eli/arrete/2015/12/1/INTB1529848A/jo/texte Arrêté préfectoral] 1 December 2015 {{in lang|fr}}</ref>

Cherbourg is protected by [[Cherbourg Harbour]], between [[La Hague]] and [[Val de Saire]], and the city has been a strategic position over the centuries, disputed between the English and French. Cited as one of the "keys to the kingdom" by [[Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban|Vauban]], it became, by colossal maritime development work, a first-rate military port under the leadership of [[Napoleon|Napoleon I]], and holds an [[Cherbourg Naval Base|arsenal]] of the [[French Navy]]. A stopping point for prestigious transatlantic liners in the first half of the 20th century, Cherbourg was the [[Battle of Cherbourg|primary goal]] of US troops during the [[Normandy landings|invasion of Normandy]] in 1944.

Along with its use as a military, fishing and yachting port, it is also a [[English Channel#History of Channel crossings|cross-Channel]] ferry port, with routes to the English ports of [[Poole]] and [[Portsmouth]], the Irish ports of [[Rosslare Harbour]] and [[Dublin]], and [[St Helier]] on [[Jersey]]. Limited by its geographical isolation from being a great commercial port, it is nonetheless an important shipbuilding centre, and a working-class city with a rural hinterland.
{{TOC limit|limit=3}}

==Geography==
===Location===
[[File:Cotentin Peninsula.jpg|thumb|right|A map of the Cotentin peninsula, with Cherbourg to the north]]
Cherbourg is located at the northern tip of the [[Cotentin Peninsula]], in the [[departments of France|department]] of [[Manche]], of which it is a [[Subprefectures in France|subprefecture]]. At the time of the [[INSEE|1999 census]] the city of Cherbourg had an area of {{convert|6.91|km²|3|abbr=out}}, while the city of Octeville had an area of {{convert|7.35|km²|3|abbr=on}}. The largest city in the Department of Manche, it is the result of the merger of the communes of Cherbourg and Octeville. The [[amalgamation (politics)|amalgamated]] city today has an area of {{convert|14.26|km²|3|abbr=on}}. Cherbourg is situated at the mouth of the {{Interlanguage link|Divette (river)|fr|3=Divette (fleuve)|lt=Divette}} and at the south of the bay between {{Interlanguage link|Cap Lévi|fr}} to the east and [[La Hague|Cap de La Hague]] to the west, Cherbourg-Octeville is {{convert|120|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the English coast.

Cherbourg and Octeville-sur-Cherbourg once belonged to the [[deanery]] of La Hague, delimited by the Divette. In 1786, a part of [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville|Equeurdreville]] joined Cherbourg, during the construction of the port, and then in 1802, a portion of Octeville. Since 1811, the "[[:wikt:mielle|mielles]]" [dunes] of Tourlaville, commune of the deanery of [[Val de Saire|Saire]], are integrated into the Cherbourg territory known as the quarter of Val-de-Saire where the {{Interlanguage link|Centre hospitalier public du Cotentin|fr|3=Centre hospitalier public du Cotentin|lt=Pasteur Hospital}} and the Saint-Clement Church<ref>{{cite book|title=Histoire de la ville de Cherbourg de {{Interlanguage link|Jean-Thomas Voisin-La-Hougue|fr|3=Jean-Thomas Voisin-La-Hougue|lt=Voisin La Hougue}}, continuée depuis 1728 jusqu'à 1835, par Vérusmor|language=fr|trans-title=History of the city of Cherbourg from Voisin-La-Hougue, continued from 1728 until 1835, by Verusmor|location=Cherbourg|publisher=Boulanger|year=1855|page=272}}</ref> were built. Thus, Cherbourg-Octeville lies both in La Hague and in the Val de Saire.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jean|last=Fleury|author-link=Jean Fleury|title=Essai sur le patois normand de la Hague|language=fr|trans-title=Essay on the Norman dialect of la Hague|publisher=Maisonneuve frères et C. Leclerc|year=1886|pages=363–64}}</ref>

Like all Chantereyne and the area of the Mielles, the Cherbourg territory was reclaimed from the sea. Built at the level of the sea, the town developed at the foot of the Roule mountain (highest point of the old town) and la Fauconnière. Octeville is a former rural municipality, composed of hamlets, whose settlement extended from the 19th century and whose territory is highly urbanised since 1950, especially around the {{Interlanguage link|Zone à urbaniser en priorité|fr|3=Zone à urbaniser en priorité|lt=ZUP}} of the provinces and the university campus.

The bordering communes are [[Tourlaville]] to the east, [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville]] to the west, [[La Glacerie]] to the south and southeast, [[Martinvast]] to the south, and [[Nouainville]] and [[Sideville]] to the south-west.

===Geology===
[[File:Montagne-du-roule.jpg|thumb|right|The Montagne du Roule seen from the commercial harbour.]]
Located at the end of the [[Armorican Massif]], Cherbourg retains traces of the geologic formation, deformed [[granite]]s and [[Metamorphic rock|metamorphic]] [[schist]]s of the [[Precambrian]] of [[Variscan orogeny|Hercynian orogeny]] by the folding of the [[arkose]]s of the [[Cambrian]] and Armorican sandstone and shale of the [[Ordovician]]. These folds result in layers of sandstone tilted 45° towards the north-east on la Fauconniere (including "[[La Roche qui pend]]" ['the hanging rock']) and the {{Interlanguage link|Montagne du Roule|fr}}.<ref>''roule'' is the medieval name of the sandstone</ref> These two cliffs are due to sea erosion in the [[Quaternary]]. The retreat of the sea then gave way to sand dunes and tidal marshes, destroyed by the urbanisation of the 17th and 19th centuries, identical to those of Collignon in Tourlaville.<ref name=pedestre>{{cite web|url=http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/telechargement/telechargement/guide_sentiers_pietons.pdf|title=Sentiers piétons|work={{Interlanguage link|Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|fr}}|access-date=5 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211744/http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/telechargement/telechargement/guide_sentiers_pietons.pdf|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

These rocks in the soil have been used for centuries in several ways: Crushed granite extracted in [[Querqueville]] and [[arkose]]s of Becquet, have been used for the manufacture of rubble ({{Interlanguage link|moellon|fr}}) and blocks squared for [[lintel]]s. The [[greenschist]], whose colour comes from [[Chlorite group|chlorite]] and [[sericite]], are used mainly for roofing in Nord-Cotentin, but also masonry in Cherbourg. The Armorican [[sandstone]] of the Montagne du Roule is used for rubble and rockfill. Most of the many quarries, which opened in the metropolitan area for building the [[Cherbourg Harbour|harbour wall]], are now closed.<ref name=pedestre />

===Hydrography===
Cherbourg is bordered by the sea. The construction of the port of trade, from 1769, accompanied by the diversion of the {{Interlanguage link|Divette (river)|fr|3=Divette (fleuve)|lt=Divette}} (the mouth of which was located at the current exit of Port Chantereyne) and the Trottebec (from the territory of Tourlaville) gathered in the ''canal de retenue'', along the ''Avenue de Paris'' and ''Rue du Val-de-Saire''.

The streams of the Bucaille and the Fay, which watered the ''Croûte du Homet'', disappeared in the 18th century<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/atlas_cuc/Pages/donnees_historiques/cherbourg_1700.htm|title=Cherbourg en 1700|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg in 1700|access-date=3 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211739/http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/atlas_cuc/Pages/donnees_historiques/cherbourg_1700.htm|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> during the construction of the military port.

===Climate===
Cherbourg has a temperate [[oceanic climate]]. Its maritime character causes high humidity (84%) and a strong sea wind, commonly [[storm]]y but also low seasonal variations of temperature and few days of frost (7.3).<ref name="infoclimat">{{cite web|url=http://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie-07020-cap-de-la-hague.html|title=Cap de la Hague, 1961-1990|language=fr|trans-title=Cap de la Hague, 1961-1990|work=Infoclimat|access-date=5 September 2015}}</ref> The combined effect of the wind and the tides can generate a rapid change of weather in a single day, with sun and rain which can be a few hours apart.<ref name="meteofrance">{{cite web|url=http://www.meteofrance.com/FR/climat/dpt_tempsdumois.jsp?LIEUID=DEPT50|title=Caractéristique du département de la Manche|language=fr|trans-title=Characteristic of the Manche Department|work=Météo France|access-date=5 September 2015|archive-date=28 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028105432/http://www.meteofrance.com/FR/climat/dpt_tempsdumois.jsp?LIEUID=DEPT50|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The influence of the [[Gulf Stream]] and the mildness of the winter allow the naturalisation of many Mediterranean and exotic plants ([[mimosa]]s, [[palm (plant)|palm]]s, [[agave]]s, etc.) which are present in the public and private gardens of the city, despite average insolation.<ref name=meteofrance /> The climate is similar to areas much further north in [[Great Britain]] and Ireland due to the moderation. Summers are far cooler than expected by French standards.

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location =  Cherbourg-Homet, elevation {{convert|19|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2014 normals, extremes 1968–2014)
|Jan record high C = 16.5
|Feb record high C = 19.8
|Mar record high C = 22.6
|Apr record high C = 25.2
|May record high C = 29.5
|Jun record high C = 32.2
|Jul record high C = 31.0
|Aug record high C = 34.2
|Sep record high C = 31.4
|Oct record high C = 30.0
|Nov record high C = 19.4
|Dec record high C = 16.0
|Jan record low C = -8.6
|Feb record low C = -8.0
|Mar record low C = -1.0
|Apr record low C = 0.6
|May record low C = 0.6
|Jun record low C = 5.8
|Jul record low C = 9.0
|Aug record low C = 9.2
|Sep record low C = 6.4
|Oct record low C = 1.5
|Nov record low C = -3.5
|Dec record low C = -4.8
|Jan high C = 9.4
|Feb high C = 9.4
|Mar high C = 11.1
|Apr high C = 12.9
|May high C = 15.4
|Jun high C = 18.4
|Jul high C = 20.2
|Aug high C = 20.7
|Sep high C = 19.0
|Oct high C = 16.2
|Nov high C = 12.6
|Dec high C = 10.0
| year high C = 14.6
|Jan mean C = 7.4
|Feb mean C = 7.3
|Mar mean C = 8.7
|Apr mean C = 10.2
|May mean C = 12.7
|Jun mean C = 15.4
|Jul mean C = 17.3
|Aug mean C = 17.9
|Sep mean C = 16.4
|Oct mean C = 13.8
|Nov mean C = 10.5
|Dec mean C = 8.0
| year mean C = 12.1
|Jan low C = 5.4
|Feb low C = 5.1
|Mar low C = 6.3
|Apr low C = 7.5
|May low C = 9.9
|Jun low C = 12.4
|Jul low C = 14.5
|Aug low C = 15.1
|Sep low C = 13.8
|Oct low C = 11.5
|Nov low C = 8.5
|Dec low C = 6.0
| year low C = 9.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 105.4
|Feb precipitation mm = 80.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 65.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 63.2
|May precipitation mm = 54.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 51.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 48.4
|Aug precipitation mm = 51.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 66.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 115.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 121.6
|Dec precipitation mm = 139.0
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 14.5
| Feb precipitation days = 11.6
| Mar precipitation days = 9.7
| Apr precipitation days = 10.1
| May precipitation days = 8.3
| Jun precipitation days = 8.2
| Jul precipitation days = 8.3
| Aug precipitation days = 8.3
| Sep precipitation days = 9.4
| Oct precipitation days = 14.5
| Nov precipitation days = 15.9
| Dec precipitation days = 16.2
| year precipitation days =134.8
|source 1 = Meteociel<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=50129001
|title=Normales et records pour Cherbourg-Homet (50)
|publisher=Meteociel
|access-date=16 November 2024}}</ref>}}

{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y 
|collapsed = Y
|location =  Cherbourg ([[Gonneville, Manche|Gonneville]]), elevation {{convert|134|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–present)
|Jan record high C = 14.9
|Feb record high C = 18.9
|Mar record high C = 23.7
|Apr record high C = 23.9
|May record high C = 28.6
|Jun record high C = 31.7
|Jul record high C = 33.7
|Aug record high C = 33.4
|Sep record high C = 29.4
|Oct record high C = 27.0
|Nov record high C = 20.8
|Dec record high C = 15.9
|Jan record low C = -12.3
|Feb record low C = -9.9
|Mar record low C = -4.6
|Apr record low C = -3.1
|May record low C = 0.1
|Jun record low C = 2.9
|Jul record low C = 6.0
|Aug record low C = 6.3
|Sep record low C = 3.5
|Oct record low C = -0.6
|Nov record low C = -4.0
|Dec record low C = -8.8
|Jan high C = 8.2
|Feb high C = 8.4
|Mar high C = 10.2
|Apr high C = 12.5
|May high C = 15.2
|Jun high C = 18.1
|Jul high C = 20.0
|Aug high C = 20.2
|Sep high C = 18.2
|Oct high C = 15.1
|Nov high C = 11.4
|Dec high C = 9.0
| year high C = 13.9
|Jan mean C = 6.0
|Feb mean C = 6.0
|Mar mean C = 7.5
|Apr mean C = 9.3
|May mean C = 12.0
|Jun mean C = 14.6
|Jul mean C = 16.5
|Aug mean C = 16.8
|Sep mean C = 15.1
|Oct mean C = 12.3
|Nov mean C = 9.0
|Dec mean C = 6.8
| year mean C = 11.0
|Jan low C = 3.9
|Feb low C = 3.6
|Mar low C = 4.8
|Apr low C = 6.1
|May low C = 8.7
|Jun low C = 11.2
|Jul low C = 13.1
|Aug low C = 13.4
|Sep low C = 12.0
|Oct low C = 9.6
|Nov low C = 6.7
|Dec low C = 4.6
| year low C = 8.1
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 101.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 75.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 64.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 60.4
|May precipitation mm = 56.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 51.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 48.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 62.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 69.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 111.5
|Nov precipitation mm = 113.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 125.3
|year precipitation mm = 940.4
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 14.7
| Feb precipitation days = 12.0
| Mar precipitation days = 10.9
| Apr precipitation days = 9.8
| May precipitation days = 9.4
| Jun precipitation days = 8.4
| Jul precipitation days = 8.2
| Aug precipitation days = 9.1
| Sep precipitation days = 10.0
| Oct precipitation days = 15.2
| Nov precipitation days = 16.2
| Dec precipitation days = 16.3
| year precipitation days =140.2
|source 1 = Meteociel<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=50209001
|title=Normales et records pour Gonneville (50)
|publisher=Meteociel
|access-date=16 November 2024}}</ref>}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%" border="1"
|+ Comparison of weather conditions
!City
!Sunshine (hrs/yr)
!Rain (mm/yr)
!Snow (days/yr)
!Storm (days/yr)
!Fog (days/yr)
|-style="background: #D1E8FF"
|Cherbourg-Octeville<ref name="infoclimat" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meteopassion.com/ensoleillement-annuel.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422001543/http://www.meteopassion.com/ensoleillement-annuel.php |url-status=usurped |archive-date=22 April 2009 |title=Carte de l'ensoleillement annuel en France |language=fr|trans-title=Map of the annual sunshine in France|work=Météo Passion|access-date= 5 September 2015}}</ref>
|1538
|692.3
|5.1
|5.3
|26.6
|-
|National Average
|1973
|770
|14
|22
|40
|-
|[[Paris]]
|1661
|637
|12
|18
|10
|-
|[[Nice]]
|2724
|733
|1
|29
|1
|-
|[[Strasbourg]]
|1693
|665
|29
|29
|53
|-
|[[Brest, France|Brest]]
|1605
|1211
|7
|12
|75
|}

===Routes of communication and transport===
====Road====
Historically, Cherbourg is at the western end of [[Route nationale 13]], which runs through the city by the "Rouges Terres" and the ''Avenue de Paris'', from [[La Glacerie]]. In the 1990s, a deviation from the road, now European routes [[European route E03|E03]] and [[European route E46|E46]], referred traffic through La Glacerie and [[Tourlaville]] on a three-way axis from La Glacerie, to the Penesme roundabout at Tourlaville and then a dual carriageway to a roundabout located between Collignon Beach and the ''Port des Flamands''. An extension to Cherbourg is in the works, with the doubling of the bridge over the ''Port des Flamands'', to ensure a continuity of the dual carriageway to the commercial port in Cherbourg.

The old {{Interlanguage link|Route nationale 801|fr}} (reclassified as D901), which connects [[La Hague|Cap de la Hague]] to [[Barfleur]], crosses the city from east to west.

After the completion of the bypass east of the agglomeration, a western bypass project is under study, and a 'zone' corresponding to the future final route has been selected. Similarly, upgrading to a dual carriageway for access of [[Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport|Maupertus Airport]] is envisaged.

The D650 is used to connect Cherbourg to the west coast of the Cotentin peninsula. Departing from Cherbourg, the D650 takes a southwesterly direction to [[Les Pieux]] and then along to join the ''Côte des Isles'' (the [[Channel Islands]] coast) to [[Barneville-Carteret]]. In the approach to Cherbourg, this road has undergone development, in recent years, with amenities (roundabouts, traffic lights, urban development) by virtue of the [[peri-urbanisation]] of the communes in its path.

With the awarding of [[Controlled-access highway|autoroute]] status to the RN13 in 2006, the work of upgrading to motorway standard between Cherbourg and [[Caen]] is being undertaken over a 10-year period.<ref name="memo">Mémento économique du Cotentin 2007, {{Interlanguage link|Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin|fr|3=Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin|lt=CCI de Cherbourg-Cotentin}}, 2007</ref> The construction work of the RN13 at the entrance of the Cherbourg agglomeration (locality ''Virage des Chèvres'') was completed in early 2009.

====Sea====
[[File:NormandieExpress.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|The [[HSC Normandie Express|''Normandie Express'']] [[catamaran]] ferry at Cherbourg]]

{{See also|Cherbourg Harbour|Cherbourg Naval Base}}
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 [[Cherbourg Harbour|artificial harbour]]. The following operators currently run services from the port:

* [[Brittany Ferries]] to [[Rosslare Europort|Rosslare]], [[Poole]] (1 sailing daily) and [[Portsmouth]] (up to 2 sailings daily, summer only).
* [[Stena Line]] to [[Rosslare Europort|Rosslare]] (3 sailings weekly).
* [[Irish Ferries]] to [[Dublin]] (2 sailings weekly).

Cherbourg has previously had services operated by the following operators:

* [[Stena Line]] to [[Southampton]] (up to 2 sailings daily). Withdrawn in 1996.
* [[P&O Ferries]] to [[Portsmouth]] (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 [[Rosslare Europort|Rosslare]] (up to 3 sailings weekly) and [[Dublin]] (weekends only during the summer). Dublin service was withdrawn in 2004 and Rosslare service sold to Celtic Link.
* [[HD Ferries]] to [[Guernsey]] and [[Jersey]]. Operated in 2007 but cancelled in 2008 due to lack of customers.
* [[Celtic Link Ferries]] to [[Rosslare Europort|Rosslare]] (3 sailings weekly). Service sold to Stena Line.
* [[Condor Ferries]] to [[Portsmouth]] (1 sailing weekly in summer only).
The port welcomes some 30 cruise ships per year including the largest, thanks to a cruise terminal built in 2006 in the [[Gare Maritime de Cherbourg]], which had opened in 1933 on the ''Quai de France'' next to the ''Cité de la Mer''. Frequently, cruise ships that have planned for another destination have taken refuge in the port, for protection from the frequent storms.

Conventional cargo ships berth in the eastern area of the docks on the ''Quai des Flamands'' and ''Quai des Mielles''. During the construction of the [[Concorde]] prototypes in the 1960s, some sections built in the United Kingdom passed by ferry through Cherbourg, for transfer to Toulouse.

====Rail====
{{main|Cherbourg station}}

The [[Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway|Paris - Cherbourg railway line]], operated by [[Réseau Ferré de France]], ends at [[Gare de Cherbourg|Cherbourg railway station]], which opened in 1858 and welcomes a million passengers every year.<ref>2006 figures</ref> This line continued, at the beginning of the 20th century, up to the resort of [[Urville-Nacqueville]] and was complemented by the {{Interlanguage link|Ligne de Cherbourg à Barfleur|fr|3=Ligne de Cherbourg à Barfleur|lt=''Tue-Vâques''}} which served from Cherbourg to [[Val de Saire]] between 1911 and 1950. Today, the [[Intercités]] Paris-Caen-Cherbourg line is the most profitable in its class with profit over €10 million per year despite numerous incidents and delays.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.region-basse-normandie.fr/discours/discours_voeux_11012007.pdf|title=Discours des vœux aux personnalités pour 2007, par Philippe Duron, président de la Région Basse-Normandie, Caen, 11 janvier 2007|language=fr|trans-title=Speech of greeting to the personalities for 2007, by Philippe Duron, President of the Lower Normandy region, Caen, 11 January 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012045347/http://www.region-basse-normandie.fr/discours/discours_voeux_11012007.pdf|archive-date=12 October 2007}}</ref>

Regular services operate to [[Paris Saint Lazare railway station|Paris-Saint-Lazare]] via [[Gare de Caen|Caen]] using [[Intercités]] stock, local [[TER Basse Normandie|TER]] services operate from the station to [[Gare Principale Lisieux|Lisieux]] via [[Gare de Caen|Caen]] and to [[Gare de Rennes|Rennes]] via [[Saint-Lô]]. Intercités services to [[Gare Saint-Lazare|Paris-Saint-Lazare]] take three hours on average.

From July 2009 to December 2010, a TGV Cherbourg – [[Gare de Dijon-Ville|Dijon]] service operated, via [[Gare de Mantes-la-Jolie|Mantes]] and [[Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV|Roissy TGV]]. With one daily round-trip, it operated experimentally for three years and gave the people of Cherbourg direct access by rail to France's primary airport. The service ceased prematurely, as the minimum threshold of passenger traffic was not met.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ouest-france.fr/ofdernmin_-Fin-des-TGV-Cherbourg-Caen-Dijon-_6346-1524474-fils-tous-74_filDMA.Htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120604121918/http://www.ouest-france.fr/ofdernmin_-Fin-des-TGV-Cherbourg-Caen-Dijon-_6346-1524474-fils-tous-74_filDMA.Htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 June 2012|title=Fin des TGV Cherbourg-Caen-Dijon|language=fr|trans-title=End of the Cherbourg-Caen-Dijon TGV|work=Ouest-france.fr|access-date=9 March 2011}}</ref>

As well as a main line station there was also the ''[[Gare Maritime de Cherbourg|Gare Maritime Transatlantique]]'' station. This now forms part of the ''Cité de la mer''.

====Bus====
[[File:Heuliez GX 317 n°814 Schuman - Zéphir Bus.JPG|thumb|right|A bus of the {{Interlanguage link|Zéphir Bus|fr}} network of Cherbourg.]]
{{further|:fr:Zéphir Bus}}
The ''Compagnie des transports de Cherbourg'' (CTC) was created in 1896, connecting the ''Place de [[Tourlaville]]'' and the ''Place du Château'' by a {{Interlanguage link|Tramway de Cherbourg|fr|3=Tramway de Cherbourg|lt=tramway}} in Cherbourg, then to [[Urville-Nacqueville|Urville]]. After the German occupation and bombardment of the tram depot, the use of buses took over, and it was not until 1962 that the network had several lines. From 1976, the ''Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg'' supported the jurisdiction of public transit. Management of the public service is delegated to [[Keolis]], the CTC took the name of [http://zephir.actipage.net/ Zephir] Bus in 1991.<ref>{{cite journal|title=La Compagnie des transports de Cherbourg fête ses 110 ans!|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg transportation company celebrates 110 years!|journal=Le Journal de la Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|issue=35|date=September 2006}}</ref>

The network covers the whole of the metropolitan area. In recent years, a night bus service has also been created.

Cherbourg-Octeville and its suburbs are also served by the Manéo departmental bus service.

====Air====
The [[Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport]], located in [[Maupertus-sur-Mer]], serves the city. Its {{convert|2440|m|ft|abbr=on}} runway hosts [[Air charter|charter flights]]. After stopping the daily service to Paris by [[Twin Jet]], in spring 2008, a new link with Caen and Paris started with [[Chalair Aviation|Chalair]] on 27 October 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/Chalair-reliera-Cherbourg-et-Caen-a-Orly-/re/actudet/actu_dep-722055------_actu.html|title=Chalair reliera Cherbourg et Caen à Orly|language=fr|trans-title=Chalair between Cherbourg and Caen at Orly|work=Ouest France|access-date=5 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017081651/http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/Chalair-reliera-Cherbourg-et-Caen-a-Orly-/re/actudet/actu_dep-722055------_actu.html|archive-date=17 October 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

With 40,500 passengers in 2007, the airport had lost 30% of its commercial passengers, and 10% of its total traffic over a year.<ref name="memo2008">{{cite web|url=http://www.cotentin-entreprises.com/iso_album/memento_economique_ccicc_2008.pdf|title=Mémento économique du Cotentin 2008|language=fr|trans-title=Economic Handbook of the Cotentin 2008|work={{Interlanguage link|Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin|fr|3=Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin|lt=CCI de Cherbourg-Cotentin}}}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==History==
{{further|:fr:Histoire de Cherbourg}}

===Heraldry===
{{Blazon-arms
|img1=Blason_ville_fr_CherbourgOcteville_(Manche).svg
|legend1=Arms of Cherbourg-Octeville
|text=The arms of Cherbourg-Octeville are [[blazon]]ed:<br />''[[Azure (heraldry)|Azure]], on a [[fess]] [[argent]], [[Charge (heraldry)|charged]] of three [[Star (heraldry)|mullets]] of six points [[Sable (heraldry)|sable]], accompanied of three [[Roundel (heraldry)|bezants]] ([[Or (heraldry)|Or]]), two in [[Chief (heraldry)|chief]], one in [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|point]].''
<br />
From the [[First French Empire|Empire]], the coat of arms was accompanied by external ornaments: ''Mural crown with five rounds of argent, crest crossed fess a [[caduceus]] bypassed same on which are suspended two scallops used as mantling, one dexter olive, the other sinister oak, argent knotted and fastened by strips of azure.'' They also contain a [[Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)|Croix de guerre 1939-1945]] with natural palm, appended at the point of the shield and surmounting the croisure strips.<ref name=letourneur9 >{{cite book|first=Guy|last=Letourneur|title=Cherbourg et son histoire|location=Cherbourg|publisher=Pierre Boulland|year=1985|volume=1|page=9}}</ref>
}}

The origin of the coat of arms is disputed.

