Ferry to Cherbourg

Cherbourg

Cherbourg is a port with a flair for the dramatic. In June 1864 spectators lined the breakwater and the shore to watch the American Civil War raider CSS Alabama fight the USS Kearsarge a few miles offshore; the Alabama sank, and Édouard Manet painted the scene. A century later, the town gave its name to one of the best-loved French films, Jacques Demy's 1964 musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and made a star of the young Catherine Deneuve. Both stories fit a harbour that has long looked outward. The ferry terminal is close to the centre, so with a few hours between sailings you can walk to the old harbour and its fish restaurants, and the souvenir umbrellas on sale around town nod to the film.

The ferry port at Cherbourg

Address: Quai de Normandie, 50100 Cherbourg. GPS: 49.6444, -1.6000.

From the town centre: The town centre is about a 10-minute walk from the terminal.

By train: The railway station, at the end of the line from Paris via Caen, is a 30 to 40 minute walk from the terminal. A taxi costs around €8 to €10, and a public bus links the two in July and August; check the current timetable.

Parking: Short-term parking in front of the terminal is free of charge.