General de Gaulle Square, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
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Best of Cherbourg in one day
5 attractions · 7h 31min · transit route
Tickets ~€32
Step-by-step route with transport options and cost breakdown
About General de Gaulle Square
The main public square of Cherbourg, established in 1811 and renamed after General Charles de Gaulle following the city's liberation in 1944. The square features two notable landmarks: the elegant Italian-style theater built in 1881 by Parisian architect Charles de Lalande, classified as a Historic Monument since 1984, and the Fontaine Mouchel from 1895, a decorative fountain featuring bronze sculptures of the Four Seasons by Jean Ernest Boutellier. Cherbourg was the first French port liberated during WWII, and de Gaulle delivered a historic speech from the nearby City Hall balcony on August 20, 1944.
Combine with 4 nearby attractions for a full day
From €32 / person — all tickets and transport included — transit route with total cost breakdown
During the German occupation (1940-1944), the square bore the name 'Place du Maréchal-Pétain' after the Vichy regime leader. The municipal council voted to rename it after de Gaulle on July 12, 1944, just two weeks after Cherbourg's liberation on June 26 - making it one of the earliest public spaces in France to honor the Free French leader.
Travel Plans for General de Gaulle Square
Explore a city in one day
- Step-by-step walking route through the city
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Day Routes
Best of Cherbourg in one day
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Cherbourg in one day
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Nearby Attractions
Umbrella Manufactory of Cherbourg
Umbrella Manufactory of Cherbourg