Cherbourg

Perched on the northern edge of Normandy and bookended by history and sea, Cherbourg is a heritage port with a vast harbor that once sheltered Napoleon’s navy. This history is superbly detailed at the town’s museum, Cité de la Mer, where submarines, aquariums, and maritime galleries bring Cherbourg’s spirit to life. Spend the morning exploring, then wander cobbled lanes and markets alive with the scent of cheeses and cider before stopping for a lunch of freshly shucked oysters in a Belle Époque brasserie. For those drawn to remembrance, the D-Day beaches, including Utah and Omaha, are just over an hour’s drive away.