Main city of the Manche with 39 772 inhabitants, Cherbourg is the centre of an urban community of 88 209 inhabitants. This community is the second largest agglomeration in Basse-Normandie, after Caen.
Located between La Hague, with its Irish looking landscapes, and the Val de Saire, with its Vauban forts listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites, Cherbourg is sheltered at the heart of the largest artificial harbour in the world.