According to Victor Le Sens, it is of religious origin: Fess argent charged of stars represents the belt of the [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Virgin Mary]], one of the two patrons of the city and the number of stars, like the [[bezant]]s, evokes the [[Trinity]], the other patron of the city. The bezants would be the expression of the redemption of the captives, illustrating the participation of the notables of Cherbourg on the [[Third Crusade]]. The coat of arms of Cherbourg dates from the late 12th century, at the time of the [[Crusades]].<ref name="lesens">{{cite book|first=Victor|last=Le Sens|id=Essai historique sur le Blason de Cherbourg|title=Mémoires de la Société impériale académique de Cherbourg|location=Cherbourg|publisher=Bedelfontaine et Syffert|year=1860|url=http://www.normannia.info/cgi-bin/aurweb.exe/normannia/rechpdoc?idn=lesens1860.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231206/http://www.normannia.info/cgi-bin/aurweb.exe/normannia/rechpdoc?idn=lesens1860.html|archive-date=3 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

According to M. Le Poupet, which relies in particular on the works of [[Marcus Vulson de la Colombière|Vulson de la Colombière]] and [[Antoine-Jean Gros, Baron Ségoing de Laborde|Ségoing]], the content of the coat of arms evokes the maritime trade of the city, the bezants - traditional furniture of the arms of ennobled financiers - represent wealth and fortune, while the star shows peace and prudence. The sable signifies prudence and constancy in adversity, the azure denotes activity and the seas. M. Canel had explained before him that the bezants and stars respectively illustrated trade and sea port.<ref name=blason>{{cite book|last=Le Chanteur de Pontaumont|id=Véritable histoire du blason de Cherbourg|title=Mémoires de la Société nationale académique de Cherbourg|volume=11|year=1873}}</ref>

The stars, absent from the armorial of [[Charles-René d'Hozier|d'Hozier]] in 1697,<ref name=blason /> were added in the 18th century. Under the Empire, the coat of arms was completed by a free area of second-class towns which is to dexter azure to an "N" of or, surmounted by a pointed star of the same, brocading at the ninth of the escutcheon.<ref name="lesens" />

Regarding the external ornaments, the mural crown symbolises protection and happiness, the caduceus of trade and business, the olive tree of peace, the oak of strength, recalling the role of both the military and commercial port. The argent means that Cherbourg was a second class city under the Empire.<ref name=letourneur9 />

{{Blazon-arms
|img1=Blason ville fr Octeville (Manche).svg
|legend1=Arms of Octeville
|text=The arms of Cherbourg-Octeville are [[blazon]]ed:<br />''[[Vert (heraldry)|Vert]] to the [[Mantling|mantle]] of [[argent]] charged with two capital letters of sable "O" dexter, "V" sinister, of the chief of gules to a leopard or armed and {{Interlanguage link|lampassé|fr|3=lampassé|lt=lampasséd}} azure.''
<br />
It was the logo of the municipality until the merger with Cherbourg, which then took the logo of Cherbourg.
}}

Today, the municipality of Cherbourg-Octeville uses a logo, entitled ''"mouette musicale"'' [musical seagull]. Initially adopted by Cherbourg, it consists of a gull, symbolising the maritime character of the town, on a musical stave, evoking the musicality of the port: "The cry of the seagulls that dance between sky and sea, the mermaids of ships and the melodious song of the waves".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/fiche_didentite_de_la_vil/situation_administrative/cherbourg-octeville_ville/default.asp|title=La "mouette musicale" de Cherbourg-Octeville|work=Ville de Cherbourg-Octeville|access-date=19 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091031142023/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/fiche_didentite_de_la_vil/situation_administrative/cherbourg-octeville_ville/default.asp|archive-date=31 October 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Origins and toponymy===
The date of Foundation of Cherbourg can not be set precisely, although several local historians, including Robert Lerouvillois, trace the origin of the city to Coriallo (for *''Coriovallo'') of the [[Unelli]]. According to [[Pierre-Yves Lambert]], the Celtic element ''corio-'' means "army, troop" and the element ''vallo-'' similar to the Latin ''vallum'', would be "rampart, fortification".<ref>{{cite book|first=Pierre-Yves|last=Lambert|title=La Langue gauloise|publisher=édition Errance|year=2002|isbn=2-87772-224-4}}</ref>

Mentioned on the ''[[Tabula Peutingeriana]]'' (c. 365), in the [[Antonine Itinerary]] and the ''Gesta'' de [[Wandregisel|Fontenelle]] ("In pago Coriovallinse", 747-753), ''Coriallo'', Latinised then as ''Coriallum'', hosted a Roman garrison during the late [[Roman Empire]], and the recovered remains would be the village between Cherbourg and [[Tourlaville]], on the Mielles.<ref name=fondation>{{cite book|first=Jacqueline|last=Vastel|title=La fondation de Cherbourg|year=1998|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_cherbourg/fichiers/fondation_de_ch.pdf|id=ville de Cherbourg-Octeville|access-date=20 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120204704/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_cherbourg/fichiers/fondation_de_ch.pdf|archive-date=20 November 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The Cotentin Peninsula was the first territory conquered by the [[Vikings]] in their ninth century invasion. They developed Cherbourg as a port. After the Anglo-Scandinavian settlement, a new name appeared there in a still Latinised form: ''Carusburg Castellum'' (1026-1027, Fauroux 58) then ''Carisburg'' (1056–1066, Fauroux 214), ''Chiersburg'' ([[William of Jumièges]], v. 1070), ''Chieresburg'' ([[Wace]], ''[[Roman de Rou]]'', v. 1175).<ref name="beaurepaire">{{cite book|first=François|last=de Beaurepaire|title=Les noms des communes et anciennes paroisses de la Manche|publisher=Éd. Picard|location=Paris|year=1986}}</ref> ''Carusburg'' would mean "fortress of the marsh" in [[Old Norse]] ''kjarr'' (marsh), and ''[[town|borg]]'' (castle, fortified town)<ref>René Lepelley, cited by Jacqueline Vastel, ''op. cit.''</ref> or "city of the marais" in [[Old English]] ''ker'' (bog) and ''burgh'' (town). The element ''kjarr'' / ''ker'' is also found in Normandy in [[Villequier]] and [[Gonfreville-l'Orcher|Orcher]]. According to François de Beaurepaire, it comes rather from the Old English ''chiriche'' (spelled ''ċiriċe'', Church) or [tch] is reduced to [s], as the commune of [[Chirbury]], in the County of [[Shropshire]], formerly also spelled ''Chirichburig'' (915) and ''Chiresbir'' (1226).<ref name="beaurepaire" />

The name of Octeville appears meanwhile, in 1063, in a Charter of [[William the Conqueror]] about allocations made to the Collegiate Church of Cherbourg.<ref name="hist-oct">{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_docteville/default.asp|title=Histoire d'Octeville: quelques temps forts|work=ville de Cherbourg-Octeville|access-date=20 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614120701/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_docteville/default.asp|archive-date=14 June 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It means: "the rural area of ''Otti''", a [[Scandinavia]]n male name also found in [[Octeville-l'Avenel]], [[Octeville-sur-Mer]] and [[Walesby, Lincolnshire|Otby]] (Lincolnshire, ''Ottebi'', 11th century).

Cherbourg is also the name of a [[Township (Canada)|Canadian township]], located between [[Matane]] and [[Les Méchins, Quebec|Les Méchins]], which gave its name to the communes of Saint-Thomas-de-Cherbourg, merged in 1954 into Les Méchins, and [[Saint-Jean-de-Cherbourg, Quebec|Saint-Jean-de-Cherbourg]]. This name, including the proclamation date of 7 May 1864, could be due to the impact by the local newspapers of the inauguration of the military port by [[Napoleon III]] in 1858.<ref>{{citation|title=Noms et lieux du Québec|work=Commission de toponymie|id=1994-1996}}</ref> Cherbourg is also the name of a town in [[Queensland]], Australia.

===Middle Ages===
[[File:Cherbourg au 17e siecle.jpg|thumb|right|A view of Cherbourg in the 17th century.]]
[[File:Chateau-cherbourg-1689b.jpg|thumb|right|Map of Cherbourg and the castle demolished in 1689.]]

The Cotentin, conquered by [[Quintus Titurius Sabinus]] in 56 BC,<ref>Julius Caesar, ''[[Commentarii de Bello Gallico]]'', Book III, 11–17–19.</ref> was divided between the ''pagus constantiensis'' ("County of Coutances") and the ''pagus coriovallensis'' ("County of Coriallo"), within [[Gallia Lugdunensis]]. Coriallo housed a small garrison and a [[castra|castrum]] was built on the left bank of the Divette as an element of the ''Litus saxonicum'', after [[Saxons|Saxon]] raids at the beginning of the fourth century.<ref name=fondation />

In 497, the village was sold with all of [[Armorica]] to [[Clovis I|Clovis]]. It was evangelised by {{Interlanguage link|Saint Éreptiole|fr}} in 432, then by [[Saint Exuperat]], [[Saint Leonicien]], and finally [[Saint Scubilion]] in 555.<ref>{{cite book|title=Histoire de la ville de Cherbourg|id=de Voisin-la-Hougue, continuée depuis 1728 jusqu'à 1835, par Vérusmor.|language=fr|trans-title=History of the town of Cherbourg|location=Cherbourg|last=Boulanger|year=1855|page=2}}</ref> In 870, {{Interlanguage link|Clair du Beauvaisis|fr|3=Clair du Beauvaisis|lt=Saint Clair}}, landing in [[Kent]], was ordained priest of Cherbourg and established a hermitage in the surrounding forest.<ref name="fleury1839">{{cite book|first=Hippolyte|last=Vallée|chapter=Précis sur l'histoire de Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-chapter=Synopsis on the history of Cherbourg|id=''in'' [[Jean Fleury]] et Hippolyte Vallée|title=Cherbourg et ses environs : nouveau guide du voyageur à Cherbourg|trans-title=Cherbourg and its surroundings: New guide of the traveller in Cherbourg|location=Cherbourg|publisher=Impr. de Noblet|year=1839|pages=19–54}}</ref>

After several [[Normans|Norman]] raids in the ninth century, Cherbourg was attached to the [[Duchy of Normandy]] along with the [[Cotentin Peninsula|Cotentin]], in 933, by [[William I Longsword|William Longsword]]. The Danish King Harold moved there in 946.

In the face of English threats, [[Richard III of Normandy]] strengthened the fortifications of the [[Château de Cherbourg|castle]] at the same time as those of the other major strongholds of Cotentin. In 1053, the city was one of the four main cities of the duchy of [[William the Conqueror]] to receive an annuity in perpetuity for the maintenance of one hundred needy.<ref>Voisin La Hougue, ''op cit'', p.31-37</ref>

In 1139, during the struggle for succession to the Anglo-Norman Crown, Cherbourg fell after two months of siege to the troops of [[Stephen, King of England|Stephen of England]] before being retaken in 1142 by [[Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou|Geoffrey of Anjou]], whose wife, [[Empress Matilda]], three years later founded the {{Interlanguage link|Abbaye Notre-Dame du Vœu|fr}}.<ref name="fleury1839" />

During the conquest of Normandy by [[Philip II of France]], Cherbourg fell without a fight in 1204. The city was sacked in 1284 and 1293, the abbey and the Hôtel-Dieu looted and burned, but the castle, where the population was entrenched, resisted. Following these ravages, [[Philip IV of France]] fortified the city in 1300.<ref name="fleury1839" />

Its strategic position, a key to the kingdom along with Calais as a bridgehead for invasion by the English and French, the town was much disputed during the [[Hundred Years' War]]. Having one of the strongest castles in the world according to [[Jean Froissart|Froissart]], it changed ownership six times as a result of transactions or seats, never by force of arms. The fortress resisted the soldiers of [[Edward III of England|Edward III]] in 1346.

In February 1354, Cherbourg was transferred by [[John II of France]] to [[Charles II of Navarre]] with the bulk of the Cotentin.<ref>{{cite book|language=fr|first1=Bruno|last1=Ramirez de Palacios|title=Charles dit le Mauvais|trans-title=Charles, known as ''the Bad''|id=Roi de Navarre, comte d'Evreux, prétendant au trône de France|date=January 2015|page=87|publisher=Bruno Ramirez de Palacios |isbn=978-2-9540585-2-8}}</ref> The city was of Navarre from 1354 to 1378, and Charles II stayed in Cherbourg on several occasions. In 1378, the city was besieged by [[Charles V of France]] as the rest of the Norman possessions of the King of Navarre, but in vain. Navarre troops who had dropped the County of Évreux and the Cotentin were entrenched in Cherbourg, already a difficult taking, and defended it against French attacks.<ref>{{cite book|language=fr|first1=Bruno|last1=Ramirez de Palacios|title=Charles dit le Mauvais|trans-title=Charles, known as ''the Bad''|id=Roi de Navarre, comte d'Evreux, prétendant au trône de France|date=January 2015|pages=368–372|publisher=Bruno Ramirez de Palacios |isbn=978-2-9540585-2-8}}</ref> In June 1378, having lost ground in Normandy, Charles II of Navarre rented Cherbourg in 1378 to [[Richard II of England]] for a period of three years. [[Bertrand du Guesclin]] besieged it for six months using many machines of war, but abandoned the siege in December 1378.<ref>{{cite book|language=fr|first1=Bruno|last1=Ramirez de Palacios|title=Charles dit le Mauvais|trans-title=Charles, known as ''the Bad''|id=Roi de Navarre, comte d'Evreux, prétendant au trône de France|date=January 2015|pages=377–381|publisher=Bruno Ramirez de Palacios |isbn=978-2-9540585-2-8}}</ref> The King of England then refused to return the city to the Navarrese, despite the efforts of Charles II. It was only his son [[Charles III of Navarre]] who recovered it in 1393. In 1404, it was returned to [[Charles VI of France]], in exchange for the Duchy of [[Nemours]].<ref>{{cite book|language=fr|first1=Bruno|last1=Ramirez de Palacios|title=Charles dit le Mauvais|trans-title=Charles, known as ''the Bad''|id=Roi de Navarre, comte d'Evreux, prétendant au trône de France|date=January 2015|pages=438–439|publisher=Bruno Ramirez de Palacios |isbn=978-2-9540585-2-8}}</ref>

Fallen in 1418 to the hands of the English, Cherbourg, the last English possession of the Duchy of Normandy after the [[Battle of Formigny]], was released on 12 August 1450.<ref name=fleury1839 />

On 28 April 1532, Cherbourg was visited with great fanfare by [[Francis I of France|Francis I]] and the dauphin.<ref name=fleury1839 /> At that time, Cherbourg was described by [[Gilles de Gouberville]] as a fortified town of 4,000 residents, protected by drawbridges at the three main gates which were permanently guarded and closed from sunset until dawn. Inside the city walls, the castle, itself protected by wide moats and equipped with a keep and twelve towers, was south-east of the city. Outside and to the south of the city walls, the suburb along the Divette was frequented by sailors.<ref>{{cite web|first=Robert|last=Lerouvillois|url=http://www.gouberville.asso.fr/site/archives.html#ville|title=La ville de Cherbourg au temps de Gilles de Gouberville|language=fr|trans-title=Archive of articles|work=Comité Gilles de Gouberville|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081101025356/http://www.gouberville.asso.fr/site/archives.html|archive-date=1 November 2008}}</ref>

Cherbourg was not affected by the wind of the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]] that divided Normandy, consolidated and heavily guarded by {{Interlanguage link|Jacques II de Goyon de Matignon|fr|3=Jacques II de Goyon de Matignon|lt=Matignon}}, [[Henry III of France|Henry III]] thanked his defence against the troops of [[Gabriel, comte de Montgomery|Montgomery]], as lieutenant-general of Normandy and Governor of Cherbourg in 1578, and then marshal the following year. The bourgeois also remained loyal to Henry III and [[Henry IV of France|Henry IV]], when Normandy was mostly held by the [[Catholic League (French)|Catholic League]].<ref name=fleury1839 />

===17th to 19th century===
[[File:Cherbourg-Digue-ouest-grande-rade.jpg|thumb|right|The western sea wall, known as ''"de Querqueville"''.]]
[[File:N cherbourg.jpg|thumb|right|Napoléon and Marie Louise attending the parade of the squadron in Cherbourg in 1811.]]
[[File:Belle-poule-napoleon-morel-fatio.jpg|thumb|right|''Transhipment of the remains of Napoleon I'', [[Antoine Léon Morel-Fatio|Léon Morel-Fatio]], 1841.]]
[[File:General view from fort du Roule, Cherbourg, France-LCCN2001697636.jpg|thumb|right|A general view of Cherbourg from the ''fort du Roule'', around 1895]]
[[File:Cherbourg-Octeville - Mairie.jpg|thumb|The [[Hôtel de Ville, Cherbourg|Hôtel de Ville]]]]

To complement the two major ports of [[Brest, France|Brest]] on the Atlantic Ocean and [[Toulon]] on the [[Mediterranean Sea]], [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]] wished to build a new port on the side of the [[English Channel]], facing England, in order to shelter the passing ships. In 1686, [[Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban|Vauban]] offered to strengthen the fortifications of Cherbourg, and close [[Cherbourg Harbour]] with two sea walls, but preferred La Hogue for the establishment of a major military port.<ref name="bazan">« "Who are the men who exercised the most influence on the creation of a dockyard in Cherbourg and particularly what part should be attributed to Vauban in projects related to the closure of the harbour?" Extract of ''Scientific Sessions conference France'', held in Cherbourg in September 1860, Mr. Bazan. Cherbourg: Auguste Mouchel, 1860. {{cite web|url=http://www.normannia.info/cgi-bin/aurweb.exe/normannia/rechpdoc?idn=bazan1860.html|title=Normannia|language=fr|access-date=15 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235143/http://www.normannia.info/cgi-bin/aurweb.exe/normannia/rechpdoc?idn=bazan1860.html|archive-date=3 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Fortifications and the castle development work began the following year but were stopped by the King in December 1688, influenced by [[François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois|Louvois]] and fear of English attacks.<ref name=fondation /> In the absence of these fortifications, the population of Cherbourg attended to the destruction of the three ships of [[Anne Hilarion de Tourville|Admiral Tourville]] at the end of the [[Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue|Battle of La Hogue]].<ref name=fondation />

The commercial port dug at the current position of the ''place Divette'' between 1739 and 1742, was devastated in August 1758 by an English attack under the orders of [[Thomas Bligh|General Bligh]] and [[Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe|Admiral Howe]]. During the [[Seven Years' War]], the British briefly occupied the town after the [[Raid on Cherbourg]] in 1758. The British destroyed military buildings and warehouses before departing. With the development of a new pool of trade in 1769, Cherbourg - a longstanding commercial port of minor importance, a city without a university or cultural activity, regularly looted, and having weak relations with Paris - acquired a weight in the Cotentin which translated, on the eve of the French Revolution, by the creation of networks of sociability by the middle-class united in associations - such as the {{Interlanguage link|Cherbourg Royal Academic Society|fr|3=Société nationale académique de Cherbourg}} in 1755 and the [[Masonic Lodge|lodge]] "Faithful mason". The population increased from 800 [[Feu fiscal|feus]] (4,000 inhabitants) in Cherbourg and 95 in Octeville, around 1715, to 7,300 people in Cherbourg by 1778.<ref name="ancienregime">{{cite book|first=Georges|last=Lefebvre|title=Cherbourg à la fin de l'Ancien Régime et au début de la Révolution|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg at the end of the Ancien Regime and the beginning of the Revolution|location=Caen|publisher=Société d’enquêtes ethnographiques normandes, coll. Cahier des Annales de Normandie|year=1965}}</ref>

[[Louis XVI of France|Louis XVI]] decided to relaunch the project of the port on the [[English Channel]]. After many delays, it was decided in 1779 to build a {{convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on}}-long sea wall between [[Cherbourg Harbour|île Pelée]] and the tip of [[Querqueville]], using a method developed by [[Louis-Alexandre de Cessart]], a pier of 90 wooden cones of {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}} by 20, filled with [[rubble]], connected by iron chains. The first cone was immersed on 6 June 1784, and the King attended the {{Interlanguage link|History of the French Navy under Louis XV and Louis XVI|fr|3=Histoire de la marine française sous Louis XV et Louis XVI|lt=launching of the ninth cone}} on 22 June. But the technique did not withstand storms and was abandoned in 1788 in favour of scuttling old warships to backfill lost stones touted by [[Louis de La Couldre de La Bretonnière|La Bretonnière]]. However, the reduction of subsidies and the revolutionary events slowed work down, until its suspension in 1792. A new [[Hôtel de Ville, Cherbourg|Hôtel de Ville]] (town hall) was completed in 1804.<ref>{{cite book|last=Launey|first=Bernard |title=Cherbourg 1900–1975|publisher=La Dépêche|year=1976|page= 51}}</ref>

First Consul [[Napoleon|Bonaparte]] wanted to turn Cherbourg into a major military port, for the invasion of the United Kingdom. He charged [[Joseph Cachin]] with the resumption of the work of the sea wall, the digging of [[Cherbourg Naval Base|military outer harbour]], and the construction of the new arsenal. After a visit in 1811, Napoleon made Cherbourg a [[Maritime Prefect|maritime prefecture]], a ''[[chef-lieu]]'' of the [[Arrondissements of the Manche department]] and the seat of a [[Trial court|court of first instance]].

The work of the central sea wall, interrupted again between 1813 and 1832, ended in 1853, the east and west sea walls in 1895. The [[Charles X of France|Charles X]] docks (begun in 1814 - 290 × 220 × 18 metres) and [[Napoleon III]] (started in 1836 - 420 × 200 × 18 m) of the military port were respectively opened on 25 August 1829, in the presence of the Dauphin, and 7 August 1858, by the Imperial couple. The work of the sea wall was concluded by the construction of the small harbour (Homet sea wall, 1899-1914 and sea wall of the Flemings, 1921–1922).

The work of the port led the intensification and spread of a modernising and developing Cherbourg, while contractors, owners, and local merchants were getting richer. Rural village housing scattered in hamlets made up around large farms (La Crespiniere, La Prevallerie, Grimesnil, La Gamacherie, etc.), connected between them and the Saint-Martin Church by a network of paths, Octeville became chef-lieu of the canton in 1801 (Decree of 23 Vendémiaire, year X) and also its population, to increase by the influx of workers who came to build the port of Cherbourg and work at the Arsenal. After the creation of the ''Route des Pieux'' (current ''Rue Salengro'' and ''Rue Carnot''), the town was formed around an homogenised street-village then urbanising at the beginning of the 20th century.<ref name="hist-oct" />

On 16 August 1830, [[Charles X of France|King Charles X]], dethroned, departed into exile from the military port of Cherbourg aboard the ''Great Britain'', leaving room for the [[July Monarchy]].<ref name=fleury1839 /> After seeing moor in its harbour ''Le Luxor'' carrying the [[Luxor Obelisk|Obelisk of Luxor]] in August 1833, Cherbourg welcomed the return of the remains of Napoleon to France aboard the ''Belle Poule''. On 4 August 1858, an equestrian statue of Napoleon by the sculptor [[Armand Le Véel]], was erected on the occasion of the visit of [[Napoleon III]] to the inauguration of the [[Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway|railway line from Cherbourg to Paris]].

On 19 June 1864, a naval engagement in the [[American Civil War]] was held off the coast of Cherbourg: The warship of the Confederates, the [[CSS Alabama|CSS ''Alabama'']] was sunk by the ship of the Union [[USS Kearsarge (1861)|USS ''Kearsarge'']] after two hours of fighting [see the [[Battle of Cherbourg (1864)]]], under the eye of thousands of spectators, who had arrived by train for the inauguration of the casino. Visualizing the fight from a sailboat, [[Édouard Manet|Manet]] immortalised it in ''[[The Battle of the Kearsarge and the Alabama]]''. In November 1984, the [[French Navy]] [[mine hunter]] ''Circé'' discovered a [[Shipwreck|wreck]] under nearly {{convert|60|m|ft|abbr=on}} of water off Cherbourg. The location of the wreck (WGS84) was 49°45'147N / 001°41'708W. Captain Max Guerout later confirmed the wreck to be of the CSS ''Alabama''.

===Early 20th century===
[[File:Gare Maritime de Cherbourg (1933).jpg|thumb|right|The gare maritime in 1933.]]

From 1847, the geographical and technical properties of the port of Cherbourg attracted shipping companies linking European ports to the east coast of the United States. At the end of the 1860s, the ships of the [[Royal Mail Steam Packet Company]] and the [[Hamburg America Line]] anchored in the harbour before crossing the Atlantic.<ref name="annales">{{cite journal|first=Renée|last=Hainneville|title=Cherbourg, port transatlantique|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg, transatlantic port|journal=[[Annales de Géographie]]|volume=32|issue=178|year=1923|pages=360–364|doi=10.3406/geo.1923.9866}}</ref> After leaving [[Southampton]], England, the [[RMS Titanic|RMS ''Titanic'']] made its first stop at Cherbourg on 10 April 1912,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://history1900s.about.com/od/1910s/a/titanictimeline.htm|title=Titanic Timeline|work=About Education|access-date=9 September 2015|archive-date=5 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905120853/http://history1900s.about.com/od/1910s/a/titanictimeline.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> during its maiden voyage, where an additional 274 passengers embarked. In 1913, Cherbourg received 500 ships and 70,000 passengers.<ref name="bulletinBN">{{cite journal|title=Cherbourg : un port dans la guerre|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg: A port in the war|first=Rémy|last=Desquesnes|journal=Magazine du Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie|number=32|date=November 1998}}</ref>

On 31 July 1909, Tsar [[Nicholas II]] and French president [[Armand Fallières]] met officially in Cherbourg to reinforce the [[Franco-Russian Alliance]].

During the [[First World War]], traffic was completely suspended. Cherbourg became the place of arrival for equipment and the British and American troops, and for departure on leave and injuries. The military port experienced an increase in activity, and the garrison stationed at Cherbourg was reinforced. The port infrastructures were developed to receive coal and oil required for the conflict. Traffic doubled, reaching 600,000 tons in 1918.<ref name="bulletinBN" />

Transatlantic transit resumed in the aftermath of the war with the British, American and Dutch transatlantic companies. To welcome the best stopovers, the Chamber of Commerce built a deep water port, a new ferry terminal, and an area dedicated to loading, unloading and storage of goods in the field of Mielles. Cherbourg became the first port of migration in Europe, and [[Cunard Line]], [[White Star Line]] and [[Red Star Line]] companies united to build the ''Hôtel Atlantique'' [Atlantic Hotel] intended to receive emigrants before crossing. At the same time, the downtown was renovated, especially in the architectural projects of [[René Levesque (architect)|René Levesque]], Drancey and {{Interlanguage link|René Levavasseur (architect)|fr|3=René Levavasseur (architecte)|lt=René Levavasseur}}. However, the [[Great Depression|1929 crisis]] put an end to the transatlantic peak.

===Second World War===
{{main|Battle of Cherbourg}}
[[File:Cherbourg1944-Combat avParis.jpg|thumb|right|American soldiers engaged in street fighting, on the ''Avenue de Paris''.]]
During the [[World War II|Second World War]] (1939–1945), the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] occupied the north of France and fortified the coastline against invasion. As a deep-water port, Cherbourg was of strategic importance, very heavily protected against seaborne assault.

German troops arrived in the outskirts of Cherbourg on 17 June 1940, towards the end of the [[Battle of France]]. Two days later, the City Council declared the [[open city|city open]], and ''[[Generalmajor]]'' [[Erwin Rommel]], commander of the [[7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|7th Panzer Division]], received the surrender of the city from the hands of the maritime prefect, Vice-Admiral {{Interlanguage link|Jules Le Bigot|fr}}, who had earlier destroyed submarines under construction at the arsenal and East Fort.

