Long known by ferry passengers as the first port of call on holiday to Normandy or further afield and by yachtsmen as one of the most vibrant places along the coast to moor, Cherbourg is increasingly a place to stay for longer than just a few hours. Its busy centre, with shops, restaurants and hotels, together with a wide range of places to visit and things to do in and aroung Cherbourg, provide plenty of scope for visitors who choose to take their time to explore this exciting city.

Cherbourg is not just a port city, but also a university city as well as a place of commerce, and as such its centre is always bustling with people. Here the streets are largely pedestrianised, and packed with shops of all kinds ranging from delicatessens, book shops and antiquarians to high fashion boutiques and shoe shops as well as the larger supermarkets much loved by holiday motorists.

One of the advantages of shopping in France is that you can combine it with a trip to one of the many markets - and Cherbourg is no exception. Boasting markets on six days of the week, a special treat is the twice-weekly market on Place Centrale where large fruit and vegetable, cheese or fish stalls jostle with smaller ones offering selections of home-grown produce such as eggs, honey, jam and flowers or home-reared poultry. Depending on the time of year there will be stalls stocked with mushrooms or summer fruits, or perhaps piled with mistletoe and holly branches.

Throughout the year the city is alive with a wide range of events, many linked to the sea such as the Tall Ship's Race. Others worth checking out are the Circus Festival in February, a British film festival, art exhibitions, street theatre and entertainment in the summer months as well as open-air cinema and concerts.

Extract from Press dossier: "La Manche, Normandy Peninsula - 2005 Press Pack" - Manche Tourisme