Cherbourg Harbour

In the 17th century Vauban, Marshal of France, launched a project to fortify the town, but they were finally razed shortly afterwards.

Exceeding Vauban's designs, he planned the construction of a 4 km long harbour wall between île Pelée and pointe de Querqueville.

However, the engineer Louis-Alexandre de Cessart's plans were chosen, which involved constructing a mole from 90 tree trunks 20m by 20m, filled in with stones and linked by iron chains.

Construction began in 1783 and was completed in 70 years, by three architects - Louis-Alexandre de Cessart, La Bretonnière and Joseph Cachin.

On 22 June 1786 Louis XVI made his only trip away from Paris and Versailles to see how far work on the harbour had progressed and assisted in sinking the ninth stone section.

In 1802, intending to make Cherbourg one of his main military ports in preparation for his invasion of the United Kingdom, Napoleon I ordered that work on the harbour wall be resumed to La Bretonnière's plans, by building up the central section to mount cannon.

A decree of 25 germinal year XI (1803) ordered the engineer Cachin to excavate the military outer harbour at lac de Moeris - this was opened on 27 August 1813 in the presence of empress Marie-Louise of Austria.

On April 10, 1912, the British ocean liner RMS Titanic stopped at Cherbourg Harbour on its maiden voyage.