Four years later, Cherbourg, the only deep-water port in the region, was the primary objective of the [[United States Army|American troops]] who had landed at [[Utah Beach]] during the [[Operation Overlord|Battle of Normandy]]. The [[Battle of Cherbourg]] was required to give the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] a point of logistic support for human resupply and material of the troops. American troops encircled the city on 21 June 1944. At the end of furious street fighting and bitter resistance from the [[Fort du Roule]], ''[[Generalleutnant]]'' [[Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben]], ''[[Konteradmiral]]'' [[Walter Hennecke]] and 37,000 German soldiers surrendered on 26 June to [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] [[J. Lawton Collins|Joseph Lawton Collins]], [[Commanding officer|Commanding General]] (CG) of the [[VII Corps (United States)|U.S. VII Corps]]. After a month of [[demining]] and repairs by American and French engineers, the port, completely razed by the Germans and the bombing, welcomed the first [[Liberty ship]]s and became, until the victory of 1945, the busiest port in the world, with traffic double that of [[New York City|New York]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/juin_44_liberation_de_che/default.asp|title=Cherbourg, port de la Libération|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111061227/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/juin_44_liberation_de_che/default.asp|archive-date=11 November 2007}}</ref> It was also the endpoint of the gasoline which crossed the English Channel via the underwater pipeline [[Operation Pluto|PLUTO]] (Pipe Line Under The Ocean), and the starting point of the [[Red Ball Express]], truck transport circuit to [[Chartres]].

Cherbourg was returned to France by the Americans on 14 October 1945. It was cited in the Order of the Army on 2 June 1948 and received the [[Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)|Croix de guerre with Palm]].

===Postwar===
[[File:Le Redoutable.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|right|''Le Redoutable'', a nuclear submarine that became a symbol of the flourishing local economy of the postwar period. It became a tourist attraction in 2002.]]

The wartime destruction was mainly concentrated around the military port in Cherbourg but had hit 60% of Octeville. Thanks to the urgency of the port reconstruction, economic activity resumed quickly. Cherbourg, headed by former [[French Section of the Workers' International|SFIO]] Minister {{Interlanguage link|René Schmitt|fr}}, built much social housing. The postwar boom led to the modernisation of the economy and a greater role for female employment. Under the leadership of [[Charles de Gaulle|General de Gaulle]], Cherbourg became the hub of nuclear [[ballistic missile submarine]] construction from 1964, including the first, [[French submarine Redoutable (S611)|''Le Redoutable'']], which was launched in 1967.<ref name="histoireindustrielle">{{citation|first1=Thierry|last1=Durand|first2=Dominique|last2=Guillemois|title=Cotentin - Une histoire industrielle : 1960-2000|language=fr|trans-title=Cotentin - An industrial history: 1960-2000|id=QAMVINC - ACCAAM (documentary)|year=2004}}</ref> [[Félix Amiot]]'s shipyard [[Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie]], specialised in military armaments, became famous during the Christmas of 1969 in an episode of the [[Cherbourg Project]].

Incorporated in 1970, the {{Interlanguage link|Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|fr}} gathered together Cherbourg and Octeville, [[La Glacerie]], [[Tourlaville]], [[Querqueville]] and [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville]].

From the end of the 1960s, the nuclear industry emerged through the construction sites of the [[La Hague site|La Hague reprocessing plant]] and the [[Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant]] in addition to submarines of the [[DCNS (company)|DCN]]. A union of trade unions, left-wing activists and environmentalists, formed around the fear of the "nuclearisation" of Nord-Cotentin, crystallised in January 1979 when the ''Pacific Fisher'' landed with the first spent nuclear waste from Japan. On the eve of the 1980s, the Cherbourg agglomeration was hit by several violent social conflicts, particularly due to the closure of the Babcock factories.<ref name="cite-inquiete">{{cite news|first=Frédérick|last=Macé|title=Cherbourg, une cité inquiète|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg:A worried city|work=La Manche libre|date=10 November 2007}}</ref>

===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>

===Miscellany===
The [[Norman language]] writer [[Alfred Rossel]], a native of Cherbourg, composed many songs which form part of the heritage of the region. Rossel's song "Sus la mér" ("on the sea") is often sung as a regional patriotic song. The local dialect is known as [[Cotentinais]].

La Glacerie was named for [[glass]] [[factory]]. In 1655, [[Louis Lucas de Néhou]] built a glass factory which produced windows and mirrors for such buildings as the [[Galerie des Glaces]] and [[Château de Versailles]]. The factory in La Glacerie was destroyed by Allied bombardments in 1944 during the Normandy invasion.

Cherbourg was the first site outside the United States to be designated as an [[American Civil War]] Heritage Site by the [[Civil War Trust|Civil War Preservation Trust]] because a sea battle was fought nearby in 1864 by Union and Confederate warships. See the [[Battle of Cherbourg (1864)]].

==Population==
===Urban fabric===
[[File:Cherbourg au 16e siecle.jpg|thumb|right|Plan of the fortress of Cherbourg by {{Interlanguage link|Jacques Gomboust|fr}}, 1657]]
[[File:Cherbourg-rue des fosses.jpg|thumb|right|The ''Rue des Fossés'', remnant of a street of medieval Cherbourg]]

Cherbourg originally developed on the left bank of the mouth of the {{Interlanguage link|Divette (river)|fr|3=Divette (fleuve)|lt=Divette}}, around the castle. Traces of the ancient fortress are rare in the modern city; the fortification was located in the area bounded by the ''Rue de la Marine'', ''Quai de Caligny'', the ''Foch'', ''Gambetta'', ''Albert-Mahieu'' and ''François-Lavieille'' streets, and ''La République'' and ''La Trinité'' squares. The city had five streets: ''Grande Rue'', ''Rue de la Trinité'' (today, Tour-Carrée), the ''Rue du Nouet'' (to the Blé), the ''Rue au Fourdray'' and ''Rue Onfroy'' (of trade), and a dozen boëls (alleys).<ref name=anecdotique>{{cite book|first=Raymond|last=Lefèvre|title=Histoire anecdotique de Cherbourg à l'intention de nos écoliers|language=fr|trans-title=Anecdotal history of Cherbourg for our school children|location=Cherbourg|publisher=Cherbourg-Éclair|year=1941}}</ref> These five medieval streets were transformed into pedestrian streets in the 1980s. Until the destruction of the city walls, the main road called ''rue de-devant-le-château'', was built on its west (east is bordered by ditches) with several houses with arcades, called ''soliers''. After the dismantling of the walls, inside which lived three-fifths of the population,<ref>{{cite book|first=Abbé|last=Le Roy|chapter=Le Vieux Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-chapter=The old Cherbourg|title=Mémoires de la {{Interlanguage link|Société nationale académique de Cherbourg|fr}}|volume=12|year=1875}}</ref> the city extended up to its natural boundaries at the end of the 17th century: the Divette in the east, and Chantereine stream in the west. During the 19th century, it extended to the neighbouring annexed territories of [[Tourlaville]] and [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville|Équeurdreville]]. Its rapid growth from the end of the 18th century was spoken of by Jean Fleury, in 1839, in that it ''"offers almost everywhere the appearance of a new town; the old streets occupy little space, and the others are generally large and airy, the fountains numerous [...]. Cherbourg has 10 squares, 59 streets, 12 cul-de-sacs and 5 passages."''<ref name=fleury1839-notions >{{cite book|first1=Jean|last1=Fleury|first2=Hippolyte|last2=Vallée|chapter=Notions générales sur la Ville et l’Arrondissement|language=fr|trans-chapter=General notions about the city and the borough|title=Cherbourg et ses environs : nouveau guide du voyageur à Cherbourg|location=Cherbourg|publisher=Impr. de Noblet|year=1839|pages=2–18}}</ref>

Damaged during all eras, rebuilt in piecemeal, the city has no architectural unity. Shale, extracted from the quarries of the agglomeration, is the traditional material of construction. With widespread coverage in the northern Cotentin, it is also used in Cherbourg for the walls in the city, apparent or often covered with a grayish or sometimes colourful coating. The frames are then Valognes stone (limestone), pink granite of Fermanville, or brick, and the underpinnings Armorican sandstone of the Roule and the Fauconniere. The expansion of the city from the 18th century contributed to the diversity of materials. The use of [[Caen stone]] and industrial brick was necessary under the Second Empire, while vernacular architecture disappeared gradually in these years in favour of a more homogeneous and Parisian style.<ref name=centreurbainancien >{{cite book|first=Bruno|last=Centorame|chapter=L’habitat ancien du centre urbain|language=fr|title=À la découverte de Cherbourg : guide historique et touristique sur la ville de Cherbourg, la Hague et le Val de Saire|trans-title=The discovery of Cherbourg: Historical and tourist guide on the city of Cherbourg, the Hague and the Val de Saire
|location=Cherbourg|publisher=ville de Cherbourg|year=1992}}</ref>

Cherbourg and its agglomeration urbanised around the ports and along the coast. With post-war reconstruction and the economic development of the [[Trente Glorieuses]], the city is experiencing a crisis of housing due to the demographic boom, having built on the last vacant land. Indeed, a 1954 report evaluated 1,000 inhabitant families living in slums and called for 1,500 housing units. Then out of land ''Cité du Casino'' in 1957 and the ''Cité Fougère'' in 1958, then in 1959 all of the ''Amont-Quentin'', ''Charcot-Spanel'' and ''Cité Chantereyne'' to accommodate the families of the engineers and officers of the Arsenal.<ref>{{cite book|title=Cherbourg en marche vers le futur|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg moving towards the future|first1=F.|last1=Patard|first2=J.|last2=Lavalley|publisher=La Presse de la Manche|date=5 March 2007}}</ref>

Port Chantereyne and the Mielles lands are reclaimed from the sea, the ''Place Divette'' and ''Boulevard Schuman'' are created at the site of the old fairground. However, at that time, the change mainly affected nearby villages that formed an agglomeration in less than forty years. Octeville, a dispersed habitat until the 18th century, and urbanised during the work of the port around a central street,<ref name="hist-oct" /> saw the [[housing estate]] of the Provinces settle on the heights of la Fauconniere and triple its population in 20 years. Several estates also emerging at Tourlaville, La Glacerie, Querquerville and Equeurdreville, amending the physiognomy of a suburb which densified.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/atlas_cuc/Images/cartos/donnees_generales/urbanisme/atlas_urbanisme_fondements_historiques_01.jpg|title=Plan des fondements historiques de l'agglomération cherbourgeoise|language=fr|trans-title=The historical foundations of the cherbourgeoise agglomeration plan|first=François|last=Brun|work=Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|date=June 1999|access-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211735/http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/atlas_cuc/Images/cartos/donnees_generales/urbanisme/atlas_urbanisme_fondements_historiques_01.jpg|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> This urbanisation resulted in the dilution of the geographic and sociological boundaries of the agglomeration resulting in the creation in 1970 of the {{Interlanguage link|Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|fr|3=Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|lt=urban community}} until the merger of Cherbourg and Octeville in 2000.

[[File:Les-Provinces.jpg|thumb|right|The Amont Quentin and the Provinces, born in the 1960s and 1970s, currently under renovation.]]

Following this merger, a plan of urban renewal named "Between Land and Sea" was launched in 2002 on the quarters of Bassins, of the Amont-Quentin and the Provinces to homogenise the territory of the newly alamgamated city.<ref name="manoeuvres">{{cite web|url=http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites/les-grandes-manoeuvres/1037/0/115197|title=Cherbourg - urbanisme - Les grandes manœuvres|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg - planning - major manoeuvres|work=Le Point|date=24 November 2005|access-date=14 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519140245/http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites/les-grandes-manoeuvres/1037/0/115197|archive-date=19 May 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Bassins quarter, released by the channelling of the Divette and the filling of the retaining channel, is expected to profoundly transform the commercial landscape of the city, carried by the construction of a new shopping centre and the renovation of downtown. On the heights, seven HLM tower blocks are intended for demolition to improve social housing. A 3-star hotel and the relocation of the casino is also planned.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Thierry|last1=Dubillot|url=http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/Rentree-la-renovation-commerciale-au-menu-/re/actudet/actu_loc-704475------_actu.html|title=Rentrée : la rénovation commerciale au menu|language=fr|trans-title=Re-entry: the commercial renovation on the menu|date=16 September 2008|access-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922165220/http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/Rentree-la-renovation-commerciale-au-menu-/re/actudet/actu_loc-704475------_actu.html|archive-date=22 September 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> At ''Avenue Carnot'', the former Grouard warehouses must leave room for parking and a place through from the wharf from the ''Quai de l'Entrepôt'' to the Pasteur Hospital, to 180 dwellings by Presqu'île habitat and ADIM (Vinci company) then 100 extra in a second round of development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ouest-france.fr/avenue-carnot-esquisse-dun-nouveau-quartier-534563|title=Avenue Carnot: esquisse d'un nouveau quartier|language=fr|trans-title=Avenue Carnot: sketch of a new neighbourhood|work=Ouest-France|date=18 February 2010}}</ref>

The administrative quarters are:

*Downtown, historic heart of Cherbourg, with the inner city and the districts of La Polle and the Vœu, dating from the 19th century.
*The Val-de-Saire, annexed in 1811, beyond the Divette and swing-bridge.
*Sud-est, corresponding to the districts of du Roule and Maupas, traditionally for workers.
*The Amont Quentin-Provinces, on the heights of the city, built from the late 1950s (essentially HLM tower blocks).
*Octeville-Bourg, from both sides of the Salengro and Barbusse streets.
*Ouest, western part of the former municipality of Octeville.

Since 1996, Cherbourg-Octeville is covered by a [[sensitive urban zone]] on the expanded area of the Provinces.

=== Demography ===

The construction of the dam and the military port has brought an important flow of workers and soldiers. Cherbourg and Octeville have seen their populations quadruple in a century. Cherbourg had 43,000 inhabitants at the beginning of the 20th century. During this century, Cherbourg lost some 15,000 inhabitants, while Octeville grew continuously, with an explosion in the 1960s and 1970s, during the construction of the [[housing estate]]s.

According to estimates from [[Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques|INSEE]] for 2018, Cherbourg-Octeville has 35,545 inhabitants.<ref name=pop2018>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/4989724/ensemble.pdf Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2018], [[Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques|INSEE]]</ref> It is the largest city of the Manche department, and second of [[Lower Normandy]] (after [[Caen]]), surpassing [[Alençon]], which had been second before the amalgamation. Cherbourg concentrated 7.7% of the departmental population, twice as much as the prefecture, [[Saint-Lô]], while the agglomeration represents 17% and the urban area 23.5%.

The depopulation of the city-centre of the agglomeration was one of the main topics of the campaign for the municipal elections of 2008. In addition to the battle of figures on the number of lost inhabitants, the three candidates, Bernard Cazeneuve (PS), Jean Lemière (UMP) and Hervé Corbin (dissident UMP) indicated a new interest in this problem. The urbanisation of the Grimesnil/Monturbet zone, provided for the coming years, should logically bring extra population, although no one knows if it will be enough to stop the demographic bleeding.

{{Historical populations
|align    = center
|cols     = 3
|percentages = pagr
|footnote = Population without double counting. Data for the former commune of Cherbourg.
|source   = Ldh/[[School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences|EHESS]]/Cassini<ref name=ehess>{{Cassini-Ehess|9198|Cherbourg-Octeville}}</ref>
|1793|10081
|1800|11389
|1806|14316
|1821|15655
|1831|18043
|1836|19315
|1841|23408
|1846|26949
|1851|28012
|1856|38309
|1861|41812
|1866|37215
|1872|35580
|1876|37186
|1881|35691
|1886|37013
|1891|38554
|1896|40783
|1901|42938
|1906|43837
|1911|43731
|1921|38281
|1926|38054
|1931|37461
|1936|39105
|1946|40042
|1954|38262
|1962|37486
|1968|38243
|1975|32536
|1982|28442
|1990|27121
|1999|25370
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;width:75%;border:0px;text-align:center;line-height:120%;margin: 0.5em auto;"
|+ Demographic changes of Cherbourg and Octeville compared, before their merger.<ref name=ehess/><ref name="Cassini2">{{Cassini-Ehess|25437|Octeville}}</ref>
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:12% ;" | Year
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1793
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1800
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1806
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1821
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1831
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1836
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1841
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1846
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1851
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1856
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1861
|-
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | Cherbourg
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |10,081
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |11,389
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |14,316
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |15,655
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |18,043
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |19,315
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |23,408
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |26,949
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |28,012
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |38,309
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |41,812
|-
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | Octeville
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | 972
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | 850
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |1,026
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |1,194
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |1,309
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |1,508
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |1,479
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |1,735
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |1,878
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |2,160
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |2,346
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;width:75%;border:0px;text-align:center;line-height:120%;margin: 0.5em auto;"
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:12% ;" | Year
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1866
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1872
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1876
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1881
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1886
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1891
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1896
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1901
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1906
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1911
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1921
|-
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | Cherbourg
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |37,215
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |35,580
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |37,186
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |35,691
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |37,013
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |38,554
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |40,783
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |42,938
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |43,837
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |43,731
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |38,281
|-
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | Octeville
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |2,275
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |2,268
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |2,350
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |2,482
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |2,895
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |3,028
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |3,352
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |3,752
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |4,077
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |4,193
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |4,017
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;width:75%;border:0px;text-align:center;line-height:120%;margin: 0.5em auto;"
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:12% ;" | Year
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1926
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1931
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1936
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1946
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1954
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1962
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1968
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1975
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1982
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1990
! style="background: #D1E8FF; width:8% ;" | 1999
|-
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | Cherbourg
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |38,054
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |37,461
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |39,105
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |40,042
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |38,262
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |37,486
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |38,243
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |32,536
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |28,442
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |27,121
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |25,370
|-
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" | Octeville
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |3,939
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |4,054
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |4,317
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |4,606
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |5,421
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |6,247
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |9,465
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |15,977
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |18,551
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |18,120
| style="background: #F5F5F5;" |16,948
|-
| colspan="12" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|Number retained from 1962: {{Interlanguage link|Population counts of France|fr|3=Chiffres de population de la France|lt=population without doubles counting}}
|}

Today, the neighbouring communes of the metropolitan area (Martinvast, Nouainville, Tonneville, Bretteville, etc.) are experiencing a demographic boost: The framework of life, rural and peaceful, in no way prevents the inhabitants from taking advantage of the infrastructure of the urban community. This problem, which is found in many French towns of this size, has led to the constitution of a {{Interlanguage link|Joint Association of Cotentin|fr|3=Syndicat mixte du Cotentin|lt=''Pays du Cotentin''}}, the urban community who wish to so participate financially in the rich {{Interlanguage link|Community of communes of Les Pieux|fr|3=Communauté de communes des Pieux}} and the {{Interlanguage link|Community of communes of La Hague|fr|3=Communauté de communes de la Hague}}.

Since the merger between Cherbourg and Octeville, in February 2000, the inhabitants are officially called  ''Cherbourgeois-Octevillais''.<ref name=fusion>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/fiche_didentite_de_la_vil/situation_administrative/cherbourg-octeville_ville/default.asp|title=Cherbourg-Octeville, une ville fusionnée|access-date=19 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091031142023/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/fiche_didentite_de_la_vil/situation_administrative/cherbourg-octeville_ville/default.asp|archive-date=31 October 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Before, the inhabitants of Cherbourg was called the ''Cherbourgeois'' and those of Octeville were the ''Octevillais''. It is likely{{quantify|date=November 2024}} that, with the merger, the latter disappears gradually in favour of ''Cherbourgeois''. This would be similar to ''Équeurdrevillais'' (or sometimes ''Équeurdrais'') for the nearby of [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville]], which merged communes in 1965.

===Housing===
Cherbourg and Octeville have two different profiles. The first is the city centre, with varied habitat, the other a commune in suburbs, built quickly from the 1960s.

===Parks and green spaces===
The second half of the 19th century saw the creation of many [[English landscape garden|English-style gardens]]. The first was due to [[Joseph Cachin]] created while he was responsible for the construction of the port, a private garden and a pond near the {{Interlanguage link|Divette (river)|fr|3=Divette (fleuve)|lt=Divette}}, instead of the current railway line leading to the [[Gare de Cherbourg|station]].<ref name="troisjardins">{{cite book|first=Bruno|last=Centorame|id=Trois jardins|title=À la découverte de Cherbourg}}</ref> The temperate oceanic climate favours the naturalisation of southern and exotic plants such as palm trees, brought back by many Cherbourg sailors and explorers. Then, under the Third Republic, public gardens opened.<ref name="troisjardins" />

Today the city offers several green spaces:

*The {{Interlanguage link|Jardin public de Cherbourg|fr|3=Jardin public de Cherbourg|lt=Public Garden}} of {{convert|1.7|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, on the ''Avenue de Paris'', was the first park to be offered to the population, in 1887. At the foot of the ''Montagne du Roule'', it hosts many animals ([[sea lion]]s, [[aviary|aviaries]], [[deer]], etc.). A commemorative site preferred by the municipality, it contains the monument to the dead inaugurated in 1924, the old portal of the Abbey of the Vœu, the bust of [[Jean-François Millet]], and the last town bandstand. Two pavilions of angles constructed in 1889 limit the garden on the ''Avenue de Paris''.<ref name="jardinschbg">{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_botanique/parcs_et_jardins/default.asp|title=Parcs et jardins|work=ville de Cherbourg-Octeville|access-date=16 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527230554/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_botanique/parcs_et_jardins/default.asp|archive-date=27 May 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
*The [[Emmanuel Liais]] Park {{convert|1|ha|acre|abbr=on}} is the former garden of the Mayor of Cherbourg's house, designed in 1881 and opened in 1885. Bequeathed to the city upon his death, it is very wooded and has an observation tower, a plan of water containing water lilies and other aquatic plants and two greenhouses sheltering rare plants, including a rich collection of South American plants brought back from his travels and acclimated by Liais. It is labelled as a [[Remarkable Gardens of France|Remarkable Garden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parcsetjardins.fr/basse_normandie/manche/parc_emmanuel_liais-75.html|title=Parc Emmanuel Liais|work=Comité des parcs et jardins de France}}</ref>
*The Montebello garden, opened in 1872 in the street of the same name, within the Napoleon III Quarter, was created at the initiative of the Horticultural Society of Cherbourg for its members. Open to the public since its inception, it contains [[bamboo]]s, [[camellia]]s and [[magnolia]]s, and offers a chalet of bricks with beams.
*The Park of the {{Interlanguage link|Château des Ravalet|fr}} {{convert|12|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, a Cherbourg-Octeville property on the territory of Tourlaville, was developed by the Vicomte [[René de Tocqueville]] from 1872, with an [[English landscape garden|English garden]] and a woodland. The park and the greenhouse built between 1872 and 1875, which is home to palm, banana, cactus and lianas have been open since the acquisition by the city of Cherbourg in 1935, and are classified as historical monuments since 4 March 1996. Several water bodies welcome Black Swans and the aviaries are home to rare birds. An artificial waterfall was created in 1921.<ref name="jardinschbg" />
*The {{Interlanguage link|Vallon sauvage|fr|3=Vallon sauvage|lt=''Vallon sauvage''}} [wild valley] contains hedgerows, [[wetland]]s, orchards and woodland in the heart of Octeville, in a natural area of {{convert|10|ha|acre|abbr=on}}.<ref name=pedestre />

A private garden, the [[Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière|Botanical Garden of the Roche Fauconnière]], is also listed in the inventory of Historic Monuments since 29 December 1978.<ref>{{Base Mérimée|PA00110368|Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière}}</ref> Established in 1873, it was embellished over generations by the Favier family.<ref name="troisjardins" />

The commune also has [[Allotment (gardening)|allotments]], managed by associations: Vallon Sauvage, Fourches, Roquettes, Saint Sauveur and Redoute, which gives free land to its members.

In 2007, the municipality was awarded four flowers in the [[Concours des villes et villages fleuris|competition of flowery towns and villages]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.villes-et-villages-fleuris.com/leconcours/palmaresdep/P50.htm|title=Villes et Villages Fleuris|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020002655/http://www.villes-et-villages-fleuris.com/leconcours/palmaresdep/P50.htm|archive-date=20 October 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The beautification policy, which dates from 1995, resulted in obtaining a first flower, followed by a second in 2000 and third in 2002. It relies on public gardens, heirs to a local botanical heritage of over a century, {{convert|10000|m2|sqft}} of flower beds and {{convert|240|ha|acre|abbr=on}} of green space on events such as ''Le Mois des Jardins et Presqu’île en Fleurs'' [The Month of Gardens and Peninsula in Flowers], and the annual distribution of geraniums to the resident volunteers.

==Economy==
===Historic===
[[File:Cherbourg AncienneCriée.jpg|thumb|right|Old fish market of Cherbourg, ''Quai de Caligny''.]]
[[File:Cherbourg-arsenal hangars.jpg|thumb|right|Sheds of the arsenal, seen from Chantereyne.]]

At the instigation of [[Jean-Baptiste Colbert|Colbert]], the guild of drapers was founded on 16 April 1668, the manufacture of cloth produced two thousand pieces per year.<ref name=anecdotique /> Two years earlier, Colbert had also promoted the introduction of the [[La Glacerie|glass factory]] in the forest of [[Tourlaville]].<ref>Voisin-La-Hougue, ''op. cit.'' {{p.|104-109}}</ref>

In the 18th century, the economic resources came mainly through maritime trade, the preparation of cured meats and the harbour and breakwater works, plus a moribund textile industry. On the eve of the French Revolution, salt was imported from [[Le Croisic]] along with British grain, and [[Le Molay-Littry|Littry]] coal. Exports were mainly to Britain (sheets and clothes) and the West Indies (cattle and mules, fat and salted butter, salted meats, cod, linens and canvas), but also to [[Le Havre]] and [[La Rochelle]] for wood and coal. Lawful or otherwise exchanges also took place with the Channel Islands ([[tanbark]], grain and wool). Cherbourg shipowners were absent from significant fishing, including that of cod on the banks of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], which was a specialty of [[Granville, Manche|Granville]]. 361 workers (1764) and 69 skilled workers (1778) of the factory annually produced (1760) 2,000 fine linens in green and white strip. Cherbourg also had seven producers of starch.<ref name="ancienregime" /> Opened in 1793 at the location of the current Lawton-Collins Wharf, the arsenal was moved in 1803 on a decision by [[Napoleon]], within the project of the [[Cherbourg Naval Base|military port]]. Sailing ships were built, the first, the [[brig]] ''La Colombe'', was launched on 27 September 1797, and then screw-propelled vessels up to the end of the 19th century. From 1898, the Arsenal specialised in the {{Interlanguage link|List of submarines built at Cherbourg|fr|3=Liste des sous-marins construits à Cherbourg|lt=construction of submarines}}. The first were ''Le Morse'' and ''Le Narval''. Since then, more than 91 vessels have been built there.

