The city has 4 harbours : Port Chantereyne, with its 1 500 rings, is one of the main French boating harbours in terms of attendance; a fishing port in the heart of the city; a commercial port where regular ferries, going towards England and Ireland, meet dream liners, like the Queen Mary 2, the Disney Magic or the Jewel of the Seas… And finally, a military port sheltering the DCNS: this company builds the French army’s submarines and also exports its expertise abroad.

Cherbourg develops its maritime assets through a very dynamic nautical network, thanks to a tight fabric of companies: JMV Industries, Allures Yachting, Ican, the CMN… The city regularly welcomes great nautical events: Tall Ship’s Race in 2005, 7 editions of La Solitaire du Figaro… It fits out its harbouring areas and its quays, of which a part has been put in light by Yann Kersalé. La Cité de la Mer, scientific theme park dedicated to the underwater adventure, is one of the main touristy attractions of the city.

Cherbourg gives an important share of its annual budget to education : permanent investments in the schools, extracurricular activities in every school, support to out of school activities… The agglomeration also has many secondary and high schools. University education is also well represented: an engineer school, an IUT, a language faculty, scientific and literary preparatory classes, an institute specialised in maritime techniques. Overall, nearly 2 000 students follow a university education in the agglomeration.

City showing solidarity, Cherbourg received in february 2010 the Bien vieillir-vivre ensemble (Aging well-Living together) label. A label which underlines the city’s dynamism for its elderly in every field: care for the elderly in their own homes, development of cultural activities and of intergenerational solidarities, or housing in adapted structures. This solidarity also fans out towards the underprivileged.

Under Bernard Cazeneuve’s, the Deputy-Mayor, impulse, Cherbourg started in 2007 a full urban renewal operation called ORU. The ORU’s purpose is to create new structuring equipments, to renew the housing stock and to encourage social mix. The Amont-Quentin neighbourhood is in complete transformation. The heavy work around the Bassins neighbourhood will transform and extend the historical town centre thanks to the extension of the mall, the construction of a four stars hotel and housing. Without forgetting the creation of gardens around the Divette river.

www.ORU.cuc-cherbourg.fr

On the cultural ground, thanks to its high quality equipments, Cherbourg extends over the North-Cotentin and even further. Live shows, contemporary photography, circus, readings…: the local cultural life is rich and eclectic and is, without a doubt, of the main assets of the city.

Bordered by the Gulf Stream, with an oceanic climate, Cherbourg cultivates its botanical assets since the 1850’s. This tradition goes back to when sailors used to bring back unknown flowers and plants from exotic far away countries. It perpetuated at the beginning of the 20^th century with Emmanuel Liais and Dr. Favier who each created a park that is now known to botanists across the world. Labelled 4 flowers, Cherbourg is putting in place lasting embellishment and has banished toxic products from its green spaces.