Ports
Situated on the Normandy coast, Cherbourg-Octeville is close to the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, and to a large nature park in the southeast. This makes Cherbourg perfect as a base for several day trips. But the town itself also has plenty to offer any Windseekers. Visit the Cité de la Mer, a large museum devoted to scientific and historical aspects of maritime subjects, the Botanical Gardens, or the racetrack at La Glacerie. Or discover this typically French town on foot.
Oostende is a seaport and tourist destination on the Belgian coast. The original belle époque architecture was largely destroyed by two world wars (and the advent of mass tourism), but the city still has plenty of worthwhile sights to see, such as the Mu.ZEE, the Petrus and Paulus church, and the fort Napolean. Visit one of the museums, check out the lively cultural agenda, and step in a Belgian tavern for a ‘pinteke’. And don’t forget the beach, which can be crowded in the summer!