''L'Annuaire de la Manche'' [The Yearbook of Manche] in 1829 mentioned several slate quarries in the agglomeration whose product was sometimes exported to Le Havre, two printers, two soda refineries (properties of Mr. Le Couturier and Messrs. Crenier and Co. producing approximately 600 tonnes for [[Ostend]], [[Dunkirk]], [[Rouen]] and [[Paris]], Germany and Russia), a sugar refinery (Mr. Despréaux) whose 50 tonnes were sold in the English Channel, a lace factory run by four nuns on behalf of Messrs. Blod and Lange and several tanners. It is indicated that the port trade was based on exportation of mules to [[Réunion]] and the [[Antilles]], salted meat of pigs and eggs in [[Great Britain|Britain]], wine and brandies, and the import of [[Scandinavia]]n, [[Poland|Polish]] and Russian wood, linseed, and hemp.<ref>{{cite book|title=Industrie et commerce - Arrondissement de Cherbourg, ''Annuaire du Département de la Manche''|location=Saint-Lô|publisher=Impr. de J. Elie|year=1829}}</ref> But its use as a place of war hampered the development of Cherbourg as major commercial port, compared to Le Havre. Ten years later, for these exchanges, {{Interlanguage link|Jean Fleury (writer)|fr|3=Jean Fleury|lt=Jean Fleury}} counted 225 to 230 both French and foreign, from 30 to 800 tons, ships each carrying 6 to 18 crew. He added the maritime buildings and armaments and the export of butter of [[La Hague]], and the total annual trade was estimated at between 4 or 5 million francs, of which one million for the export of eggs to the United Kingdom, and 850 tons of salted meat.<ref name=fleury1839-notions />

At the beginning of the 20th century, Cherbourg was primarily a [[Cherbourg Naval Base|military port]]. The commercial port was modest, always exporting mules to the West Indies and Réunion and local food products to Britain (butter, meats, eggs, cattle, etc.), but also chemical products of soda extracted from kelp, granite from nearby quarries, and important wood and iron from [[Nord (French department)|Nord]], tar, hemp, and food from the colonies. At this time the port embraced the transatlantic epic. Cherbourg's industry was then specialised in shipbuilding, as well as in lace-making and the manufacture of rope. The late 19th century also saw Cherbourg develop an aviation industry, through the company of [[Félix du Temple de la Croix|Félix du Temple]], taken over in 1938 by [[Félix Amiot]], another aviation pioneer for the aerospace company of Normandy. Gradually, workers developed a particular skill in metalwork, both for the submarines of the Arsenal, for aircraft and ships of the Amiot shipyards or [[George Herman Babcock|Babcock]]-[[Stephen Wilcox|Wilcox]] boilers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mairie-tourlaville.fr/fr/tourisme/tourisme_et_patrimoine/dossiers_en_consultation/fichiers/felix_du_temple.pdf|title=Félix Du Temple, un général inventeur|work=Ville de Tourlaville|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927020303/http://www.mairie-tourlaville.fr/fr/tourisme/tourisme_et_patrimoine/dossiers_en_consultation/fichiers/felix_du_temple.pdf|archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref>

In 1916, [[Nestlé]] introduced its first French factory in Cherbourg.

The 1960s saw a revival of the local economy through the increase in the female workforce and the decline of agricultural employment in favour of diversification of jobs and a high-tech industry. In 1960, under the leadership of Mayor [[Jacques Hébert (French politician)|Jacques Hébert]], Hortson was established in the Maupas quarter. One hundred employees manufactured projectors and film cameras, particularly for the [[Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française|ORTF]] and Russian television. Redeemed, the factory specialised under the name of [[Thomson-CSF]] audiovisual in surveillance and medical cameras, then in the production of electronic circuits of computer terminals on behalf of [[Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie]] and the Arsenal. Since 1976, it has been dedicated to the production of microwave electronic devices, employing 260 workers in 1979 contracted for radars of the [[Dassault Mirage F1|Mirage F1]] Army Air and of the Navy [[Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard|Super Etendards]], rising to 400 employees at the end of the 1980s, after moving in 1987 into a new modernised factory in Tourlaville. For a decade, the electronic workshop expanded, adding a production line for mobile television relays, and a workshop for mechanical surface treatment.<ref name="Hortson">{{cite book|first=Frédéric|last=Patard|title=D'Hortson à Sanmina, 45 ans d'histoire industrielle|language=fr|trans-title=Of Hortson at Sanmina, 45 years of industrial history|publisher=La Presse de la Manche}}</ref> As part of the internal restructuring of [[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel]], the site, which has 300 employees, was sold in 2002 to [[Sanmina Corporation|Sanmina-SCI]], which ceased its activity in March 2008.<ref name="redynamiser">{{cite web|url=http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/actu/actudet_-Comment-redynamiser-l-economie-de-la-ville-centre-_loc-579463_actu.Htm|title=Comment redynamiser l'économie de la ville centre ?|language=fr|trans-title=How to revitalise the economy of the city centre?|work=Ouest-France|date=5 March 2008}}</ref> The ''Compagnie industrielle des télécommunications'' (CIT), merged the following decade with Alcatel, it also opened an assembly plant for electronic telephone exchanges, at [[Querqueville]] in the 1960s. The unit, seen as a flagship of French industry by the new president of the Republic in 1981, was considered unnecessary after the integration of Thomson's telephony division with Alcatel in 1984 and suffered heavy redundancies from the end of the 1980s, before closing in 1997 at the end of a difficult social conflict.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Sylvie|last=Malsan|title=Licenciements collectifs : le prix d'une dette symbolique|language=fr|trans-title=Collective redundancies: the price of a symbolic debt|journal=Revue du MAUSS, la Découverte|isbn=978-2-7071-5253-4|pages=180–206|year=2007|doi=10.3917/rdm.029.0180 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Between the 1970s and 1990s, the two major projects of northern [[Cotentin Peninsula|Cotentin]], the [[La Hague site|La Hague reprocessing plant]] and the [[Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant]], accentuated the industrial development of a city that saw a golden age<ref name="cite-inquiete"/> through what the journalist François Simon called "industries of death", since about two thirds of the local industrial fabric was related to defence and the nuclear industry.<ref name="histoireindustrielle" />

Cherbourg is also the cradle of the [[Paul-Louis Halley|Halley]] family and society, which became [[Promodès]] in the 1960s ({{Interlanguage link|Continent (hypermarket)|fr|3=Continent (hypermarché)|lt=Continent}} hypermarkets, [[Champion (supermarket)|Champion]] supermarkets). In 1999, Promodès merged with [[Carrefour]]. The old buildings of Halley House became the technical centre of the Cachin vocational school, on ''Avenue Aristide-Briand''.

===Economic data===
In 1999, the economically active population of Cherbourg and Octeville was 18,671 inhabitants in a total population of 42,288 inhabitants.<ref name="linternaute">{{cite web|url=http://www.linternaute.com/ville/ville/accueil/12260/cherbourg.shtml |title=Cherbourg|work=L’Encyclopédie des villes de France|publisher=L’Internaute}} and {{cite web|url=http://www.linternaute.com/ville/ville/accueil/25574/octeville.shtml|title=Octeville|work=L’Encyclopédie des villes de France|publisher=L’Internaute}}</ref>

Cherbourg-Octeville supports an unemployment rate (19.6% in 1999), double that of its job base (9.3% in 2006, a decrease of 1.1% in one year) which itself has the highest unemployment of the basins of employment of the department. At 31 December 2004, there were 3,700 jobseekers. Therefore, the annual average household income is lower than the national average (€13,730 for the city, compared with €15,027 in France) despite an average monthly salary (€1,590 in 2001) highest job growth of the department and higher than that of [[Caen]]-[[Bayeux]] (€1,550).<ref name="memo" /><ref name="linternaute" />

{| border="0" align="center" style="border: 1px solid #999; background-color:#FFFFFF" width="50%"
|+ ''Qualification of employment''<ref name="memo" />
|- align="center" style="background:#bdbbd7;color:#000080;text-align:center;font-size:105%;padding:3px;"
! Number of jobs (%) || Employment pool || Manche || Lower Normandy
|- align=right bgcolor="#ffffff"
| align=left | Farm workers || 5 || 7.2 || 5.1
|- align=right bgcolor="#ffffff"
| align=left | Artisans, merchants and entrepreneurs || 6 ||7.2 ||6.9
|- align=right bgcolor="#ffffff"
| align=left | Executives and professionals ||8.1 || 6.5 || 7.8
|- align=right bgcolor="#ffffff"
| align=left | Associate professionals ||25.2 ||19.2 ||19.5
|- align=right bgcolor="#ffffff"
| align=left | Employees ||29 ||28.8 ||29.2
|- align=right bgcolor="#ffffff"
| align=left | Manual workers ||26.7 ||31.1 ||31.5
|}

===Main activities===
Cherbourg is the seat of the {{Interlanguage link|Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin|fr|3=Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin|lt=Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cherbourg-Cotentin}} particularly manages the airport, the fishing ports of Cherbourg and the trade, and, together with the {{Interlanguage link|Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Centre et Sud-Manche|fr|3=Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Centre et Sud-Manche|lt=Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Centre and Sud-Manche}}, the FIM group training organisation.

*'''Major Employers on 1 January 2001'''<ref name=cuc>{{cite web|url=http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/informations_services/obs_communautaire/obs_communautaire.htm|title=Observatoire communautaire|work=Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|access-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211741/http://www.cuc-cherbourg.fr/Pages/informations_services/obs_communautaire/obs_communautaire.htm|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
{| border="0" align="center" style="border: 1px solid #999; background-color:#FFFFFF" width="50%"
|- align="center" style="background:#bdbbd7;color:#000080;text-align:center;font-size:105%;padding:3px;"
! Name || Activity || Staff
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| [[DCNS (company)|DCNS]] || Naval construction || align=right | 3,190
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| {{Interlanguage link|Centre hospitalier public du Cotentin|fr|3=Centre hospitalier public du Cotentin|lt=Centre hospitalier Louis-Pasteur}}|| Healthcare/social || align=right | 1,411
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| [[Électricité de France|EDF]] || Electricity production || align=right |625
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| Ville de Cherbourg-Octeville || Public administration || align=right | 606
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| ACAIS (Association Cherbourg action sanitaire/sociale) || Healthcare/social || align=right | 531
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| [[Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie|CMN]] || Naval construction || align=right | 522
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| {{Interlanguage link|Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|fr|3=Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|lt=CUC}} ||Public administration || align=right | 458
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| [[Auchan]] || Retail group || align=right | 426
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| [[Sanmina Corporation|Sanmina]] (ex-Alcatel)|| Electronics manufacturing || align=right | 364
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| [[Euriware]] || IT services || align=right |291
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
| Lycée A. de Tocqueville || Secondary education || align=right | 275
|- align=left bgcolor="#ffffff"
|Centre communal d’action sociale || Healthcare/social || align=right |264
|}

*'''Maritime sector'''

{{further|:fr:Port de Cherbourg}}

The Cherbourg economy derives a large part of its activities from its maritime position.<ref name="boncap">{{citation|title=Cherbourg - économie - Le bon cap|work=Le Point|issue=1732|date=24 November 2005}}</ref> Cherbourg indeed has {{Interlanguage link|Port of Cherbourg|fr|3=Port de Cherbourg|lt=four ports}}: A military port, a fishing port, a port of commerce (passenger traffic and cross-border goods) and a marina.

Weakened since the 1990s, the commercial port sees the transit of 110,000 trucks to or from Ireland and Great Britain. [[FastShip, Inc.|Project Fastship]], involving container transport from [[Philadelphia]] (United States) by high-speed vessels and oped for fifteen years, has been forgotten in favour of the [[Motorways of the Sea]] in the context of the Ena (Eurocoast Network Association), with [[Cuxhaven]] (Germany), [[Ostend]] (Belgium), [[Rosslare Europort|Rosslare]] (Ireland) and [[Ferrol, Galicia|Ferrol]] (Spain), with no more effect at the moment.<ref name="redynamiser" />

In recent years, the cross-Channel passenger traffic has declined, with competition from [[Port of Caen|Caen-Ouistreham]] and the [[Pas-de-Calais]]. The withdrawal of the [[P&O Portsmouth|P&O company]], which served Poole and Southampton, has left two companies with cross-Channel links: [[Brittany Ferries]] to [[Portsmouth]] and [[Poole]] and [[Irish Ferries]] to [[Rosslare Europort|Rosslare]] (Ireland). In the first eleven months of 2007 compared with the same period of 2006, passenger traffic declined by 3.84% to 750,000 units, while freight fell 4.43% with 87,000 trucks landed. For comparison, the port had 1.7 million passengers and 138,000 trucks in 1995.<ref name="retroport">{{citation|first=Frédéric|last=Patard|title=Deux bouées de sauvetage pour le port|work=La Presse de la Manche|date=3 January 2008}}</ref>

Property, with the [[Port of Caen|Port of Caen-Ouistreham]], of the joint association Ports Norman Associates, involving the {{Interlanguage link|Regional Council of Lower Normandy|fr|3=Conseil régional de Basse-Normandie}} and the Departmental Councils of [[Departmental Council of Manche|Manche]] and [[Departmental Council of Calvados|Calvados]], port trade is managed by a joint company of the {{Interlanguage link|Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cherbourg-Cotentin|fr|3=Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin|lt=Chamber of commerce}} and {{Interlanguage link|Louis Dreyfus Armateurs|fr}}. The construction of a terminal dedicated to the traffic of coal from South America and destined for the United Kingdom will put an end to the haemorrhage of the activity of the port.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.drakkaronline.com/article67172.html|title=LD Armateurs s'installe avec la CCI à la tête du port de Cherbourg|work=DrakkarOnLine|date=14 November 2008}}</ref>

The fishing industry is affected by the crisis affecting the entire industry, and the port has seen its fleet decline.<ref name="redynamiser" />

Cherbourg was the first French marina by number of visitors in 2007, having 10,117 boats for 28,713 overnight stays in 2007, and the total impact estimated at €4 million for the Cherbourg agglomeration.<ref>{{citation|title=Les Anglais de Cherbourg|work=Ouest-France|date=5 December 2008}}</ref>

A tradition of local industry, shipbuilding is based on the two pillars of the [[DCNS (company)|DCNS]] Cherbourg for [[submarine]]s and [[Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie]] (CMN), famous for their speedboats. This sector has been widely restructured over the past twenty years. The military arsenal saw the end of the construction of the [[Redoutable-class submarine (1967)|''Redoutable''-class submarines]] and expanded its customer base, until then exclusively of the Navy, prior to being privatised in 2007. With diesel ''Agosta'' submarines, developed since 1994 for Pakistan, and the ''Scorpène'', in collaboration with the shipyards of [[Cartagena, Spain|Cartagena]], sold to Malaysia, Chile and India, 25% of the total turnover of the establishment is of foreign origin. Partnerships with Pakistan and India have concluded to make the construction term at home. The CMN, which employed 1,200 people at the beginning of the 1980s, modernised and automated, and now has 500 employees. The company diversified into large luxury yachts, without abandoning the military market, and has signed such contracts with the [[United Arab Emirates]] and [[Qatar]] through the Franco-[[Lebanon|Lebanese]] businessman [[Iskandar Safa]], owner since 1992.<ref name="boncap" />

[[File:TransatJ.Vabre6 11 2005 BankPop.jpg|thumb|right|Multihull ''Banque Populaire'', built by the {{Interlanguage link|JMV Industries|fr}} shipyard]]

While these two military companies have experienced reductions in loads (the number of jobs at the Arsenal increased from 6,000 including 1,000 subcontracted, in 1988, to 2,600 including 500 subcontractors), and the companies have repositioned in the nautical industry. {{Interlanguage link|JMV Industries|fr}}, a subsidiary of CMN with 100 employees, built racing yachts. Originally hosted by CMN to build aluminium hulls designed by James Ébénistes ([[Saint-Laurent-de-Cuves]]), Allures Yachting has specialised in cruising sailboats. The Allais shipyard, of Dieppe, has established a subsidiary, ICAN, dedicated to civilian boats and pleasure craft.<ref name="boncap" />

A network of subcontractors and specialists formed around this hub through Ameris France (established in 1994 under the name of ''Cap 50 export'', specialised in the research and the supply of spare parts for ships and military aircraft), the Efinor group (founded in 1988, specialising in metallurgy, nuclear decommissioning and engineering), MPH (help in project control, 140 employees). At [[Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue]], Facnor has become a global specialist of sailing reels.<ref>{{citation|title=Les entreprises cherbourgeoises à Euronaval|work=La Presse de la Manche|date=27 October 2006|page=3}}.</ref>

The Navy employs nearly 3,000 officials in the agglomeration, especially in the context of administration (maritime prefecture), maritime safety (customs, CROSS, Abeille), logistical support of the [[French Navy]] and foreign passage, and of training.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otcherbourgcotentin.fr/index.php?page=2&fiche=442|title=Marine nationale|work=Tourist office of Cherbourg-Octeville.}}</ref>
*'''Metallurgy'''

Metallurgy has long represented a large source of employment in the agglomeration. Around the Arsenal and its [[boilermaker]]s, several metalworking and mechanical industries were formed from the early 1900s. This is the case of the oldest business the city, the Simon Brothers company, founded in 1856, which went from being a mechanical workshop to a steam agricultural machinery manufacturer and then to an agribusiness in a half a century.

Manufacturing guns in 1870 and 1939, the company became a world leader in [[butter churn|churns]] and mixers for the butter industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wikimanche.fr/index.php?title=Simon_Frères|title=Simon Frères|work=Wikimanche|date=5 September 2008}}</ref> Similarly, the Babcock [[boiler]] manufacturer was implanted in Cherbourg in the [[interwar period]] and closed its doors after a protracted labour dispute, in 1979. Later, the {{abbr|UIE|Union industrielle d'entreprise (Industrial Business Union)}} began business in Cherbourg in 1973, for the construction of [[oil platform]]s, but closed in 1985.<ref name=histoireindustrielle />

*'''Agri-food'''

The food industry, essential in Lower Normandy, is not absent from the employment pool. A farm raising salmon in the harbour, abattoirs handling farmed livestock of Nord-Cotentin, and several processing companies exist. The Simon Brothers (50 employees) have supplied equipment for the cider and dairy industries for more than a century.

*'''Electronics'''

Alcatel had two units in the 1980s, one in Cherbourg, then Tourlaville (formerly [[Thomson-CSF]]) the other in Querqueville ([[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel CIT]]). Both, regarded as flagships of the group, specialised respectively in microwave and electronic telephone exchanges. However, Alcatel decided to close the Querqueville factory in 1997, Codifur then took over part of the business with hundreds of employees. In 2002, it also offloaded the Tourlaville unit to [[Sanmina Corporation|Sanmina-SCI]], which relocated its production six years later. Codifur resumed the after-sales service business of Alcatel, or 5% of the initial activity, and a few dozen employees.<ref>{{citation|first=Gérald|last=Lerouvreur|title=Sanmina loue 5000m<sup>2</sup> au groupe Cofidur|work=Ouest France|date=17 April 2008}}</ref>

*'''Other industries'''<ref name="tresor">{{cite web |url=http://tresordesregions.mgm.fr/Mdir.php?p=cant.php&region=25&cl=CherbourgOcteville |title=Cherbourg-Octeville |work=Trésor des régions |year=2007}}</ref>

Socoval, a manufacturer of menswear of the Cantoni Group from Italy, is the last textile factory of the Cotentin and employs about 100 employees, since the social plan of 2001, which resulted in the loss of about 40 employees.

Economic partners now rely on the "mastery of atmosphere", i.e. the control of contamination from industrial processes, through the {{Interlanguage link|Technopole Cherbourg Normandie|fr|3=Technopole Cherbourg Normandie|lt=Cherbourg-Normandy technopole}} created in 2001. Having experience of work involving nuclear risk, it wants to transfer these skills to the food, electronics and pharmaceutical industries. Two courses have been designed for this purpose: A BTS in nuclear maintenance at the Lycee Tocqueville and a DESS in mastery of atmosphere at the [[Cherbourg School of Engineering]].

*'''Commerce'''

The urban community, the main commercial centre of the Cotentin, has four [[hypermarket]]s covering {{convert|26780|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}<ref name=memo2008 /> - of which one, [[Carrefour]] (260 employees), located in the Cherbourg area, represents the third largest private employer of the commune - as well as several large specialist stores. Trade employs nearly 1,400 people in the city centre,<ref name="tresor" /> but the decline in cross-Channel traffic has caused a big shortfall, exacerbated by the fragile local economy.<ref name="redynamiser" />
Although downtown Cherbourg is the main commercial centre of the agglomeration, with 340 establishments, its dominance is lower in the urban community, when compared to Caen towards its agglomeration. Indeed, Cherbourg focuses 35% of commercial activities and 45% of retail trade in the agglomeration, against 40% and 55% for the centre of Caen respectively, particularly two-thirds of the human equipment stores against 90% in Lower Normandy's capital. Grocery chains, equipment and home appliances have left the city centre for out-of-town shopping centres. The number of fast food outlets doubled between 1995 and 2005, while the strength of the traditional catering has stagnated.<ref>{{citation|first=Michel|last= Moisan|title=Le commerce de centre-ville à Cherbourg et Caen|work=Cent pour Cent Basse-Normandie|issue=158|date=June 2006}}</ref>

*'''Services'''<ref name="tresor" />

Cherbourg-Octeville, the largest city of the department, is the main centre for administration and services for the [[Cotentin]]. Health is an important provider of jobs with the {{Interlanguage link|Centre hospitalier public du Cotentin|fr|3=Centre hospitalier public du Cotentin|lt=Pasteur hospital}} (470 beds, second of Lower Normandy, merged since 2006 with the Hospital of Valognes) and the Cotentin Polyclinic. The same goes for the education sector with four public and four private schools, a marine high school and aquaculture, a university campus and several graduate schools. The branches of public enterprises are also located there (EDF, with 120 officers and SNCF, with 50 officers). Public employment represents an important part with, in addition to the hospital and schools, municipal and community staff.

Business service companies are also present in computer science (Euriware, 85 employees), cleanliness (Onet, 240 employees, and Sin&Stes, 100 employees) and advertising (Adrexo, 50 employees).

Cherbourg-Octeville hosts the headquarters of {{Interlanguage link|France Bleu Cotentin|fr}} public radio, and the departmental daily ''[[La Presse de la Manche]]'' (120 employees with his CES press), successor to the Libération de {{Interlanguage link|Cherbourg-Éclair|fr|3=Cherbourg-Éclair|lt=''Cherbourg-Éclair''}}, and subsidiary of the {{Interlanguage link|Groupe SIPA - Ouest-France|fr}} since 1990. [[France 3 Normandie]] boasts a local editorial office in the city; Cherbourg's edition of {{Interlanguage link|La Manche libre|fr|3=La Manche libre|lt=''La Manche libre''}} covers the agglomeration, [[La Hague]] and the [[Val de Saire]]; local television {{Interlanguage link|5050 TV|fr}} has installed its headquarters and its main studio in the area.

Jobs in the construction sector are divided between Faucillion (80 employees), [[Eiffage]] (75 employees) and [[Colas Group|Colas]] (60 employees).

Since its opening, the ''[[Cité de la Mer]]'' is the tourist engine of Nord-Cotentin. The cruise terminal also attracts liners each year. The marina of 1,500 spaces is the first French port of call (11,000 per year). The capacity of the city was, as of 1 January 2007, 15 hotels and 429 rooms. The casino, owned by the Cogit Group is the 109th in France, with a turnover of €6.7 million.<ref name="tresor" />

==Politics and administration==
In 2010, the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville was awarded a 3-star equivalent "{{Interlanguage link|Ville Internet|fr}}" [[Certification mark|label]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.villes-internet.net/UPLOAD/mediaRubrique/file/206_Doc_Palmares.pdf|title=Palmarès 2010 des Villes Internet sur le site officiel de l'association|language=fr|trans-title=Internet cities 2010 Awards on the official website of the association}}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and was upgraded to a 4-star equivalent rating in 2012.

===Administrative divisions===
The city has the {{Interlanguage link|Bureau centralisateur|fr|3=Bureau centralisateur|lt=central office}} of two cantons: [[Canton of Cherbourg-Octeville-1]] (to the west) and [[Canton of Cherbourg-Octeville-2|Cherbourg-Octeville-2]] (in the east, which also includes the town of La Glacerie). {{Interlanguage link|List of general councillors of Manche|fr|3=Liste des conseillers généraux de la Manche|lt=Departmental advisors}} are the [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialists]] Frédéric Bastian, Anna Pic, Karine Duval and Sébastien Fagnen.

The [[arrondissement of Cherbourg]] has 189 municipalities and 190,363 inhabitants. The sub-prefect is Jacques Troncy, former sub-prefect of [[Arrondissement of Montbéliard|Montbéliard]], appointed 17 March 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.manche.gouv.fr/Services-de-l-Etat/Prefecture/Corps-prefectoral/Le-sous-prefet-de-Cherbourg|title= Le sous-préfet de Cherbourg|language= fr|trans-title= The sub-prefect of Cherbourg|publisher= The prefecture of Manche|work= manche.gouv.fr|access-date= 12 September 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140719141219/http://manche.gouv.fr/Services-de-l-Etat/Prefecture/Corps-prefectoral/Le-sous-prefet-de-Cherbourg|archive-date= 19 July 2014|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Since 1986, the {{Interlanguage link|Fifth constituency of Manche|fr|3=Cinquième circonscription de la Manche|lt=fifth constituency of Manche}}, known as Cherbourg, covered the three cantons of Cherbourg-Octeville, and those of [[Canton of Équeurdreville-Hainneville|Equeurdreville-Hainneville]], {{Interlanguage link|Canton of Saint-Pierre-Église|fr|3=Canton de Saint-Pierre-Église|lt=Saint-Pierre-Église}} and [[Canton of Tourlaville|Tourlaville]]. In the context of the legislative redistricting of 2010, the two cantons of [[Beaumont-Hague]] and [[Quettehou]] integrated the constituency of Cherbourg-Octeville, becoming the [[Manche's 4th constituency|4th constituency]]. Despite this redistribution often perceived as advantageous for the right, the outgoing [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist]] deputy of the 5th constituency, [[Bernard Cazeneuve]], was re-elected in the first round with 55% of the vote.

Cherbourg-Octeville also has the headquarters of the [[Maritime Prefect|maritime prefecture]] of the [[English Channel]] and the [[North Sea]], whose authority extends from the Bay of [[Mont Saint-Michel]] to the [[Belgium|Belgian]] border. The {{Interlanguage link|List of maritime prefects of Cherbourg|fr|3=Liste des préfets maritimes de Cherbourg|lt=maritime prefect}} is the Vice Admiral of the Squadron, [[Bruno Nielly]]. The [[home port|maritime quarter]] of Cherbourg (initials: CH) is restricted to the limits of the department.

Since 1971, Cherbourg-Octeville has belonged to the {{Interlanguage link|Urban community of Cherbourg|fr|3=Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg}}, presided over by [[André Rouxel]] since 2012, Mayor of Tourlaville, to which the municipality delegates urban transport, management of space and the quality of life, the environment and development strategies (higher education, research, major projects, and ''Cité de la Mer'', etc.).

