After the drying sandbars of the Baie de Seine or the huge tidal ranges of Brittany, Cherbourg comes as a considerable relief: a very large deep water harbour with a big marina offering perfect shelter. More than that, for UK sailors it’s the only convenient harbour on the French coast west of Fécamp that’s within a comfortable day’s sail of Blighty.

The main problem for low powered boats in the vicinity, as around the rest of the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula, is simply the strength of the tidal streams. The tide hereabouts can whip along at up to 5 knots which makes it essential to try and target your landfall upstream of the destination if the tide is running at all strongly.

Apart from that there are no serious obstacles. Arriving cross-Channel, Cherbourg first manifests itself as a dip in the land between Pointe de Barfleur and Cap de la Hague, while nearer in the most conspicuous feature is a water tower to the left of the town. When entering the harbour from the east make sure you give the Ile Pelée a wide berth and heed the two red buoys, the outer one being Roches Nord-Ouest. At the western entrance, take heed of the port-hand buoy off the Fort de l’Ouest.

Once inside the outer harbour the entrance to the Petite Rade is fairly obvious, after which the marina in Port de Chantereyne is just to the right of the former Gare Transatlantique with its magnificent Art Deco end wall. Visitor pontoons P and Q are clearly marked near the entrance of the marina, whence report to the capitainerie which is a considerable hike round to the west side of the basin. If every slot is full you may have to raft up on the outside of Q pontoon or use the waiting pontoon which is disconnected from the shore. Otherwise anchor for free in the Petite Rade.

Showers could do with an upgrade and are a longish way from the berth. If you need fuel beware of leaving it until you want to depart as although the fuel berth is now self service the procedure is no quicker than before and you may find yourself wasting part of a favourable tide. Be aware that rock bands have a habit of giving concerts just opposite the marina in summer, so either bring ear plugs or go along and freak out.

Visiting yachtsmen tend to use Cherbourg merely as a staging post, but there’s plenty to justify a longer stay including excellent shops, an attractive town centre and the interesting Cité de la Mer museum. It is also of course convenient for ferries to England and onward travel by rail in France.

Among several good restaurants are Le Vauban (22 quai de Caligny, T 02 33 43 10 11), Café de Paris (40 quai de Caligny, T 02 33 43 12 36), Le Pily (39 Grande Rue, T 02 33 10 19 29) and L’Imprévu (32 Grande Rue, T 02 33 04 53 90), all fairly close to the harbour. Boulangerie and charcuterie at the end of rue François Lavieille running south from Place de la République opposite the marina.

© 2008 Yachtpilot