The postal codes from prior to the merger of 2000 have been preserved: 50130 for addresses of the former territory of Octeville, 50100 for Cherbourg.

===Political trends and results===
{{further|:fr:Élections municipales de 2014 dans la Manche}}

Cherbourg is historically, with the Arsenal and the port, the main focus of labour and trades unions of the department of Manche. However, the Cherbourg workers do not lean towards radical or revolutionary movements, nor to [[Company union|yellow unionism]], traditionally preferring the reformist tendencies. These choices are reflected politically into a strong center-left anchor, dominated by Socialist-radicals and independent Socialists, before whom the [[French Section of the Workers' International|SFIO]] and the [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]] are not imposed.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Jean|last=Quellien|title=Un milieu ouvrier réformiste : syndicalisme et réformisme à Cherbourg à la Belle Époque|language=fr|trans-title=A reformist working-class: unionism and reformism in Cherbourg during the Belle Epoque|journal=Le Mouvement Social|issue=127|date=April–June 1984|pages=65–88|doi=10.2307/3778338|jstor=3778338}}</ref> Since the Liberation, with the exception of a Gaullist period of 18 years with [[Jacques Hébert (French politician)|Jacques Hébert]] following {{Interlanguage link|René Schmitt|fr|3=René Schmitt|lt=René Schmitt's}} death, the city of Cherbourg has voted in favour Socialist forces.

Similarly, the right won the town hall of Octeville in 1989, for a term, by the division of the left. Since the redrawing of the electoral district of Cherbourg in 1986, covering the urban population of the agglomeration and the rural district of the {{Interlanguage link|Canton of Saint-Pierre-Église|fr|3=Canton de Saint-Pierre-Église}}, the left-right alternation is the rule in every legislative election.

'''Presidential elections, results of the second rounds'''

*[[2012 French presidential election|Election of 2012]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Presidentielles/elecresult__PR2012/(path)/PR2012/025/050/050129.html|title=Résultats de l'élection présidentielle 2012|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2012 presidential election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (77.28% participation): 60.00% for [[François Hollande]] ([[Socialist Party (France)|PS]], elected), 40.00% for [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] ([[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]).
*[[2007 French presidential election|Election of 2007]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/PR2007/025/050/50129.html|title=Résultats de l'élection présidentielle 2007|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2007 presidential election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (83.27% participation): 52.03% for [[Ségolène Royal]] ([[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]), 47.97% for Nicolas Sarkozy ([[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]], elected).
*[[2002 French presidential election|Election of 2002]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/PR2002/025/050/50129.html|title=Résultats de l'élection présidentielle 2002|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2002 presidential election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (76.82% participation): 86,81% for [[Jacques Chirac]] ([[Rally for the Republic|RPR]], elected), 13.19% for [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]] ([[National Front (France)|FN]]).

'''Parliamentary elections, results of the second rounds (1 round, unique for 2012)'''

*[[2012 French legislative election|Elections of 2012]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Legislatives/elecresult__LG2012/(path)/LG2012/050/05004129.html|title=Résultats de l'élection législative 2012|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2012 legislative election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (54.48% participation), candidates who have collected more than 5% of the vote: 56.57% to [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] ([[Socialist Party (France)|PS]], elected), 39.23% David Margueritte ([[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]), 8.80% for Jean-Jacques Christmas (FN), 5.55% for Ralph Lejamtel ([[Europe Ecology – The Greens|EELV]]).
*[[2007 French legislative election|Elections of 2007]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/LG2007/050/05012905.html|title=Résultats de l'élection législative 2007|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2007 legislative election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (61.28% participation): 60.77% for Bernard Cazeneuve (PS, elected), 39.23% {{Interlanguage link|Jean Lemière|fr}} (UMP).
*[[2002 French legislative election|Elections of 2002]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/LG2002/050/05012905.html|title=Résultats de l'élection législative 2002|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2002 legislative election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (62.49% participation): 50.78% for Bernard Cazeneuve (PS), 49.22% for Jean Lemière (UMP, elected).

'''European elections, results of the two scores or more than 15%'''

*[[2014 European Parliament election in France|2014 election]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Europeennes/elecresult__ER2014/(path)/ER2014/01/025/050/050129.html|title=Résultats de l'élection européenne 2014|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2014 European election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (41.70% participation): 20.59% for {{Interlanguage link|Jérôme Lavrilleux|fr}} ([[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]), 20.38% for [[Gilles Pargneaux]] ([[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]-[[Radical Party of the Left|PRG]]), 19.85% for [[Marine Le Pen]] ([[National Front (France)|FN]]).
*[[2009 European Parliament election in France|2009 election]] (37.63% participation): 24.98% for [[Dominique Riquet]] (UMP), 22.51% for Gilles Pargneaux (PS), 14.2% for [[Hélène Flautre]] ([[Europe Écologie]]).
*[[2004 European Parliament election in France|2004 election]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/eur2004/001/050/50129.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120604121911/http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/eur2004/001/050/50129.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 June 2012|title=Résultats de l'élection européenne 2014|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2004 European election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (40.81% participation): 37.75% for [[Henri Weber]] (PS), 16.74% for [[Tokia Saïfi]] (UMP).
*[[1999 European Parliament election in France|1999 election]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/europeennes_1999.asp|title=Résultats de l'élection européenne 1999|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 1999 European election|work=ministère de l’Intérieur|access-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113132343/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/europeennes_1999.asp|archive-date=13 November 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> (45.52% participation): Cherbourg, 25.12% for [[François Hollande]] (PS), 13.98% to [[Charles Pasqua]] ([[Rally for France|RPF]]), 12.54% for [[Nicolas Sarkozy]], 45.09% of participation; Octeville 29.79% for François Hollande (PS), 11.55% for Charles Pasqua (FPN), 8.08% for Nicolas Sarkozy.

'''Regional elections'''

*[[2004 French regional elections|2004 election]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/reg2004/025/050/50129.html|title=Résultats de l'élection régionale 2004|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2004 regional election|work=Ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> (61.90% participation): 58,27% for [[Philippe Duron]] ([[Socialist Party (France)|PS]]), 31.06% for [[René Garrec]] ([[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]]), 10.67% for [[Fernand Le Rachinel]] ([[National Front (France)|FN]]).
*[[1998 French regional elections|1998 election]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/regionales_1998.asp|title=Résultats de l'élection régionale 1998|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 1998 regional election|work=Ministère de l’Intérieur|access-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113181359/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/regionales_1998.asp|archive-date=13 November 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> (53.71% participation): Cherbourg 42.06% for [[Jean-Pierre Godefroy]] (PS), 18.13% for {{Interlanguage link|Pierre Aguiton|fr}} ([[Union for French Democracy|UDF]]), 51.08% participation. Octeville 44.33% for Jean-Pierre Godefroy (PS), 15.50% for Pierre Aguiton (UDF).

'''Cantonal elections'''

*[[2008 French cantonal elections|2008 election]]: [[Canton of Cherbourg-Octeville-Sud-Ouest]] 54.43% for Michel Lerenard (PS), 15.37% for Alain Estève (DVD), 53.22% of participation;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/CN2008/050/05025129.html|title=Résultats du premier tour de l'élection cantonale de 2008|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the first round of the canonal election of 2008}}</ref> [[Canton of Cherbourg-Octeville-Nord-Ouest]] 63.03% for Jean-Michel Houllegatte (PS), 36.97% for {{Interlanguage link|Jean Lemière|fr}}, 39.32% participation<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/CN2008/050/05011129.html|title=Résultats du second tour de l'élection cantonale de 2008|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the second round of the canonal election of 2008}}</ref>
*[[2004 French cantonal elections|2004 election]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/cantonales_2004.asp|title=Résultats du second tour de l'élection cantonale de 2004|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the second round of the canonal election of 2004|access-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113132415/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/cantonales_2004.asp|archive-date=13 November 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Canton of Cherbourg-Octeville-Sud-Est]], 65.69% for Michel Louiset (PS), 34.31% for M Héry, 59.04% participation.
*[[2001 French cantonal elections|2001 election]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/cantonales_2001.asp|title=Résultats du second tour de l'élection cantonale de 2001|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the second round of the canonal election of 2001|access-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113132440/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/cantonales_2001.asp|archive-date=13 November 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Canton of Cherbourg-Nord-Ouest (2nd round), 56.15% for Jean Lemière, 43.85% for Jean-Michel Houllegatte, 52.35% of participation; Canton of Cherbourg-Octeville-Sud-Ouest (1st round), 53.12% for Michel Lerenard, 25.29% for Guillemeau, 52.28% participation.
*[[1998 French cantonal elections|1998 election]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/cantonales_1998.asp|title=Résultats du second tour de l'élection cantonale de 1998|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the second round of the canonal election of 1998|access-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113132151/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/vie_politique/resultats_electoraux/cantonales_1998.asp|archive-date=13 November 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Canton of Cherbourg-Sud-Est, 65.76% for Michel Louiset, 34.24 percent Ponthou, 41.5% participation.

'''Municipal elections'''

*[[2014 French municipal elections|2014 election]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.interieur.gouv.fr/MN2014/050/050129.html|title=Résultats du premier tour de l'élection municipale de 2014|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the first round of the municipal election of 2014}}</ref> 39.19% for Jean-Michel Houllegatte (PS), 34.06% for David Margueritte (UMP), 15.56% for Jean Levallois ([[Miscellaneous right|DVD]]), 11.17% for Ralph Lejamtel ([[Left Front (France)|FG]]), 52.28% participation.
*[[2008 French municipal elections|2008 election]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/MN2008/050/050129.html|title=Résultats du premier tour de l'élection municipale de 2008|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the first round of the municipal election of 2008|access-date=26 September 2015|archive-date=29 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829172246/http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/MN2008/050/050129.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> 66.82% for [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] (PS), 19.64% for {{Interlanguage link|Jean Lemière|fr}} (UMP), 13.55% for Hervé Corbin (dissident UMP), 55.48% of participation.
*[[2001 French municipal elections|2001 election]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://municipales2001.ouestfrance.fr/scripts/consult/ecran3/MUNecran3.asp?SiteAppel=defaut&CodeInsee=50129|title=Résultats du second tour de l'élection municipale de 2001|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the second round of the municipal election of 2001}}</ref> 55.09% for Bernard Cazeneuve, 23.98% for Jean Lemière, 55.57% participation.

'''Referendums'''

*[[2005 French European Constitution referendum|2005 European Constitution referendum]]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/rf2005/025/050/50129.html|title=Résultats du référendum 2005|language=fr|trans-title=Results of the 2005 referendum|work=Ministère de l’Intérieur}}</ref> 43.39% for Yes, 56.61% for No, 68.95% participation.
*Local referendum on the Grand Cherbourg:<ref name=fusion /> Cherbourg 83.72% for Yes; Octeville 55.88% for Yes.

===List of mayors===
{{further|:fr:Liste des maires de Cherbourg|:fr:Liste des maires d'Octeville}}

With the merging of the municipal councils of Cherbourg and Octeville on 1 March 2000, [[Jean-Pierre Godefroy]] (PS), the Mayor of Cherbourg, took the helm of the new administration, and [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] (PS), Mayor of Octeville, became the first Deputy. Bernard Cazeneuve was elected Mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville during the [[2001 French municipal elections|2001 municipal election]], and re-elected in March 2008 with 66.82% of the vote. Appointed Minister Delegate for European Affairs in May 2012, he gave way to Jean-Michel Houllegatte the following month. The latter was re-elected following the victory of his list with 51.81% at the second round of the [[2014 French municipal elections|2014 municipal election]].

{| border="1" class="wikitable" style="margin: 0.5em auto;"
|+ List of mayors of Cherbourg-Octeville<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_cherbourg/les_anciens_maires_de_che.asp|title=Les anciens maires de Cherbourg et d'Octeville depuis 1900|language=fr|trans-title=The former mayors of Cherbourg and Octeville since 1900|work=Cherbourg-Octeville|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112022759/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_la_ville/histoire_de_cherbourg/les_anciens_maires_de_che.asp|archive-date=12 November 2007}}</ref>
! Start
! End
! Name
! Party
! Other details
|-
|March 2000
|March 2001
|[[Jean-Pierre Godefroy]]
|[[Parti socialiste (France)|PS]]
|Technician
|-
|March 2001
|23 June 2012
|[[Bernard Cazeneuve]]
|PS
|Lawyer
|-
|23 June 2012
|In progress
|Jean-Michel Houllegatte<ref>2014 re-election: {{cite web|url=http://www.ouest-france.fr/municipales-cherbourg-jean-michel-houllegatte-elu-maire-2103742|title=Municipales à Cherbourg. Jean-Michel Houllegatte élu maire|language=fr|trans-title=Municipals in Cherbourg. Jean-Michel Houllegatte elected Mayor|work=Ouest-France|date=5 April 2014 |access-date=8 September 2015}}</ref>
|PS
|Territorial official
|}

===Municipal administration===
The [[City council (France)|municipal council]] is composed of 39 members including the mayor and eleven assistants.<ref name="of-municipales2014">{{cite web|url=http://elections.ouest-france.fr/elections-municipales-2014/manche/50100-cherbourg-octeville.html|title=Cherbourg-Octeville (50100) - Municipales 2014|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg-Octeville (50100) - municipal 2014|publisher=Société Ouest-France|work=elections.ouest-france.fr|access-date=8 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506120139/http://elections.ouest-france.fr/elections-municipales-2014/manche/50100-cherbourg-octeville.html|archive-date=6 May 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Thirty Councillors represent a leftist majority, nine represent the opposition.<ref name="of-municipales2014"/>

===Budget===
The main initial budget for 2007 amounted to €73,994,364, divided between the operating section (€54,126,712) and investment section (€19,867,652).<ref name="budget">{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/finances_communales/budget_primitif/vue_densemble.asp|title=Budget primitif de 2007|language=fr|trans-title=Initial budget of 2007|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019063605/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/finances_communales/budget_primitif/vue_densemble.asp|archive-date=19 October 2007}}</ref> Personnel expenses exceeded half (60%) of operating expenses. Almost all of the resources were fuelled by grants (49%) and tax (44%).<ref name="recettes">{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/finances_communales/budget_primitif/recettes.asp|title=Les recettes réelles de la section de fonctionnement - Budget primitif 2007|language=fr|trans-title=Operation section - 2007 initial budget actual revenues|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027180044/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/vie_municipale/finances_communales/budget_primitif/recettes.asp|archive-date=27 October 2007}}</ref> Of the seven budgets of the municipal mandate (2001-2007), this budget increased overall by 22% (43% for investments, 15% for operation).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://alize2.finances.gouv.fr/communes/eneuro/tableau.php?icom=129&dep=050&type=BPS&param=0&exercice=2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120604121906/http://alize2.finances.gouv.fr/communes/eneuro/tableau.php?icom=129&dep=050&type=BPS&param=0&exercice=2007|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 June 2012|title=Budget principal de Cherbourg-Octeville, années 2001 à 2007|language=fr|trans-title=Principal budget of Cherbourg-Octeville, years 2001 to 2007|work=Ministry of finances|year=2008|access-date=8 September 2015}}</ref>

The investment budget is included in the multiannual programme "Unite the city" (2003-2007), presented in December 2002 by Bernard Cazeneuve. It sees a transformation of the newly amalgamated city through refurbishment of the pool and Port Chantereyne, development of the Bassins zone, filling the retaining channel, and the construction of the sailing school.<ref>{{cite news|title=La zone franche susceptible de s'agrandir - Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=The free zone likely to grow - Cherbourg|work=Ouest-France|date=4 December 2002}}</ref> It is mainly financed by borrowing, increasing the debt of the city (the charges multiplied by two-thirds between 2002 and 2007), lower than the average per capita of the stratum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://alize2.finances.gouv.fr/communes/eneuro/tableau.php?icom=129&dep=050&type=BPS&param=2&exercice=2007|title=Opérations d'investissement 2007|language=fr|trans-title=Investment operations 2007|work=Ministry of finances|year=2008|access-date=8 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628004404/http://alize2.finances.gouv.fr/communes/eneuro/tableau.php?icom=129&dep=050&type=BPS&param=2&exercice=2007|archive-date=28 June 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===International relations===
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in France}}

Cherbourg is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref name="Cherbourg twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.cncd.fr/frontoffice/bdd-region.asp?action=getRegion&id=4#tabs3 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131127063207/http://www.cncd.fr/frontoffice/bdd-region.asp?action=getRegion&id=4 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-11-27 |title=National Commission for Decentralised cooperation |access-date=2013-12-26 |work=Délégation pour l’Action Extérieure des Collectivités Territoriales (Ministère des Affaires étrangères) |language=fr }}</ref>

* {{flagicon|UK}} [[Poole]], United Kingdom,<ref name="Cherbourg twinnings"/><ref name="Archant twinning">{{cite web|url=http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |title=British towns twinned with French towns |access-date=2013-07-11 |work=Archant Community Media Ltd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705094933/http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |archive-date=2013-07-05 }}</ref><ref name="twin">{{cite web | year = 2008 | url = http://www.poole.gov.uk/your-council/our-partners/twinning/ | title = Twinning | publisher = Borough of Poole | access-date = 2012-12-05 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140711182508/http://www.poole.gov.uk/your-council/our-partners/twinning/ | archive-date = 11 July 2014 | url-status = dead }}</ref> since 1977
* {{flagicon|GER}} [[Bremerhaven]], Germany<ref name="Cherbourg twinnings"/>
* {{flagicon|ROU}} [[Deva, Romania|Deva]], Romania
* {{flagicon|SEN}} {{Interlanguage link|La Somone|fr}}, [[Senegal]],<ref name="Cherbourg twinnings"/> since 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ouest-france.fr/fiancailles-senegalaises-pour-cherbourg-969593|title=Fiançailles sénégalaises pour Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=Senegalese engagement with Cherbourg|work=Ouest-France.fr|date=1 December 2012|access-date=26 September 2015}}</ref>

Cherbourg maintains decentralised co-operation with:
* {{flagicon|CHA}} [[Sarh]], [[Chad]],<ref name="Cherbourg twinnings"/> since 2001
* {{flagicon|SEN}} [[Coubalan]], [[Senegal]],<ref name=CO1>{{cite web |url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/public/linternational/cooperation-internationale/ |title=La coopération décentralisée avec Coubalan |language=fr |trans-title=The decentralised co-operation with Coubalan |work=Cherbourg-Octeville |access-date=26 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927222409/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/public/linternational/cooperation-internationale/ |archive-date=27 September 2015 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> since 1995
* {{flagicon|NMK}} [[Veles, North Macedonia|Veles]], North Macedonia<ref name=CO1 />

Twinning projects:
* {{flagicon|SEN}} [[Hann, Senegal|Hann]], [[Senegal]], a quarter of [[Dakar]]
* {{flagicon|HON}} [[La Unión, Copán|La Unión]], [[Honduras]]
* {{flagicon|MAR}} [[Kalaat M'Gouna]], [[Morocco]]

===Justice===
[[File:Cherbourg maison d'arret.JPG|thumb|right|The remand prison of Cherbourg.]]

Louis XVI removed the viscountcy of Cherbourg by edict in November 1771, and transferred the rights of justice to the Bailiwick of Valognes.<ref>Edict of the King, on the abolition of the Vicomte de Cherbourg and joining the Bailiwick of Valognes. Given at Versailles in November 1771. Registered in Parliament 18 December  1771 .</ref> In 1785, a {{Interlanguage link|Subdélégation|fr|3=Subdélégation|lt=sub-delegation}} was created, however it was smaller than the Viscountcy, essentially covering [[La Hague]], as far as [[Héauville]] and included Helleville, Tourlaville, and Bretteville, Digosville and Martinvast, and always under the authority of the electoral district of Valognes.

Cherbourg became a town and district in January 1790, seat of a justice of the peace and a civil and criminal court. Under the Directory, they were replaced by a simple police court, attended by a justice of the peace, and a police correctional court. The correctional court closed after the Act of 17 February 1800 and Cherbourg was made a town and township of the {{Interlanguage link|Arrondissement of Valognes|fr|3=Arrondissement de Valognes}}. After his arrival in the city, [[Napoleon]] established a [[Trial court|Court of first instance]] by the Decree of 19 July 1811.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Tribunaux|title=Cherbourg et ses environs|id=op. cit.|pages=143–146}}</ref>

The city is today one of the three main judicial hubs of Manche, along with [[Coutances]] and [[Avranches]]. It hosts a {{Interlanguage link|Tribunal de grande instance (France)|fr|3=Tribunal de grande instance (France)|lt=high court}} (arrondissement of Cherbourg-Octeville), a [[Tribunal d'instance|court]] (Canton of Beaumont-Hague, Cherbourg-Octeville-Nord-Ouest, Cherbourg-Octeville-Sud-Est, Équeurdreville-Hainneville, Cherbourg-Octeville-Sud-Ouest, Les Pieux, Saint-Pierre-Eglise and Tourlaville), a [[Labour Court (France)|council of tribunals]] and a [[Tribunal de commerce|tribunal of commerce]]. A [[Maison d'arrêt|remand prison]] is located in the city centre, behind the buildings of the court. As a result of the justice reform presented in 2007 by Rachida Dati, the jurisdiction of the Court of Valognes will be integrated to that of Cherbourg.

==Local life==
===Education===
{| border="0" align="right" style="border: 1px solid #999; margin: 1em; background-color:#FFFFFF" width="33%"
|- align="center" style="background:#bdbbd7;color:#000080; text-align:center;padding:3px;"
! Year 2010-2011 !! Students<ref name="memo2011">{{cite web|url=http://www.cotentin-entreprises.com/iso_album/memento_eco_2011_site_cci_v2.pdf|title=Mémento économique du Cotentin 2011|work=CCI de Cherbourg-Cotentin|year=2011}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
| School of Quartermasters || align=right| 768
|-
| [[IUT Cherbourg-Manche]] || align=right| 573
|-
| BTS and various preparation ||align=right| 349
|-
| School of Engineering (Esix) ||align=right|270
|-
| Institute of Nursing || align=right| 215
|-
| Licences and university diplomas ||align=right|191
|-
| {{Interlanguage link|Institut national des sciences et techniques de la mer|fr|3=Institut national des sciences et techniques de la mer|lt=Intechmer}} ||align=right| 153
|-
| School of Fine Arts of Cherbourg-Octeville ||align=right| 46
|-
|[[École des applications militaires de l'énergie atomique|EAMEA]] || align=right| 39
|-
| ECD – School of Trade and Distribution || align=right| 22
|-
| National Institute of science and nuclear technology || align=right| 8
|-
|'''Total''' ||align=right| '''2634'''
|}

[[File:École d'ingénieurs de l'université de Caen.jpg|thumb|right|The Engineering School of Cherbourg, on the main university campus.]]

Two {{Interlanguage link|Zone d'éducation prioritaire|fr|3=Zone d'éducation prioritaire|lt=ZEP}} have been defined, one being on Cherbourg territory in the Quarter of Maupas, the other straddling Cherbourg and Octeville, in the quarter of the Provinces.

Cherbourg-Octeville has six high schools:

*The former college, which became high school in 1886, is known by the name of Lycée Victor Grignard (830 students: General and TSG, as well as {{Interlanguage link|Classes préparatoires scientifiques|fr|3=Classes préparatoires scientifiques|lt=scientific preparatory classes}}).
*The Lycée Jean-François Millet (1,210 students: General sector, preparatory health, [[Khâgne|preparatory literary classes]]).
*The Lycée Alexis de Tocqueville (1,480 students: General sector, technical, professional and higher education -BTS-).
*The Ingénieur-Cachin private professional high school (320 students).
*The Thomas Hélye private high school, the Sainte-Chantal private lycée and the La Bucaille technological lycée (1,005 students, courses) general and technical.
*The aquaculture and marine high school (102 pupils). On 28 June 2013, this became the professional maritime and aquaculture lycée {{Interlanguage link|Daniel Rigolet|fr}}.

The university campus, installed on the heights of Octeville, focuses the [[Cherbourg School of Engineering]], the [[IUT Cherbourg-Manche]] (which hosts approximately 1,000 students in initial or continuing education through four DUT departments, four pro licenses, one DU, a DCEF and a DAEU), as well as two branches of the [[University of Caen Lower Normandy|University of Caen]] (UFR sciences and UFR modern foreign languages). The Pasteur hospital houses the Institute of training in nursing of Cherbourg-Octeville. The Group FIM, training service of the two [[chamber of commerce|chambers of commerce and industry]] of la Mancha, manages the school of trade and distribution, and since 2007, the Institute of promotion and marketing boating, forming alternating a fortnight of accreditation in the field of boating (shipbuilding, nautical services company, marinas, etc.).

The Institute of the Film Industry of Normandy is installed as a result of the [[École Internationale de Création Audiovisuelle et de Réalisation|International School of Audiovisual Creation and Realisation]] (EICAR) on the site of the former {{Interlanguage link|Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|fr|3=Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|lt=maritime hospital}}. It is complemented by the training of apprentices of the Performing Arts and Audiovisual Centre, while the {{Interlanguage link|École supérieure d'arts et médias de Caen - Cherbourg|fr|lt=School of Fine Arts}} (Esbaco), founded in 1912 by Henri Buffet design Professor and Professor of modelling Félix Delteil, is located in the former convent of the [[Little Sisters of the Poor]] (Bassins zone) since 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/culture/ecole_des_beaux-arts/default.asp|title=Cherbourg-Octeville et son école, petite chronologie de l'Esbaco|work=City of Cherbourg-Octeville|access-date=19 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328141117/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/culture/ecole_des_beaux-arts/default.asp|archive-date=28 March 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Cherbourg-Octeville welcomes the {{Interlanguage link|School of the military applications of Atomic Energy|fr|3=École des applications militaires de l'énergie atomique|lt=School of the Military Applications of Atomic Energy}} (EAMEA, 351 students) and the [[Institut national des sciences et techniques nucléaires|National Institute of Science and Nuclear Technology]] - remains of the importance of the army in the city - while the School of the Quartermasters (between 600 and 700 students) is located at [[Querqueville]].

The town also hosts the {{Interlanguage link|National Institute of Science and Technology of the Sea|fr|3=Institut national des sciences et techniques de la mer|lt=National Institute of Science and Technology of the Sea}} (Intechmer), Tourlaville.

===Sport===
The first horse race organised in Normandy took place in Cherbourg in September 1836 on the (now gone) beachfront along the ''boulevard maritime'', at the initiative of {{Interlanguage link|Éphrem Houël|fr}}, the officer of the stud. The races settled in 1931 on the Lande Saint-Gabriel Racecourse in Tourlaville, the work of {{Interlanguage link|René Levavasseur (architect)|fr|3=René Levavasseur (architecte)|lt=René Levavasseur}}, and the {{Interlanguage link|Hippodrome de La Glacerie|fr}} from 1990.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.mairie-tourlaville.fr/fr/tourisme/tourisme_et_patrimoine/dossiers_en_consultation/fichiers/pages_de_reflets_113_septembre_2006.pdf|title=Ephrem Houël Du Hamel De Montrabot et les courses de trot en Normandie|journal=Reflets|issue=113|publisher=Town Hall of [[Tourlaville]]|date=September 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061123041415/http://www.mairie-tourlaville.fr/fr/tourisme/tourisme_et_patrimoine/dossiers_en_consultation/fichiers/pages_de_reflets_113_septembre_2006.pdf|archive-date=2006-11-23|access-date=2015-11-26|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In [[Association football|football]], [[AS Cherbourg Football]], after decades at the national level, is changing, as a result of bad sports results and financial problems, since 2014 in the {{Interlanguage link|Ligue de Basse-Normandie de football|fr}}, equivalent to the 6th division, and is based at the {{Interlanguage link|Stade Maurice-Postaire|fr|3=Stade Maurice-Postaire|lt=Maurice-Postaire stadium}}. The club has also two other senior male teams in the League of Lower Normandy.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bassenormandie.fff.fr/competitions/php/club/club_classement.php?cl_no=278|title=Ligue Basse-Normandie – AS Cherbourg F}}</ref>

Three other clubs have teams in {{Interlanguage link|District départemental de football|fr|3=District départemental de football|lt=district divisions}}:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bassenormandie.fff.fr/|title=Ligue Basse-Normandie}}, {{cite web|url=http://bassenormandie.fff.fr/competitions/php/club/club_classement.php?cl_no=1105|title=Patronage laiq. Octeville}}, {{cite web|url=http://bassenormandie.fff.fr/competitions/php/club/club_classement.php?cl_no=3889|title=A.S. Arsenal maritime Cherbourg}}, {{cite web|url=http://bassenormandie.fff.fr/competitions/php/club/club_classement.php?cl_no=9201|title=Gazélec F.C.}}.</ref>

*The ''Patronage laïque d'Octeville'' [Secular Patronage of Octeville] (three teams)
*The ''Association sportive de l'Arsenal maritime de Cherbourg'' [Sporting Association of the Marine Arsenal of Cherbourg] (one team)
*Gazélec Football Club (two teams)

The Association sportive Amont-Quentin, which had two district teams until June 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bassenormandie.fff.fr/competitions/php/club/club_classement.php?cl_no=8499|title= A.S. Amont Quentin}}</ref> had to cease its activities. The Octeville Hague Sport, which was developing its teams in 2013–2014, was unable to present any team for the 2014–2015 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ohs-club.footeo.com/actualite/2014/07/24/fermeture-temporaire-de-la-section-football-saison-2014-15.html|title=Fermeture temporaire de la section football saison 2014/15|work=Octeville Hague Sport|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926025523/http://ohs-club.footeo.com/actualite/2014/07/24/fermeture-temporaire-de-la-section-football-saison-2014-15.html|archive-date=26 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In cycling, Cherbourg has been a city of arrival for the [[Tour de France]] on sixteen occasions: 1911 to 1914 (four consecutive years), from 1919 to 1929 (eleven consecutive years), and finally in [[1986 Tour de France|1986]]. Cherbourg was a departure city in [[1994 Tour de France|1994]]. The second stage of the [[2016 Tour de France]] finishes at Cherbourg.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr|title=Grand Départ du Tour de France 2016 : la Manche, première !|url=http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2015/fr/avant-course/actus/ahc/grand-depart-du-tour-de-france-2016-la-manche-premiere.html|work=Letour.fr|date=9 December 2014|access-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926012321/http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2015/fr/avant-course/actus/ahc/grand-depart-du-tour-de-france-2016-la-manche-premiere.html|archive-date=26 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Cherbourg regularly hosts stages of sailing competitions such as the [[Solitaire du Figaro]], the {{Interlanguage link|Course de l'Europe|fr}}, the [[Challenge Mondial Assistance]], the [[Tour de France à la voile]], and the [[Tall Ships' Races|Tall Ships' Race]].

The [[Challenger La Manche]] is a professional tennis tournament ($50,000 plus accommodation) held annually in Cherbourg since 1994.

In ice hockey, NC'HOP ({{Interlanguage link|Nord Cotentin Hockey Plus|fr}}, the ''Cherbourg Vikings'') was based in the city. The team was the successor to CHOC (Cherbourg Hockey Club), who played in [[FFHG Division 1]] until filing for bankruptcy in 1996. NC'HOP left the competition in 2010.

AS Cherbourg men's basketball team plays in {{Interlanguage link|Championnat de France de basket-ball de Nationale masculine 2|fr|3=Championnat de France de basket-ball de Nationale masculine 2|lt=National 2}} and the women's team in the Prenational league.

The {{Interlanguage link|Jeunesse sportive de Cherbourg|fr}} has a male handball team in {{Interlanguage link|Championnat de France de handball masculin de Division 2|fr|3=Championnat de France de handball masculin de Division 2|lt=Pro D2}} and a women's team in {{Interlanguage link|Championnat de France de handball féminin de Nationale 3|fr|3=Championnat de France de handball féminin de Nationale 3|lt=Nationale 3}} (agreement with [[Tourlaville]]). The club has also implemented a structured training programme for young people, from the 2009/2010 season, around a partnership with colleges of the city.

===Health===
[[File:CHPC Cherbourg1.jpg|thumb|right|The main front of the Pasteur Hospital.]]

Cherbourg-Octeville has two hospitals:

*The Pasteur Central Hospital, public, second establishment of Lower Normandy with 711 beds and places.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.recomposition-hospitaliere.sante.gouv.fr/d291205.php|title=Création du centre hospitalier public du Cotentin (CHPC) issu de la fusion des CH Louis Pasteur de Cherbourg-Octeville et de Valognes|language=fr|trans-title=Creation of the public hospital in the Cotentin peninsula (CHPC) resulting from the merger of the Louis Pasteur Central Hospital of Cherbourg - Octeville and Valognes|work=Observatoire des recompositions des activités des établissements de santé|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203090046/http://www.recomposition-hospitaliere.sante.gouv.fr/d291205.php|archive-date=3 February 2006}}</ref> With a joint medical project since 2001 and a communal direction since 2003, the Pasteur Centre and the Central Hospital of Valognes merged in 2006 within the {{Interlanguage link|Centre hospitalier public du Cotentin|fr}} (2,000 officials, more than 1,000 beds, and a 2005 budget of €133 million)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ch-cotentin.fr/web/menuChiffrescles.do|title=Chiffres clés|language=fr|trans-title=Key Figures|work=Centre hospitalier du Cotentin|access-date=11 September 2015}}</ref>
*The Polyclinic of the Cotentin, at the border between Octeville and [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville]] (102 beds).

The Gros Hêtre medicalised residence for elderly (a branch of the public hospital in the Cotentin) and, since 1999, the Jean-Brüder Community Health Centre are located on the territory of Octeville.

In 1859, following the Imperial visit, the State decided upon the construction of a {{Interlanguage link|Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|fr|3=Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|lt=Maritime Hospital}} of a thousand beds to accommodate the troops in garrison. Opened on 15 February 1869, it was renamed René-Le-Bas, named after the first doctor who joined the Free Naval Forces and died in 1942 aboard the submarine [[French submarine Surcouf|''Surcouf'']]. It was closed in 2002 and renovated as a university campus.

===Religion===
Attached to the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Coutances|Diocese of Coutances-Avranches]], until 1 September 2009 the deanery of Cherbourg covered the territory of the urban community and the bordering communes of [[Tonneville]], [[Urville-Nacqueville]], and those of the former [[Communauté de communes de la Saire]], and the [[Communauté de communes de Douve et Divette]]. To this date, it is merged to the deanery of [[La Hague]], to become the {{Interlanguage link|Deanery of Cherbourg-Hague|fr|3=Doyenné de Cherbourg-Hague}}, therefore adding the parishes covering the {{Interlanguage link|Communauté de communes de la Hague|fr|3=Communauté de communes de la Hague|lt=Community of communes of La Hague}} and of [[Communauté de communes des Pieux|Les Pieux]]. Jean-XXIII parish unites Cherbourg and La Glacerie, with the Cherbourg churches of La Trinité (long only parish church), Notre-Dame-du-Roule, Notre-Dame-du-Vœu, St-Jean-des-Carrières and Saint-Clément. The parish of Saint-Sauveur of Octeville, which also covers [[Nouainville]] has three sites in the commune: Saint-Martin, the historic site, Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul, at Provinces, and the Chapel of Saint-Barthélemy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://catholique-cherbourg.cef.fr/|title=Doyenné de Cherbourg-Hague|work=Deanery of Cherbourg|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110023730/http://catholique-cherbourg.cef.fr/|archive-date=10 January 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Protestants have a temple of the [[Reformed Church of France|Reformed Church]] (since 1835, rebuilt after the war in 1964), and a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] church affiliated with the [[Assemblies of God]]. The Evangelical [[Baptists|Baptist]] Church has been present since 1985 in the agglomeration and is currently located in Tourlaville.

Cherbourg and Octeville experienced two major waves of immigration of [[Islam|Muslim]] population, the late 1950s and during the 1960s, after the construction of the neighbourhoods of Amont-Quentin, Provinces and Maupas, and then in the 1980s, with the major construction sites of the [[La Hague site|La Hague reprocessing site]] and the [[Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant]]. The Muslim community then opened three mosques (the Mosque of Omar in Octeville, the Mosque de la Gare, on the ''Avenue de Normandie'', and then the Turkish mosque, on the ''Boulevard de l’Atlantique'').

[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], Parish of Cherbourg, has its chapel on the ''Rue du Commerce''.

==Personalities linked to the commune==
===Natives of Cherbourg===
[[File:JeanHamon.jpg|thumb|{{center|Jean Hamon.}}]]
<!--Chronological order-->
* [[Masseot Abaquesne]] ({{circa|1500}}–1564), ceramicist
* [[Jean Nicolet]] (1598–1642), explorer of New France
* [[Philippe Mius d'Entremont]] (c.&nbsp;1601 – c.&nbsp;1700), Baron of Pobomcoup and coloniser
* [[Jean Hamon (doctor)|Jean Hamon]] (1618–1687), medical doctor and [[Solitaires of Port-Royal|solitaire of Port-Royal]] ;
* {{Ill|Nicolas d'Orange des Roches|fr}} (1626–1705), brigadier of the Armies of the King under [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]], Governor of the Hôtel des Invalides
* {{Ill|Gilles Le Hédois|fr}}, known as ''Du Bocage'' ({{abbr|b.|born}}&nbsp;1658), French corsair then vice-admiral of Brazil
* [[Jean-Baptiste-Charles-Marie de Beauvais|Jean Baptiste de Beauvais]] (1731–1790), preacher and representative to the [[Estates General of 1789]]
* {{Ill|Louis Vastel|fr}}, (1746–1819), lawyer at the [[Parlement de Normandie|Parlement of Rouen]], and author of works of law
* [[Amable Troude]] (1762–1824), General of the Empire
* {{Ill|Pierre-Adrien de La Chapelle|fr}} (1780–1854), botanist
* {{Ill|François Leconte|fr}} (1791–1872), sailor
* [[Lizinska de Mirbel]] (1796–1849), miniaturist
* {{Ill|Alfred Charles Ernest Franquet de Franqueville|fr}} (1809–1876), engineer
* {{Ill|Allyre Bureau|fr}} (1810–1859), politician, musician
* {{Ill|Hippolyte Vallée|fr}} (1816–1885), founder of the ''Fondation Vallée'', for mentally retarded children in [[Gentilly, Val-de-Marne|Gentilly]]
* [[Joachim Menant]] (1820–1899), [[Assyriology|Assyriologist]]
* [[Emmanuel Liais]] (1826–1900), astronomer and mayor of Cherbourg
* [[Alfred-Alexandre Quentin]] (1827–1895), trombonist
* {{Ill|Alfred Rossel|fr}} (1841–1926), songwriter in the [[Norman language]]
* [[Georges Sorel]] (1847–1922), political thinker
* {{Ill|Louise Rousseau (writer)|fr|Louise Rousseau|lt=Louise Rousseau}} (b.&nbsp;1854), writer
* [[Henry Moret]] (1856–1913), painter of the [[Pont-Aven School]]
* {{ill|Charles-Émile Bertin|fr}} (1871–1959), colonel, eminent specialist in [[Meiji period]] Japan
* [[Victor Grignard]] (1871–1935), Nobel chemist laureate of the Nobel Prize in 1912
* [[Lortac]] (1884–1973), writer and French pioneer of animated cartoons
* [[Joseph Noyon]] (1888–1962), compositeur, arrangeur (''{{Interlanguage link|Hymne à la nuit|fr}}'' [Hymn to the night], ''[[Il est né le divin enfant]]'' [He is born the divine child])
* {{Ill|Louis-Amédée Lefèvre|fr}} (1890–1968), [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rabat|Archbishop of Rabat]]
* [[Félix Amiot]] (1894–1974), aircraft builder and creator of [[Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie]] (CMN)
* {{Ill|Paul-Auguste Halley|fr}} (1907–2002) and [[Paul-Louis Halley]] (1934-2003), founders of the [[Promodès]] Group
* {{Ill|Louis Gallien|fr}} (1908–1976), biologist and zoologist
* {{Ill|André Defrance|fr}} (1908–1952), member of the Resistance
[[File:Jean Marais by van Vechten, 1947.jpg|thumb|{{center|Jean Marais.}}]]
* [[Jean Marais]] (1913–1998), actor and stuntman
* [[Roland Barthes]] (1915–1980), [[Semiotics|semiologist]]
* [[Jean-Charles Tacchella]] (b.&nbsp;1925), filmmaker, author of ''[[Cousin Cousine]]'' (1975) ;
* {{Ill|Maurice Séveno|fr}} (b.&nbsp;1925), journaliste, former television news presenter, and politician
* [[Annie Saumont]] (b.&nbsp;1927), writer, laureate of the {{Ill|Prix Goncourt de la nouvelle|fr}} in 1981
* [[Jacques Rouxel (animator)|Jacques Rouxel]] (1931–2004), animator, creator of ''[[Les Shadoks]]''
* [[Michel Besnier]] (b&nbsp;1945), writer
* {{Ill|Billy Bridge|fr}} (1945–1994), singer who has imported the [[madison (dance)|madison]] into France in the 1960s
* {{Ill|Patrick Thuillier|fr}} (b.&nbsp;1951), poet
* {{Ill|Daniel Lacotte|fr}} (b&nbsp;1951), writer
* {{Ill|Halvard Mabire|fr}} (b&nbsp;1956), sailor
* [[Élisabeth Ballet]] (b&nbsp;1957), sculptor
* {{Ill|François Galgani|fr}} (b&nbsp;1958), oceanographer
* {{Ill|Joseph de Metz-Noblat|fr}} (b&nbsp;1959), Bishop of Langres
* [[Rosette (actress)|Rosette]] (b&nbsp;1959), film actress
* {{Ill|Olivier Thiébaut|fr}} (b&nbsp;1963), writer and illustrator
* [[Wilfried Gohel]] (b&nbsp;1968), footballer
* [[Laurent Leflamand]] (b&nbsp;1968), rugby player
* [[Françoiz Breut]] (b&nbsp;1969), singer
* {{Ill|Julie Raynaud|fr}} (b&nbsp;1971), television presenter
* [[Émilie Loit]] (b&nbsp;1979), tennis player
* {{Interlanguage link|Julie Quéré|fr}} (b&nbsp;1982), comedian
* [[Amaël Moinard]] (b&nbsp;1982), cyclist
* [[Élodie Godin]] (b&nbsp;1985), basketball player
* [[Lise de la Salle]] (b&nbsp;1988), pianist
* [[Ernst Umhauer]] (b&nbsp;1989), actor

===Natives of Octeville===
* {{Interlanguage link|Édouard Lebas|fr}} (1897–1975), prefect and French politician.

===Died in Cherbourg===
* {{Interlanguage link|Jean-Baptiste Auguste Digard de Lousta|fr|3=Jean-Baptiste Auguste Digard de Lousta|lt=Jean-Baptiste Digard de Lousta}} (1803–1879), historian and poet.
* [[Prosper Payerne]] (1806–1886), physician, scientist and inventor.
* [[Armand Le Véel]] (1821–1905), statue sculptor.
* {{Interlanguage link|Alexandre Marie du Crest de Villeneuve|fr}} (1813–1892), Rear Admiral.
* [[Jean-Charles-Alexandre Sallandrouze de Lamornaix]] (1840–1899), Admiral, Commander in Chief of the Squadron of the North, died in harbour on the battleship [[French ironclad Formidable|''Formidable'']].
* [[Louis Corbière]] (1850–1941), botanist.
* [[Heinz Hellmich]] (1890 – 17 June 1944) German General who served in the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Wehrmacht]] during [[World War II]].
* {{Interlanguage link|Jean Simon (general)|fr|Jean Simon|lt=Jean Simon}} (1912–2003), one of the negotiators of the [[Évian Accords]] for the abandonment of French Algeria
* {{Interlanguage link|Louis Darinot|fr}} (1925–2006), politician, deputy mayor of Cherbourg

===Others linked to Cherbourg===
[[File:Napoleon a Cherbourg bordercropped.jpg|thumb|right|Statue of Napoleon at Cherbourg.]]

The work of the seawall and the military port in Cherbourg led many soldiers and engineers, for whom this step was often an important moment in their career. Thus, [[Charles François Dumouriez]] (1739–1823), Governor of Cherbourg who was responsible for the first work, at the dawn of the French Revolution, [[Joseph Cachin]] (1757–1825), engineer assigned by [[Napoleon]] to the general direction of the maritime work of Cherbourg in 1804. For twenty years, he realised the improvement of the commercial port, and the digging of the docks of the [[Cherbourg Naval Base|military port]], constituting the New Arsenal. [[Henri Rieunier]] (1833–1918) who was twice major of the Navy in Cherbourg (1872/1875) and [[Louis-Émile Bertin]] (1840–1924) who lived in Cherbourg from 1863 to 1879, and is buried in the cemetery of [[La Glacerie]]. [[Charles-Eugène Delaunay]] (1816–1872), Director of the [[Paris Observatory]], drowned while visiting the harbour. Among the engineers of the [[DCNS (company)|Directorate of construction and naval weapons]], included [[Augustin-Louis Cauchy]] (1789–1857) and also [[Maxime Laubeuf]]. Under the [[Ancien Régime]], the safeguarding of the Château de Cherbourg was already the task of illustrious figures of the Kingdom, such as {{Interlanguage link|Pierre des Essarts|fr}}, the {{Interlanguage link|House of Goyon|fr|3=Maison de Goyon|lt=family of Matignon}} and {{Interlanguage link|Jacques de Callières|fr}} ({{abbr|d.|died}}&nbsp;1697). At the origin of the military port, [[Napoleon]] (1769–1821), who visited the city in 1811, ''"Revient"'' in Cherbourg in 1840 during the [[Retour des cendres|return of his remains]] to France, aboard [[French ship Belle Poule (1834)|''La Belle Poule'']], before being taken to [[Les Invalides]].

A transatlantic port of the 20th century, Cherbourg saw Hollywood stars arrive, such as [[Charlie Chaplin]], who organised his disembarkation in 1952 to a press conference in the ''gare maritime'', critical of the [[McCarthyism|McCarthyist]] America that he left. The port saw a lot of famous people, including businessman [[Benjamin Guggenheim]] (1865–1912) for his fatal voyage on the [[RMS Titanic|Titanic]]. Cinema then gave Cherbourg another lasting reputation, through the images of [[Jacques Demy]] (1931–1990) and music by [[Michel Legrand]] (1932-2019), in ''[[The Umbrellas of Cherbourg]]''. Earlier, [[Frida Boccara]] (1940–1996), knew great success in 1961 with her song ''Cherbourg avait raison''. The letters were not left with [[Académie française|academician]] [[Georges-François-Xavier-Marie Grente|Georges Grente]] (1872–1959), superior of the Saint-Paul Institute, and [[Ernest Psichari]] (1883–1914), soldier and writer, whose garrison stay in Cherbourg in 1914 with the 2nd colonial artillery regiment inspires ''L'Appel des armes''.

==Culture and heritage==
===Cultural facilities===
[[File:Cherbourg Vox.jpg|thumb|right|The ''Vox'', a former cinema converted into a theatre, depends upon the National Stage.]]

With [[Caen]], Cherbourg-Octeville is the main cultural centre of [[Lower Normandy]].

The city is the seat of several [[Learned society|learned societies]], including the {{Interlanguage link|National Academic Society of Cherbourg|fr|3=Société nationale académique de Cherbourg}} founded in 1755, {{Interlanguage link|National Society of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of Cherbourg|fr|3=Société nationale des sciences naturelles et mathématiques de Cherbourg}} formed in 1851, and the Artistic and Industrial society of Cherbourg, incorporated in 1871.

The creation and dissemination of the performing arts are ensured by the [[Le Trident (theatre)|''Trident'']], {{Interlanguage link|Scène nationale|fr|3=Scène nationale|lt=national stage}} of Italian theatre, the theatre of Octeville and the ''Vox''. Amateur theatre is celebrated by ''Les Téméraires''.

The ''vocation prioritaire du Centre régional des arts du cirque'' [Priority Mission of the Regional Centre of Circus Arts] (CRAC) of La Brèche, opened in October 2006, is the residence of circus troops, but instead also offers programming for the public.<ref name="offreculturelle">{{citation|first=Thierry|last=Dubillot|title=De l'offre culturelle dépend le rayonnement de la ville|language=fr|trans-title=The cultural offer depends on the influence of the city|work=Ouest-France|date=6 March 2008}}</ref> CRAC participates in the festival of street arts, ''Charivarue''.

In addition, the provision of artistic education is rich, with the Film Industry Institute of Normandy, the school of fine arts and the municipal music school, labelled as a conservatory for communal influence, which has 800 registrants.

After the closure of ''Ultrasound'' in [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville]], a unique room of contemporary music of Nord-Cotentin, several associations have come together within the network ''"La Voix des oreilles"'' ["The voice of the ears"] and of the place ''Épicentre'', in the former yacht club on ''Quai Lawton-Collins'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/Le-projet-de-La-Voix-des-oreilles-voit-le-jour-/re/actudet/actu_loc-535774------_actu.html|title=Le projet de La Voix des oreilles voit le jour|language=fr|trans-title=The project of the Voix des oreilles sees the day|work=Ouest-France|date=17 January 2008|access-date=15 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221002810/http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/Le-projet-de-La-Voix-des-oreilles-voit-le-jour-/re/actudet/actu_loc-535774------_actu.html|archive-date=21 February 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> where the festival ''La Terra Trema'' takes place.

However, the city lacks a large capacity venue, the theatre can accommodate only 700 spectators. After the bitter failure of ''Cherbourg-Land'', this problem has not been resolved at the level of the Cotentin.<ref name="offreculturelle" /> The Great Hall of the Cité de la Mer, with a space for over 6,000 people, has hosted several concerts, but it is primarily dedicated to the organisation of fairs and exhibitions. Today, the main welcoming complex of large-scale concerts is the Jean-Jaurès Centre of Équeurdreville-Hainneville.

Octeville has retained its patronal festival, the Sainte-Échelle, with holiday fair and parades. Cherbourg restarted its carnival in the 1980s, heir of the {{Interlanguage link|Confrérie des Conards|fr}}, similar to that of [[Rouen]] and [[Évreux]].

===Museums===
[[File:Jacques-Louis David Patrocle.jpg|thumb|right|The ''Patroclus'' of David, displayed at the Thomas-Henry Museum.]]

Cherbourg has several museums.

The former home of [[Emmanuel Liais]], mayor of Cherbourg, astronomer and explorer, houses since 1905 the Museum of Natural History and Ethnography, the oldest museum in Cherbourg (founded in 1832), with curio cabinet, collection of stuffed animals, fossils, minerals and ethnographic objects (Egypt, Asia, Oceania, America and Africa), archaeological treasures and library science. It is also the headquarters of the {{Interlanguage link|National Society of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of Cherbourg|fr|3=Société nationale des sciences naturelles et mathématiques de Cherbourg}}.

The [[Musée Thomas-Henry|Thomas-Henry Fine Arts Museum]], named after [[Thomas Henry (patron of the arts)|its first patron]], was inaugurated in 1835 and is now the third collection of Normandy with 300 paintings and sculptures from the 15th to the 20th century. Located in the cultural centre, at the back of the theatre, it presents paintings by French, Flemish, Spanish and Italian artists, as well as sculptures. Presentations of works by [[Fra Angelico]], [[Simon Vouet]], [[Camille Claudel]], and one of the largest collections of works by [[Jean-François Millet]], as well as paintings by [[Guillaume Fouace]] native of [[Réville]] or the Navy painters. Sculptures by [[Armand Le Véel]] are also included.

The Museum of the War and the Liberation, the first of its kind when it was inaugurated by [[René Coty]] on 6 June 1954, traces the daily life of Cherbourg civilians during the Occupation and the course of the Liberation of Cotentin, particularly the [[Battle of Cherbourg]]. It is installed in the Fort du Roule, centrepiece of the defence of Cherbourg taken by the Americans on 25 June 1944 .

The [[Cité de la Mer]], is a large museum devoted to scientific and historical aspects of maritime subjects. Dedicated to oceanographic exploration, it is a complex installed since 2003 in a part of the remains of the old transatlantic station. It offers giant aquariums, a collection of underwater vehicles, such as those of [[Compagnie maritime d'expertises|COMEX]], the [[bathyscaphe]] ''Archimède'' and [[French submarine Redoutable (S611)|''Redoutable'']], the first French [[Ballistic missile submarine|SSBN]] built in Cherbourg, fully open to the public.

The {{Interlanguage link|Point du jour (Cherbourg-Octeville)|fr|3=Le Point du jour (Cherbourg-Octeville)|lt=''Point du jour''}}, a unique contemporary art centre in France, dedicated to photography, was inaugurated in the Bassin zone in November 2008.<ref name="offreculturelle" />

===Literature===
[[File:Jeanniot Célestine.jpg|thumb|right|Célestine, of the ''Journal d’une femme de chambre'' [''Diary of a Chambermaid''], by Georges Jeanniot, ''Le Cri de Paris'', 18 November 1900.]]

The Jacques Prévert Municipal Library, founded in 1831 and opened in 1832, holds the second largest collection in the region, after that of Caen. The purchase of the library of the local scholar Henri-François Duchevreuil, in 1830, complements the 1,855 volumes of the district's library, created at 24 ''Rue Tour-Carrée'', in application of the decree of the Convention of 8 pluviôse year II<ref name="histbiblio">{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/culture/bibliotheques/bibliotheque_jacques_prev/histoire_de_la_bibliotheq.asp|title=Histoire de la Bibliothèque Municipale|work=ville de Cherbourg-Octeville|access-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214200622/http://ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/cherbourg_octeville/culture/bibliotheques/bibliotheque_jacques_prev/histoire_de_la_bibliotheq.asp|archive-date=14 February 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and composed essentially of works seized from emigrants and deportees.<ref name=ccfr>{{cite web|url=http://ccfr.bnf.fr/rnbcd_visu/BibdetailServlet?numnotice=6911|title=Bibliothèque municipale Jacques Prévert|work=CCFR|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623014228/http://ccfr.bnf.fr/rnbcd_visu/BibdetailServlet?numnotice=6911|archive-date=23 June 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Several donations were then made, including a legacy of 3,000 works by {{Interlanguage link|Augustin Asselin|fr}} in 1844 (with twenty-six [[Incunable|incunabula]] and a ninth-century manuscript [[The Jewish War|''De bello iudaico'']] [The Jewish War] of [[Josephus|Flavius Josephus]], which remains the oldest document in the library) and a gift in 1877 from Jérôme-Frédéric Bignon, Mayor of [[Le Rozel]] and heir to the king's librarians. It also has a Norman [[fonds]], an old fonds devoted to botany and another to travel.<ref name=histbiblio /> Housed in a wing of the City Hall in 1855, and then at 9 ''Rue Thiers'' (''Rue Talluau'') from 1896, the library moved into the cultural centre in June 1981, taking the name of [[Jacques Prévert]], who had died four years earlier in [[La Hague]].<ref name=ccfr /> The library also participates in the ''Normannia'' project of the Norman digital library.

The former barracks of the Abbey, dating back to the start of the works of the large dam in 18th-century, has housed one of the five regional centres of history of the National Navy, alongside [[Brest, France|Brest]], [[Lorient]], [[Rochefort, Charente-Maritime|Rochefort]] and [[Toulon]], since 1970. The archives of the maritime district of the [[English Channel|Channel]] and the [[North Sea]] are grouped here, and the library of the Navy founded in 1836 in Cherbourg and specialising in maritime history with its 23,000 works.

Each year, a network of writing workshops are organised in the metropolitan area, the ''Mercurielles'', and the Festival of the Book and of Youth Comic Books (since 1987).

The Biennial of the 9th Art exhibits the works of [[comics|comic]] cartoonists ([[Enki Bilal]] in 2002, [[François Schuiten]] and [[Benoît Peeters]] in 2004, [[André Juillard]] in 2006, and [[Jacques de Loustal|Loustal]] in 2008). In 2002, with the support of the City Hall of Cherbourg, Enki Bilal had planned to create a mural in the old ''gare maritime'' to represent the history of migration in the place; This project was rejected on the basis of an official complaint by {{Interlanguage link|Bernard Cauvin|fr}}, president of the {{Interlanguage link|Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|fr|3=Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg|lt=CUC}} and the [[Cité de la Mer]].<ref>{{citation|title=Fresque de Bilal annulée : incompréhension des Amis de la gare transatlantique|work=Ouest-France|date=7 December 2002}}</ref>

Cherbourg-Octeville is the seat of two publishing houses, ''Isoète'' founded in 1985 and {{Interlanguage link|Le Point du jour (Cherbourg-Octeville)|fr|3=Le Point du jour (Cherbourg-Octeville)|lt=''Le Point du jour''}} established in 1996.

====Cherbourg-Octeville in literature====
*[[Honoré de Balzac]] cites the engineer Joseph Cachin, constructor of the port of Cherbourg, among the men of genius in ''[[Le Curé de village]]'' [The Village Priest] and ''[[La Duchesse de Langeais]]'' [The Duchess of Langeais].<ref>{{Citation|id=Les cordes avaient assez de jeu pour offrir aux fureurs des vagues cette courbure étudiée par un ingénieur, feu [[Joseph Cachin|Cachin]], l'immortel créateur du port de Cherbourg|publisher=Édition {{Interlanguage link|Charles Furne|fr|3=Charles Furne|lt=Furne}}|author=Honoré de Balzac|title=La Comédie humaine|volume=9|page=231}}</ref> Cherbourg is also present in ''[[Le Réquisitionnaire]]'' [The Recruit].<ref>{{Citation|publisher=Édition {{Interlanguage link|Charles Furne|fr|3=Charles Furne|lt=Furne}}|author=Honoré de Balzac|title=La Comédie humaine|volume=15|pages=325–326}}</ref>
*[[Octave Mirbeau]], [[The Diary of a Chambermaid (novel)|''Le Journal d'une femme de chambre'']] [The Diary of a Chambermaid], 1900: In the final chapter, Celestine became the owner of a cafe in Cherbourg
*[[Remy de Gourmont]], ''Un cœur virginal'' [A Virginal Heart], 1907
*[[Ernest Psichari]], ''L'Appel des armes'' [The Call to Arms], 1913
*Gilles Rosset, ''Le Vent dominant'' [The Prevailing Wind], Grasset, 1979
*[[Alexis Salatko]], ''Vingt deux nuances de gris'' [Twenty-two Shades of Grey], 1990
*[[Jean-Philippe Arrou-Vignod]], ''L’omelette au sucre'' [The Omelette with Sugar], Gallimard, Folio Junior, 1999
*Robert Sinsoilliez, ''Une balle pour rien à Cherbourg'' [A Bullet for Nothing to Cherbourg], 2000
*{{cite book|first=Alexis|last=Salatko|title=Un fauteuil au bord du vide|language=fr|trans-title=A Chair at the Edge of the Vacuum|publisher=Fayard|location=Paris|year=2007|isbn=978-2-213-62615-4}}
* Ken Follett's novel ''[[The Pillars of the Earth]]'' features Cherbourg as the hometown of Jacques Cherbourg, a Frenchman washed ashore in England during the [[European Middle Ages]]. His son, Jack Jackson, travels to France as an adult and meets his father's family in Cherbourg.
* Kimberly Brubaker Bradley set her novel, ''[[For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy]]'' in Cherbourg. The narrator, Suzanne Hall (née David), is a spy for the [[French Resistance]].
* Cherbourg (or to be precise its analog in the [[Lord Darcy (character)|Lord Darcy]] universe) is the setting for [[Randall Garrett]]'s short story "A Case of Identity" and is part of the backdrop for his novel ''[[Too Many Magicians]]''.

===Cinema===
[[File:L'OMNIA se trouve rue de la Paix, derrière l'Hôtel de Ville Cherbourg 1944.jpg|thumb|right|The ''Omnia'' cinema in 1944, after the Liberation.]]

The cinema occupies a significant place in the life of Cherbourg. Many classics of French cinema have been filmed there, such as ''[[Marie of the Port (film)|La Marie du port]]'' directed by [[Marcel Carné]] and starring [[Jean Gabin]]. In 1981, [[Claude Miller]] also located the action film ''[[Garde à Vue]]'' there, though shot in the studio. However, the most emblematic is undoubtedly ''[[The Umbrellas of Cherbourg]]'' directed by [[Jacques Demy]], a story about Madame Emery and her 17-year-old daughter Geneviève ([[Catherine Deneuve]]) who sell umbrellas at their tiny boutique. The film was shot in the summer of 1963, and  still contributes to the international renown of the city. Yet long before, at the time of the splendor of the transatlantic liners, Cherbourg was a port of arrival, departure or transit for many stars, including [[Charlie Chaplin]] and [[Burt Lancaster]]. The city was also birthplace of the filmmaker [[Jean-Charles Tacchella]] and the actor [[Jean Marais]].

{{Interlanguage link|Festival des cinémas d'Irlande et de Grande-Bretagne de Cherbourg-Octeville|fr|3=Festival des cinémas d'Irlande et de Grande-Bretagne de Cherbourg-Octeville|lt=Festival of cinemas of Ireland and Great Britain}}, the [[Cinemovida]] (festival of the cinema of Spain and Latin America), and Images d'Outre-Rhin (German cinema), as well as Cin'étoiles, screenings of films outdoors in July, animate the local cultural life.

In 2003, the [[École Internationale de Création Audiovisuelle et de Réalisation|EICAR]] film school was located in the old buildings of the {{Interlanguage link|Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|fr|3=Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|lt=marine hospital}}. After three years of loss and liabilities estimated at €1.5 million, it was placed into liquidation in September 2006 and replaced the following month, under the leadership of elders of its teachers by the Institut des métiers du cinéma de Normandie (IMC Normandie) that itself closed its doors in 2011.

The city has a fleet of 17 permanent cinema rooms, distributed over two sites, including one labelled as ''Art et essai'' ([[Revival house]]).

*'''''Odéon''''' (5 rooms)

Following the opening of the {{Interlanguage link|Circuit Georges-Raymond|fr|3=Circuit Georges-Raymond|lt=CGR}} [[Multiplex (movie theater)|multiplex]], the withdrawal of the {{Interlanguage link|Soredic|fr}}, which operated ''Club 6'' (''Rue de la Paix'') since 1983 and the ''Odeon'' (''Rue Foch'') since 1991, resulted in the closure in 2004 of the first and the revival of the latter city centre cinema, labelled as ''[[Revival house|Art et essai]]'' by Fadila Chambelland, the former manager. The cinema had 90,000 admissions in 2006.

The damaged façade of the old cafe of the Grand balcon, which then became ''Le Central'' cinema, is in the style of the Second Empire, with [[caryatid]]s and garlands of flowers.

*'''''Méga CGR''''' (12 rooms)

Opened in 2003 near the ''boulevard maritime'' with 2,557 seats; 400,000 admissions in 2006.

*'''''Omnia''''' (1 room)

The historic cinema operated by [[Pathé]], located on the ''Rue de la Paix'', it was bought in the 1990s by the municipality and no longer welcomes any more than rare events. The interior frescoes of R. Lecoq, representing [[Aeolus]] and [[Vulcan (mythology)|Vulcan]], were distinguished in 2006 by the label "20th century heritage" of the [[Ministry of Culture (France)|Ministry of Culture]].<ref>{{citation|title=Le patrimoine cherbourgeois distingué|work=Cherbourg-Octeville|id=117|date=February 2007}}</ref>

Several cinemas have disappeared, such as the ''Eldorado'' (destroyed, ''Place de la Republique''), the ''Eden'' (''Rue Cachin''), the ''Vox'' (former [[patronage]] room which became a second room of [[Le Trident (theatre)]]), and the ''Saint-Joseph'' (''Rue des Ormes''), etc.

====Films shot in Cherbourg====
*''[[Le p'tit Parigot]]'' (1926), by [[René Le Somptier]]
*''[[Marie of the Port (film)|La Marie du port]]'' (1950), by [[Marcel Carné]], with [[Jean Gabin]]
*''[[The Umbrellas of Cherbourg]]'' (1964), by [[Jacques Demy]], starring [[Catherine Deneuve]]
*{{Lang|fr|[[La Course à l'échalote]]}} (1975), directed by [[Claude Zidi]], with [[Pierre Richard]] and [[Jane Birkin]]
*''[[Roads to the South]]'' (1978), [[Joseph Losey]], with [[Yves Montand]]
*''[[The Green Ray (film)|The Green Ray]]'' (1986) of [[Éric Rohmer]]
*{{Interlanguage link|Foon (film)|fr|3=Foon|lt=''Foon''}} (2005), directed in part at the EICAR-Cherbourg
*''[[La Boîte noire]]'' (2005), by [[Richard Berry (actor)|Richard Berry]]
*''[[Lili and the baobab]]'' (2006), [[Peter and Sloane|Chantal Richard]], with [[Romane Bohringer]]
*''[[Rumba (2008 film)|Rumba]]'' (2008) [[Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon|Fiona Gordon, Dominique Abel]], {{Interlanguage link|Bruno Romy|fr}}, etc.
*''[[Love Me No More (film)|Love Me No More]]'' (2008), by [[Jean Becker (director)|Jean Becker]], with [[Albert Dupontel]]
*''[[Q (2011 film)|Q]]'' (2011), by [[Laurent Bouhnik]]

===Language===
The Cherbourg population spoke ''le haguais'', a variant of [[Cotentinais]] [[Norman language|Norman]], while having some specifics regarding the pronunciation of certain words.

In Cotentinais Norman, Cherbourg is called ''Tchidbouo'' {{IPA|fr|tʃidbwu:|}} and Octeville, ''Otteville'' {{IPA|fr|ɔtvil|}}. Their inhabitants are the ''Tchidbouorqŭais'' and the ''Ottevillais'' {{IPA|fr|tʃidbwuʁtʃje:|}} and {{IPA|fr|ɔtvile:|}}.

While French was necessary in [[Rouen]] in the 19th century, Norman remained widely used from Cherbourg to [[Caen]], up to the [[First World War]].<ref name=pic>{{cite web|url=http://www.reunion.iufm.fr/Recherche/Expressions/27/Pic.pdf|title=L'enseignement du normand dans le Nord-Cotentin : étude des pratiques et des attitudes linguistiques|language=fr|trans-title=Education of Norman in Nord-Cotentin: study of practices and linguistic attitudes|first=Christine|last=Pic-Gillard|publisher=Université de la Réunion|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028182211/http://www.reunion.iufm.fr/Recherche/Expressions/27/Pic.pdf|archive-date=28 October 2012}}</ref>

{{Interlanguage link|Alfred Rossel|fr}} was the leading local figure of the dialect authors of the 19th century. He published his ''Chansonnettes normandes'', among which ''Sus la mé'' became an anthem of the [[Cotentin Peninsula]]. At that time, {{Interlanguage link|Jean Fleury (writer)|fr|3=Jean Fleury|lt=Jean Fleury}} was critical of its approximate spelling and poor mastery of the language.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jean|last=Fleury|title=Essai sur le patois normand de la Hague|language=fr|trans-title=Essay on the Norman dialect of la Hague|publisher=Maisonneuve frères and C. Leclerc|year=1886}}</ref>

Various actors are now trying to promote the local use of the Norman. The Alfred Rossel society makes live folklore and language. ''Le Boué-jaun'' a Cherbourg-based magazine, published his texts in Norman, and one of three popular Norman universities is based here.<ref name=pic />

===Gastronomy===
A large fishing port, Cherbourg-Octeville offers a wide variety of fish ([[Yellowtail (fish)|yellowtail]], [[European seabass|bar]], [[plaice]], [[mackerel]], [[Batoidea|rays]], [[red mullet]], [[pollock]], [[lemon sole]], [[small-spotted catshark]], etc.), crustaceans ([[Cancer pagurus|brown crab]], [[Majoidea|spider crab]], [[Homarus|lobster]]) and shellfish ([[Pecten maximus|Saint-Jacques]], [[scallop]]s, [[mussel]]s), caught off the coast of the Cotentin peninsula.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peche-cherbourg.com/poissonplat.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070510072245/http://www.peche-cherbourg.com/poissonplat.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-05-10|title=Poissons pêchés|work=centre de marée de Cherbourg-Cotentin}}</ref> The so-called {{Interlanguage link|Demoiselles de Cherbourg|fr}} are small lobsters. Cherbourg is also located near three [[oyster]] areas ([[Blainville-sur-Mer|Blainville]], [[Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue|Saint-Vaast]] and [[Isigny-sur-Mer|Isigny]]). The most traditional preparation is the [[matelote]].<ref name=viquet>{{cite journal|title=Boire et manger en Cotentin|journal=Le Viquet|number=78|location=Saint-Lô|date=Christmas 1987}}</ref> [[Alexandre Dumas]] also presented the recipe of the ''"queue de merlan à la mode de Cherbourg "'' [tail of whiting in the Cherbourg manner], with butter and oysters.<ref>Alexandre Dumas, ''Le Grand Dictionnaire de cuisine'', 1873.</ref>

From 1464, the bakers of Cherbourg held Royal permission to develop their breads based on seawater, thus avoiding paying for the salt and the ''gabelle'' [salt tax]. On the occasion of the visit of [[Napoleon]], they would have created folded bread, country bread ball, oval, which is folded back on itself to be cooked, thus offering a tighter bicorn-shaped sandwich which came to be called ''"pain Napoléon"'' [Napoleon bread].<ref name=viquet/> Fleury indicated that at the beginning of the 19th century, the principal food of Nord-Cotentin was [[barley]] bread, [[buckwheat]] porridge and pork-based products, and on feast days, the ''galette'', a "type of dough composed of buckwheat flour, milk and eggs, and cooked in a thin film on the tile with butter", watered, of course, with cider.<ref name=fleury1839-notions />

The agglomeration is located in the [[Appellation d'origine contrôlée|AOC]] areas of the [[Pont-l'Évêque cheese|Pont-l'Évêque]] and of the {{Interlanguage link|Camembert of Normandy|fr|3=Camembert de Normandie}} as well as being partially within the [[Calvados]], {{Interlanguage link|Pommeau de Normandie|fr}} and the [[cider]] of Normandy. It also benefits from the [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union|IGP]] of the cider of Normandy, Normandy pork and {{Interlanguage link|Volailles de Normandie|fr|3=Volailles de Normandie|lt=Normandy poultry}}.<ref>Website of the [[Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité|INAO]]</ref> More broadly, the kitchen of Nord-Cotentin is {{Interlanguage link|Cuisine normande|fr|3=Cuisine normande|lt=that of Normandy}}, in which dairy products (butter, cream, milk, cheese, etc.) and apples (as fruit or alcohol) dominate.

Since 2010, the restaurant ''le Pily'', of the [[Valognes]] restaurateur Pierre Marion, holds a star in the [[Michelin Guide]].<ref>«{{cite web|url=http://www.lamanchelibre.fr/Guide-Michelin-un-etoile-agrave-Cherbourg,1.media?f=4248|title=Guide Michelin: un étoilé à Cherbourg|work=lamanchelibre.net|date=1 March 2010|access-date=6 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304195644/http://www.lamanchelibre.fr/Guide-Michelin-un-etoile-agrave-Cherbourg,1.media?f=4248|archive-date=4 March 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Heritage===
====Civil monuments====
[[File:Cherbourg theatre.jpg|thumb|right|The Italian theatre.]]
[[File:Cherbourg-Gare-transatlantique-pano.jpg|thumb|right|The ''gare maritime''.]]
[[File:Cherbourg Bassin du Commerce.jpg|thumb|right|The commercial dock, during the [[Tall Ships' Races|Tall Ships' Race 2005]].]]
[[File:Hotel Atlantique Cherbourg2.jpg|thumb|right|The central pavilion of the Atlantic Hotel.]]

The [[Le Trident (theatre)|Italian Theatre]] is one of the last [[Theater (building)|Italian theatres]] built in France (1880). Opened in 1882, it was built on the plans of {{Interlanguage link|Charles de Lalande|fr}}, on the site of the [[grain trade|grain market]]. The façade pays homage to [[Molière]], [[François-Adrien Boieldieu|Boieldieu]] and [[Pierre Corneille|Corneille]]. It has been classified a historical monument since 1984 with its two side returns and corresponding roofing; also classified are the vestibule, the grand staircase, the hall and foyer, as well as the 13 original decorations. The ceiling is the work of [[Georges Clairin]]. With three galleries, it accommodates up to 600 spectators.

The Mouchel Fountain, named after the patron and director of the journal ''Le Phare de la Manche'', stands at the centre of the ''Place Général-de-Gaulle''. A monumental fountain in cast iron, it was created by [[Louis Eugène Gutelle]] in 1895.

The Hotel Epron de la Horie (named after the Vice Admiral and Marine Minister [[Louis-Jacques Epron de la Horie|Jacques Epron de la Horie]], owner under the first Empire) or ancient customs is located at the corner of ''Rue de Val-de-Saire'' and the wharf of the Old Arsenal. Built in 1781 by Jacques Martin Maurice, "contractor of the King's works" in [[schist]] (cover and body of the building) and red brick (window frames), registered as a historical monument since 16 February 1965.<ref>{{Base Mérimée|PA00110367}}</ref> Successively barracks of the Swiss, auxiliary Hospital of the work of the harbour, home of shipowners Richer, Cousin, Despréaux and Lias in the 19th century and a customs house during the interwar period, it is now the headquarters of the [[Groupe Caisse d'Épargne]].<ref name=centreurbainancien />

The former [[Gare Maritime de Cherbourg]] is the largest French [[Art Deco]] monument. Built by {{Interlanguage link|René Levavasseur (architect)|fr|3=René Levavasseur (architecte)|lt=René Levavasseur}} from 1928 and inaugurated in 1933 by [[Albert François Lebrun|President Lebrun]], it could accommodate two ships simultaneously. Listed as an [[Monument historique|historical monument]] in 1989 and 2000, it was redeveloped in 2002 to become an oceanographic complex, the [[Cité de la Mer]], where one can visit the {{abbr|[[Ballistic missile submarine|SNLE]]|Sous-marin nucléaire lanceur d'engins}} [[Redoutable-class submarine (1967)|''Le Redoutable'']], and host since December 2006 of a cruise terminal.<ref>{{Base Mérimée|PA00110648}}</ref>

The ''hôtel Atlantique'' [Atlantic Hotel], opposite the maritime station, was also built by {{Interlanguage link|René Levavasseur (architect)|fr|3=René Levavasseur (architecte)|lt=René Levavasseur}}, in iron and cement and in the [[Art Deco]] style, for the three transatlantic companies which served Cherbourg, the [[Cunard Line]], the [[White Star Line]] and the [[Red Star Line]], grouped into the ''Société anonyme de l’Hôtel Atlantique''. It hosted on {{convert|5400|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} the emigrants (third class passengers), mainly from Eastern Europe, who stayed there for an average of 12 days to undergo sanitary and customs controls. The building thus included a section for infected and a section for disinfected with a capacity of 2,000 people. Begun in 1920, opened in 1926, it closed eight years later. Requisitioned under the Occupation and Liberation, it was bought by [[Félix Amiot]] to accommodate some of its shipyard employees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cotentin-entreprises.com/hotelatlan.html|title=L'hôtel Atlantique|work=CCI Cherbourg-Cotentin|access-date=13 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008133457/http://www.cotentin-entreprises.com/hotelatlan.html|archive-date=8 October 2007|url-status=usurped|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It has hosted the services of the {{Interlanguage link|Chamber of commerce and industry of Cherbourg-Cotentin|fr|3=Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Cherbourg-Cotentin}} since 1991. The central pavilion is included in the inventory of historic monuments since October 2001.<ref name=pedestre />

Statues of Themis and Minerva, Roman goddesses of justice and war respectively, of [[Jean-Antoine Houdon|Houdon]] and [[Philippe-Laurent Roland|Roland]] and which were stored in the courtyard of the [[Palais Bourbon]] during their replacement on the frontispiece of the Chamber of Deputies by casts during the renovation of the façade, were available to the city in June 1989, through {{Interlanguage link|Olivier Stirn|fr}}, Minister of Tourism, and President of the ''Communauté urbaine de Cherbourg'' [Urban community of Cherbourg]. After restoration by Pierre Bataille of [[Poclain]], they were each placed in 1990 and 1993 on a roundabout, the ''Minerva'' of Philippe-Laurent Roland, near the [[Cité de la Mer]], the ''Themis'' of Jean-Antoine Houdon at the foot of the Montagne du Roule. Carved around 1810, they have been classified as historic monuments since June 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/statues_themis_et_minerve/default.asp|title=Statues Thémis et Minerve|language=fr|trans-title=Thémis and Minerva statues|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111061131/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/statues_themis_et_minerve/default.asp|archive-date=11 November 2007}}</ref>

The town hall was built at the beginning of the 19th century; It was enlarged twice, first in 1850 by a south-west wing forming an L-shape with the first building, and then under the [[Second French Empire|Second Empire]] (salon of the Empress), and reworked after the Liberation. Inside, a staircase serves the Grand Lounge and the lounge of the Empress, which houses portraits of Napoleon III and Eugénie by [[Franz Xaver Winterhalter|Winterhalter]], with - between the two – a rotunda room for the paintings of Michel-Adrien Servant recalling the major events in the history of the city. Since 1858, the Council Chamber contains the 16th century chimney of the abbot's house of the [[Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Vœu]], purchased by the municipality in 1841 and classified as a historical monument since 1905.<ref name="centreurbainancien" /> The three lounges and the stairs have been registered since 13 August 2004.

The {{Interlanguage link|Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|fr|3=Hôpital des armées René-Le-Bas|lt=maritime hospital}}, a former regional hospital of the armies of René-Le-Bas, built by a decision of [[Napoleon III]] and opened 15 February 1869, it was decommissioned in 2000 and rehabilitated as an academic and cultural centre in 2002. The [[Second Empire architecture|Napoleon III style]] buildings are surrounded by a large park.

The docks and Port Chantereyne are regularly brought to life by various events: Stopovers of prestigious liners (''[[Queen Elizabeth 2]]'', [[RMS Queen Mary 2|''Queen Mary 2'']], etc.), armada, sailing races and such. The docks were constructed in 1994 with the lighting by [[Yann Kersalé]]. The marina, first French port of call, extends beyond the ''Plage Verte'', old beach redeveloped into lawn after the creation of the port. Recreational and leisure facilities are located here (pool, skating rink, bowling, services for boaters, etc.). In the commercial wet dock is the ''Jacques-Louise'', the last wooden trawler built in the shipyards of Cherbourg Bellot in 1959, the former Cherbourg [[Blue Riband]], decommissioned in 1991, registered in 1996, then classified as a historic monument in 1999. A trawler in oak wood of the Orne, designed for lateral fishing off the coast, it has been open to the public since summer 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/ville_maritime/patrimoine_maritime/bateaux_de_peche/jacques_louise/default.asp|title=Le Jacques-Louise|language=fr|trans-title=The Jacques-Louise|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107230106/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/ville_maritime/patrimoine_maritime/bateaux_de_peche/jacques_louise/default.asp|archive-date=7 November 2007}}</ref>

====Memorials====
[[File:Statue équestre de Napoléon.jpg|thumb|right|Statue of Napoleon]]

The {{Interlanguage link|Place Napoléon (Cherbourg-Octeville)|fr|3=Place Napoléon (Cherbourg-Octeville)|lt=Equestrian Statue of Napoleon I}} faces the basilica, on the ''Place Napoléon''. The work of [[Armand Le Véel]], it represents the Emperor contemplating the [[Cherbourg Harbour|harbour]] and the [[Cherbourg Naval Base|military port]]. On the base, reads an excerpt from the ''Memorial of Sainte-Hélène'', dated 15 July 1816: ''I had resolved to renew to Cherbourg the wonders of Egypt'', i.e. a pyramid with central fort and a new [[Lake Moeris]], for the outer harbour, dug into the rock. The statue, erected in 1858 on the occasion of the visit of [[Napoleon III]], recalls the importance of the Emperor in the expansion of Cherbourg. Around this emblematic monument of the city, registered in August 2006 and classified as an [[monument historique|historic monument]] on 31 January 2008, extends the ''Plage verte'', the old artificial beach until the postwar period, which runs along the marina.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/la_statue_napoleon_1er/default.asp |title=La Statue de Napopéon Ier|language=fr|trans-title=The Statue of Napopéon I|work=www.ville-cherbourg.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231101357/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/la_statue_napoleon_1er/default.asp|archive-date=31 December 2006}}</ref>

The monument of the [[Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry|Duke of Berry]], in the ''Place de la République'', commemorates the landing of the son of the future [[Charles X of France|Charles X]], back in France on the British frigate ''Eurotas'' on 13 April 1814, after the fall of the Empire. Completed in 1816, it consists of an obelisk of {{convert|25|ft|abbr=on}} in pink granite of Flamanville, surmounting a fountain of grey granite, where four bronze lions' heads spew water into a basin dug in the same block.<ref name="centreurbainancien" />

[[File:ArmandDeBricqueville.jpg|thumb|left|Bricqueville by David d’Angers.]]
The bust of {{Interlanguage link|Armand de Bricqueville|fr|3=Armand de Bricqueville|lt=Colonel Bricqueville}}, on the ''Quai de Caligny'', was inaugurated on 12 May 1850, in homage to the Colonel of the Imperial Dragons and Bonapartist deputy of Cherbourg who died in 1844. This {{convert|1.45|m|ft|abbr=on}} bust of Hermes<ref>"Bust whose shoulders, chest and back are cut by vertical planes. (Dict. Nineteenth and twentieth century.") {{cite web|url=http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/herm%C3%A8s|title=Définition du CNRTL}}</ref> is a bronze of [[David d'Angers]] on a {{convert|4|ft|abbr=on}} column of granite of the architect Lemelle, on which one can read the name of four battles where Bricqueville is illustrated: [[Battle of Wagram|Wagram]], [[Battle of Krasnoi|Krasnoi]], [[Siege of Antwerp (1814)|Antwerp]] and [[Battle of Rocquencourt|Versailles]]. Two bronze reliefs evoke the military (a sword) and parliamentary (a forum), were melted by the Germans in 1944. The monument has been listed as an [[Monument historique|historical monument]] since August 2006.<ref name=statuaire >{{cite book|title=La Statuaire monumentale|id=tourist brochure|publisher=Affaires culturelles de la ville Cherbourg-Octeville|year=2008}}</ref>

The statue of [[Jean-François Millet]], inaugurated in the {{Interlanguage link|Public garden of Cherbourg|fr|3=Jardin public de Cherbourg|lt=public garden}} on 22 September 1892, for the centenary of the [[French First Republic|First Republic]], honours the "painter of peasants", student at the Museum of Cherbourg. Funded by a subscription launched by the municipality in 1886 and taken over by Parisian circles, the realisation of the [[marble]] bust ({{convert|1.05|m|ft|abbr=on}} high) was entrusted to [[Henri Chapu]]; after his death, it was completed by his pupil [[Jean-Ernest Bouteiller]] who had assisted him in the allegorical group in bronze ({{convert|2.95|m|ft|abbr=on}} high) of a peasant woman with her daughter in arms and laying flowers of the fields on the bust, supported on a pedestal and granite rocks ({{convert|4.45|m|ft|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|2.55|m|ft|abbr=on}} wide, {{convert|2.6|m|ft|abbr=on}} of depth). The monument is inscribed since August 2006.<ref name=statuaire />

The monument to the dead of the [[French submarine Surcouf|''Surcouf'']], inaugurated at the end of the marina pier on 23 September 1951 by General de Gaulle, commemorates the memory of 130 sailors from the [[Free French Naval Forces]] submarine, built at Cherbourg and which sank on 18 February 1942 in the Pacific.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/le_monument_aux_morts_sur/default.asp|title=Le monument aux morts Surcouf|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111061116/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/le_monument_aux_morts_sur/default.asp|archive-date=11 November 2007}}</ref>

====Military monuments====
[[File:Cherbourg-Fort-de-l'ouest.jpg|thumb|right|Fort de l’Ouest.]]

[[Cherbourg Harbour]] is the largest artificial harbour of the world. Begun in 1783, the central wall was completed in 1853 and equipped with three forts in 1860. Built {{convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the coast, the offshore seawall is {{convert|3.64|km|mi|abbr=on}} long, with an average width of {{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}} at its base and {{convert|12|m|ft|abbr=on}} at its peak, and a height of {{convert|27|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The three sea walls cover over {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} combined.

The  fort de l’Île Pelée [fort of Pelée Island], a defensive element to the east of the sea wall, was designed by Ricard and Decaux and built between 1777 and 1784. It was named ''fort Royal, fort National, fort Imperial'', before taking the name of the island on which it was built. It served as a prison during the Revolution.

Fort du Roule (Museum of the War and Liberation) is located on the ''Montagne du Roule''. The location in 1650 of the Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Protection, abandoned during the Revolution, razed in 1870, this highest point of the city [{{convert|117|m|ft|abbr=on}}] welcomed a redoubt to protect the harbour in 1793. In 1853, the present fort was built. The place of the last fighting in 1940, it was reinforced by the Germans in 1943 with a battery located on the hillside overlooking the harbour, below the fort. Composed of four [[casemate]]s for {{convert|105|mm|in|abbr=on}} guns and a position for the direction of firing, with several tunnels and access dug into the rock, for the Germans it became the strong point of the ''fortresse de Cherbourg'' and of the [[Atlantic Wall]]. On 6 June 1954, [[René Coty]] inaugurated the first French Museum of Liberation there. At the end of a winding road named ''chemin des Résistants'' [Path of Resistants], the fort offers a panoramic view of the city and the harbour. The battery and a part of the German ammunition storage tunnels were classified as a historic monument in 1995, and another part is converted into an underground laboratory for measurement of radioactivity for the school of military application of atomic energy.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jacqueline|last=Vastel|title=Le Fort de la Montagne du Roule|language=fr|trans-title=The Fort of the Montagne du Roule|id=À la découverte de Cherbourg [Discovering Cherbourg]}}</ref>

====Religious monuments====
[[File:FranceNormandieCherbourgBasiliqueTrinite.jpg|thumb|right|The {{Interlanguage link|Basilica of Sainte-Trinité of Cherbourg|fr|3=Basilique Sainte-Trinité de Cherbourg|lt=Basilica of Sainte-Trinité}}.]]
[[File:Eglise ND du Voeu Cherbourg1.jpg|thumb|right|The Church of Notre-Dame-du-Vœu.]]

The {{Interlanguage link|Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Vœu|fr|3=Abbaye Notre-Dame du Vœu}} was founded in 1145, on the coast of [[Équeurdreville-Hainneville|Équeurdreville]], at the ''Croûte du Homet'', by [[Empress Matilda]]. Located outside the city walls, it was regularly looted and burned during the incessant Anglo-French battles, then during the [[French Wars of Religion|Wars of Religion]]. Subject to the regime of a [[commendatory abbot]] in 1583, it declined until its closure in 1774. Its lands were annexed in 1778 for the construction of the [[Cherbourg Naval Base|military port]], and it became the residence of the [[François-Henri d'Harcourt|Duke of Harcourt]], who sheltered the King in 1786. The place was then transformed into a hospital, into a [[Bagne de Cherbourg|prison]], and into the Martin des Pallières Barracks for the [[Marines|marine infantry]].

The [[company town]] of Chantereyne was built in 1928, until its destruction in June 1944. Bought by the Town Hall in 1961, the Abbey has been slowly restored since 1965. The smokestack of the Abbey House (16th century) is kept in the council room of the city hall, the west portal of the Church (13th century) is placed in the {{Interlanguage link|Jardin public de Cherbourg|fr|3=Jardin public de Cherbourg|lt=public garden}}. The remains of Martin des Pallières barracks were classified in 1913, then all of the buildings, remains and soil of the abbey, in September 2002. The grave slab of Guillaume de Margerai, priest of [[Querqueville]], who died in the 1280s, uncovered, has been classified as an [[Monument historique|historic monument]] since 1995.

The {{Interlanguage link|Basilica of Sainte-Trinité of Cherbourg|fr|3=Basilique Sainte-Trinité de Cherbourg|lt=Basilica of Sainte-Trinité}}, begun in the 11th century at the request of [[William the Conqueror]], remained the only parish church of the city until the 19th century. The stately church dedicated to [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Our Lady]] in the castle was destroyed along with the fortress, in the 17th century. The Trinité was enlarged and transformed significantly in the 13th century, the [[nave]] was rebuilt, the [[Choir (architecture)|choir]] and the bell tower is recorded from after 1450. After a rampage by January 1794, it had added a new square bell tower {{convert|26|m|ft|abbr=on}} in 1828 and restored in neo-[[Gothic architecture#Flamboyant arch|flamboyant]] style in 1865. Registered as a historical monument since March 1944, Trinité has a rich religious furniture, including a high [[altar]] of 1809, a wood [[pulpit]] carved by {{Interlanguage link|Pierre Fréret|fr}} (1767), a [[retable]] of [[Armand Fréret]] (1814) and the great [[Pipe organ|organs]] by [[Aristide Cavaillé-Coll|Cavaillé-Coll]].

The church of Notre-Dame du Roule was built at the foot of the ''Montagne du Roule'' between 1832 and 1842 under the leadership of the "poet-Barber" Michel Legoupil and by the subscription of the faithful of the peripheral quarters of Roule which grew, such as the districts of the Vœu and the Polle.

The church of Notre-Dame-du-Vœu, begun in 1850 on subscription of the parishioners and in the [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] style due to the scarcity of resources, was erected on a pasture, known as ''les briques'', offered by Mr. de Virandeville. In 1855, the municipality completes the nave inaugurated in 1852 by a [[transept]] and a more ornate choir, and in 1862 the façade and two bell towers. A work of {{convert|61.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} in length, the church houses a large organ by Duputel (1885), classified as a historic monument since 1990 and the stained glass windows of 1834, 1858–60 and 1949–58.<ref name="jeanxxii">{{cite web|url=http://catholique-cherbourg.cef.fr/jeanXXIII/culte.php|title=Lieux de cultes - Paroisse Jean-XXII|work=doyenné de Cherbourg|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720210320/http://catholique-cherbourg.cef.fr/jeanXXIII/culte.php|archive-date=20 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The Church of Saint-Clément was built within the quarter of the Val-de-Saire, facing the Pasteur hospital, between June 1853 and 1856 by the architect of the city, Geufroy. {{convert|52|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, it is of Greco-Roman inspiration, with a porch in the triangular pediment supported by four columns with [[Doric order|Doric]] [[Capital (architecture)|capitals]]. It houses the altars of the Virgin (1863) by François Fréret and Saint-Clément (1864) by Louis-Victor Fréret, acquired from the Basilica of Sainte-Trinité in 1846, an organ (1881), painting of the [[twelve apostles]] (1935) the Rock of Césigné and stained glass (1953) of Mauméjean.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/leglise_saint-clement/default.asp|title=L'église Saint-Clément|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805085917/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/leglise_saint-clement/default.asp|archive-date=5 August 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The Church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul, on the area of Octeville, was built between 1967 and 1969 while the "grand ensemble" of Provinces was born. The triangular and irregular modern architecture of [[Paul Vimond]] symbolises "the tent of God in among the houses of men", a sacred art inspired by the [[Second Vatican Council]] (1962-1965).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/leglise_saint-pierre_sain/default.asp|title=L'église Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430113638/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/leglise_saint-pierre_sain/default.asp|archive-date=30 April 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Another Church was built on Octeville during those years: The Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine-Postel opened in 1966 in the quarter of Fourches and decommissioned in 1990.

The Church of Saint-Martin of Octeville, dating from the 12th century, is the historic parish church of Octeville which depended on the {{Interlanguage link|Abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Vœu|fr|3=Abbaye Notre-Dame du Vœu}}. Romanesque, it has an octagonal {{Interlanguage link|saddleback steeple|fr|3=Clocher en bâtière}}. The nave was remodelled in the 18th century. A [[relief]] depicting the [[Last Supper]] has been classified as a historic monument since 1908.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/leglise_saint-martin/default.asp|title=L'église Saint-Martin|work=ville-cherbourg.fr|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130063415/http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr/fr/tourisme_decouverte/architecture_parc_et_jard/patrimoine_architectural/leglise_saint-martin/default.asp|archive-date=30 January 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Military life==
{{main|Cherbourg Naval Base}}
[[File:Abeille Liberté.jpg|thumb|right|Arrival of the ''[[Abeille Liberté]]'' at Cherbourg-Octeville.]]
During the Middle Ages, Cherbourg, a stronghold of the Cotentin peninsula, was home to a small garrison for the protection of the fortress. With the implementation of the harbour and military port, Cherbourg became a port of war at the end of the 18th century, with a large garrison. In 1798, it had 1,332 men, or a tenth of the population, divided mainly between the barracks of the Abbey, current historical Service of the Navy, which housed 542 men of the 4th brigade and the Maurice Quarter, in the ''Hôtel Epron de la Horie'', home to 227 men.<ref>{{citation|title=Il était une fois Cherbourg : le Dragon et la prostituée|work=La Manche libre|date=16 February 2008}}</ref> Numbers were brought to 3,000 men for the completion of the work, by a decree of germinal year XI.

During the 20th century, Cherbourg, a strategic point during both world wars, adapted to new threats. It then hosted a large garrison of the Navy, an artillery regiment and a ''Hôpital des Armées'' known locally as "marine hospital". In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the presence of the army weakened by the transfer of the northern fleet to Brest and the closure of the maritime hospital renamed René-Le-Bas.

Yet Cherbourg remained a base of the first order of the [[French Navy|National Navy]], as the seat of the {{Interlanguage link|Maritime Prefecture of Manche and the North Sea|fr|3=Préfecture maritime de la Manche et la mer du Nord}} and of the Maritime Gendarmerie grouping of Manche. The naval base is the homeport of five patrol vessels of the Navy and the coastguard, group of the clearance divers sleeve and its building-base the [[Vulcain (M611)|''Vulcain'']], the tug ''[[Abeille Liberté]]'' and various support vessels. It is also the headquarters of the Operational Training of Surveillance and Territorial Information of Cherbourg (Cherbourg FOSIT) which brings together thirteen semaphores and the lookout of the maritime district. In addition, a flotilla 35 F [[Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin|Dauphin]] helicopter is based at [[Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport]]. The operation of the military port is borne by the directions of the Commissioner of the Navy, maritime works and information systems of the Navy, as well as the branch of the support service of the fleet and the military workshop of the Cherbourg fleet.<ref name="accueil">{{cite web|url=http://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/content/download/44361/442761/file/accueil%20cherbourg%202007.pdf|title=Marine Cherbourg : guide d'accueil|work=Ministère de la Défense|year=2007|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104210213/http://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/content/download/44361/442761/file/accueil%20cherbourg%202007.pdf|archive-date=4 November 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Cherbourg is also a training hub of the armed forces through the {{Interlanguage link|School of Military Applications of Atomic Energy|fr|3=École des applications militaires de l'énergie atomique}} (EAMEA), in charge of the joint education of military specialists in material sciences, of techniques and of nuclear safety and the ''École des fourriers de [[Querqueville]]'', devoted to education of the officers of the three armed forces in business administration, management, human resources and the restoration to the training of specialists of the restoration of the national gendarmerie and the homes of the Navy staff.

Proposals for reform on the organization and the distribution of the French Army, presented in the spring of 2008 in the [[2008 French White Paper on Defence and National Security|White Paper on Defence and National Security]] planned in the context of the [[French General Review of Public Policies]] raise the concern of civilian personnel of the defence of the city, including the {{Interlanguage link|List of submarines built at Cherbourg|fr|3=Liste des sous-marins construits à Cherbourg|lt=construction of submarines}}. According to projects, Cherbourg-Octeville would become one of 90 defence bases around 2010. In a pooling of means and the establishment of support for the armed forces, the city would retain military and civilian activities, and would host new regiments for the army and of the air force to constitute one of the largest bases of defence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/La-carte-militaire-epargne-Cherbourg-/re/actudet/actu_loc-674952------_actu.html|title=La carte militaire épargne Cherbourg|work=Ouest-France|date=25 July 2008|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730115909/http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/La-carte-militaire-epargne-Cherbourg-/re/actudet/actu_loc-674952------_actu.html|archive-date=30 July 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the Navy in Cherbourg-Octeville would lose 220 jobs, including civilians, through including the division of half of the staff of the Directorate of maritime works, the abolition of 30 posts including 5 civilians in the ''École des fourriers'' and the Atomic school, the loss of 27 posts including 14 civilians in the direction of information systems, and the disarmament of the ''Vulcain'', ''Acharné'', ''Coralline'' and ''Élan''. National orders for [[DCNS (company)|DCNS]] could be spread over several years, also reducing human needs there, especially among the subcontractors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/La-Marine-devra-encore-se-serrer-la-ceinture-/re/actudet/actu_loc-705199------_actu.html|title=La Marine devra encore se serrer la ceinture|work=Ouest-France|date=17 September 2008|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922165210/http://www.cherbourg.maville.com/La-Marine-devra-encore-se-serrer-la-ceinture-/re/actudet/actu_loc-705199------_actu.html|archive-date=22 September 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Several military units were stationed at Cherbourg during the 20th century:

*{{Interlanguage link|8th Infantry Regiment (France)|fr|3=8e régiment d'infanterie|lt=8th Infantry Regiment}}, 1939 - 1940
*{{Interlanguage link|25th Infantry Regiment (France)|fr|3=25e régiment d'infanterie|lt=25th Infantry Regiment}}, 1870 - 1914
*{{Interlanguage link|119th Infantry Regiment (France)|fr|3=119e régiment d'infanterie|lt=119th Infantry Regiment}},
*[[77th Territorial Infantry Regiment (France)|77th Territorial Infantry Regiment]], 1870 - 1914
*{{Interlanguage link|2nd Artillery Regiment (France)|fr|3=2e régiment d'artillerie (France)|lt=2nd Artillery Regiment of Foot}}, 1914
*[[1st Marine Artillery Regiment]], 1906
*{{Interlanguage link|2nd Colonial Artillery Regiment (France)|fr|3=2e régiment d'artillerie coloniale|lt=2nd Colonial Artillery Regiment}}, 1906
*{{Interlanguage link|5th Colonial Artillery Regiment (France)|fr|3=5e régiment d'artillerie coloniale|lt=5th Colonial Artillery Regiment}}, 1906

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:CherbourgCentre.JPG|Town centre
File:HD-SN-99-02715.JPEG|[[Charles de Gaulle]] delivering a speech in liberated Cherbourg from the Hôtel de Ville (town hall)
File:Gare-cherbourg.jpg|[[Gare de Cherbourg]]
File:Cherbourg, Bassin de commerce sous le soleil d'hiver (1).JPG|Haven
File:Cherbourg-vuegenerale.jpg|Current view of the city
</gallery>

==See also==
* {{Interlanguage link|History of Cherbourg|fr|3=Histoire de Cherbourg}}
* [[Cherbourg Harbour]]
* [[History of the French Navy]]
* {{Interlanguage link|List of submarines built at Cherbourg|fr|3=Liste des sous-marins construits à Cherbourg}}
* {{Interlanguage link|List of maritime prefects of Cherbourg|fr|3=Liste des préfets maritimes de Cherbourg}}
* [[Gare de Cherbourg]]
* [[Gare Maritime de Cherbourg]]
* [[Battle of Cherbourg]], 1944
* [[Cité de la Mer]]
* ''[[Les Parapluies de Cherbourg]] (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg)'', a [[musical film]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Demoiselles de Cherbourg|fr}}
* [[Severodvinsk]]
* [[Groton, Connecticut|Groton]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/pop_legale/accueil_pop.asp Results of the census of 1999] [[INSEE]]

==Bibliography==
[[File:Chbg-Voisinlahougue.png|thumb|right|''History of the city of Cherbourg'', by Voisin La Hougue, continued from 1728 until 1835 by Vérusmor (1835)]]

;Published in the 19th century
* {{citation|title=Mémoires de la Société nationale académique de Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=Memoirs of the national academic society of Cherbourg|id=1833-1995}}
* {{cite book|last=de Berruyer|title=Guide du voyageur à Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=A traveller's guide to Cherbourg|publisher=Boulanger|location=Cherbourg|year=1833}}
* {{cite book|last=Voisin La Hougue|title=Histoire de la ville de Cherbourg (continuée depuis 1728 jusqu'à 1835 par Vérusmor)|language=fr|trans-title=History of the city of Cherbourg (continued from 1728 until 1835 by Vérusmor)|location=Cherbourg|publisher=Boulanger|year=1835}}
* {{cite book|first=Alexis|last=de Tocqueville|title=Notice sur Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=Notice on Cherbourg|publisher=Furne et Cie|location=Paris|year=1848}}
* {{Citation |publisher = John Murray |location = London |title = A Handbook for Travellers in France |date = 1861 |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/handbookfortrave1861john#page/82/mode/2up |chapter=Cherbourg |ol = 24627024M }}
* {{cite book|first=Th.|last=Pelloquet|title=Cherbourg et ses bains de mer|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg and its sea baths|publisher=mprimerie Vallée, Paris|year=1866}}
* {{cite book|first=Eugène|last=Liais|title=Cherbourg, la ville, son port et son commerce|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg, the city, its port and its trade|publisher=Mouchel|year=1871}}
* {{Citation |publisher = Adam and Charles Black |location = Edinburgh |title = Guide to the North of France |date = 1876 |author = C.B. Black |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/guidetonorthfra01blacgoog#page/n544/mode/2up |chapter= Cherbourg }}
* {{cite book|first=Émile|last=Bertin|title=Fondation de l'ancien Port de Cherbourg (notes et plans)|language=fr|trans-title=Foundation of the old Port of Cherbourg (notes and plans)|publisher=Dunod|location=Paris|year=1879}}
* {{cite book|first=Abbé|last=Leroy|title=Le Vieux Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=The old Cherbourg|publisher=Mouchel|year=1885}}
* {{Citation |publisher = Karl Baedeker |location = Leipsic |title = Northern France |date = 1899 |oclc = 2229516 |chapter-url= https://archive.org/stream/northernfrance00karl#page/162/mode/2up |chapter= Cherbourg |ol = 24872324M }}

;Published in the 20th century
* {{cite book|title=Cherbourg et le Cotentin|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg and the Cotentin|publisher=imprimerie Émile Le Maout|location=Cherbourg|year=1905}}
* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Cherbourg|volume=6|page=82 |short= 1}}
* {{cite book|first=Émile|last=Avoine|title=Histoire de Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=History of Cherbourg|publisher=Périgault|location=Cherbourg|year=1927}}
* {{cite book|first=C. Th.|last=Quoniam|title=Le Port de Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=The Port of Cherbourg|publisher=Imprimerie centrale|location=Cherbourg|year=1933}}
* {{cite book|first=Raymond|last=Lefèvre|title=L'Histoire anecdotique de Cherbourg à l'intention de nos écoliers|language=fr|trans-title=The anecdotal history of Cherbourg for our school children|publisher=herbourg-Éclair|location=Cherbourg|year=1941}}
* {{cite book|first=Raymond|last=Lefèvre|title=La libération de Cherbourg (26 juin 1944)|language=fr|trans-title=The Liberation of Cherbourg (26 June 1944)|publisher=Imprimerie commerciale|location=Cherbourg|year=1946}}
* {{cite book|last=Contre-amiral Lepotier|title=Cherbourg, port de la Libération|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg, Port of the Liberation|publisher=éditions France-Empire|location=Paris|year=1972}}
* {{cite book|first=Thérèse|last=Henrot-Brouhon|title=Cherbourg à la Belle époque|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg to the Belle époque|publisher=éditions SPRL Sodim|location=Bruxelles|year=1975}}
* {{cite book|first=Bernard|last=Launey|title=Cherbourg 1900-1975|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg 1900-1975|publisher=Imprimerie La Dépêche|location=Cherbourg|year=1976}}
* {{cite book|first=Madeleine|last=Masson d’Autume|title=Cherbourg pendant la guerre de Cent ans (de 1354 à 1450)|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg during the Hundred Years' War (from 1354 to 1450)|publisher=imprimerie Jacqueline|location=Saint-Lô}}
* {{cite book|first1=A.|last1=Demangeon|author-link=Albert Demangeon|first2=B.|last2=Fortier|title=Les Vaisseaux et les villes|language=fr|trans-title=Vessels and cities|publisher=Mardaga|location=Liège|year=1978}}
* {{cite book|first1=Paul|last1=Ingouf|first2=R.|last2=Greneville|title=La bataille de Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=The Battle of Cherbourg|publisher=éditions Heimdal|year=1979}}
* {{cite book|first=Jean|last=Le Jeune|title=Documents historiques sur le Vieux Cherbourg et sa région|language=fr|trans-title=Historical documents on old Cherbourg and its region|publisher=éditions La Dépêche|location=Cherbourg|year=1981}}
* {{cite book|first=André|last=Picquenot|title=Cherbourg sous l'occupation|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg under the occupation|publisher=éditions Ouest-France|location=Rennes|year=1983}}
* {{cite book|first=Guy|last=Letourneur|title=Cherbourg… histoire d'une ville et de son peuple|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg... story of a city and its people|publisher=Pierre Boulland-La Dépêche|location=Cherbourg|year=1985}}
* {{cite book|first=Michel|last=Besnier|title=Cherbourg|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg|publisher=Champ Vallon|location=coll. Des villes|year=1993|isbn=978-2-903528-72-0}}
* {{cite book|first=Maurice|last=Lecœur|title=Cherbourg au fil du temps|language=fr|trans-title=Cherbourg over time|publisher=Isoète|location=Cherbourg-Octeville|year=2001|isbn=978-2-913920-15-6}}
* {{cite book|first=Frédéric|last=Patard|title=Une ville, un pays en guerre, Cherbourg et le Haut-Cotentin, novembre 1918-mai 1944|language=fr|trans-title=A city, a country at war, Cherbourg and the Haut-Cotentin, November 1918 – May 1944|publisher=Isoète|location=Cherbourg-Octeville|year=2004|isbn=978-2-913920-35-4}}
* {{cite book|first1=Frédéric|last1=Patard|first2=Gérard|last2=Léonard|title=Le Guide du Promeneur, Cherbourg-Octeville, Équeurdreville-Hainneville, La Glacerie, Querqueville, Tourlaville|language=fr|trans-title=The Guide of the Walker, Cherbourg-Octeville, Équeurdreville-Hainneville, La Glacerie, Querqueville, Tourlaville|publisher=Isoète|location=Cherbourg-Octeville|year=2007}}
* {{cite book|language=fr|first=Bruno|last=Ramirez de Palacios|title=Charles dit le Mauvais, Roi de Navarre, comte d'Evreux, prétendant au trône de France|trans-title=Charles, known as ''the Bad'', king of Navarre, Count of Evreux, pretender to the throne of France|date=January 2015|publisher=Bruno Ramirez de Palacios |id=530|isbn=978-2-9540585-2-8}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Cherbourg}}
{{wikivoyage|Cherbourg}}
* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Cherbourg|volume=6|page=82}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060910014530/http://titanic-titanic.com/cherbourg.shtml Cherbourg on Titanic-Titanic.com]
* {{Official website|http://www.ville-cherbourg.fr}} (English/French/German)
* Visit of Queen Victoria to Cherbourg [http://www.normandythenandnow.com/queen-victoria-is-not-amused-in-cherbourg/ Visit of Queen Victoria]
* Photographs of Tsar Nicholas II and family [http://www.normandythenandnow.com/cherbourg-torpedoes-and-a-tsar-in-the-playground/ visiting Cherbourg] in 1909 from Illustration Magazine.

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cherbourg}}
[[Category:Cherbourg-Octeville]]
[[Category:Former communes of Manche]]