The Redoutable was the first of the French Redoutable-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, launched in 1967.
The museum is located within a 1933 Art Deco terminal that was historically the last port of call for the Titanic before its final voyage.
The cylindrical aquarium holds 350,000 liters of seawater and houses various species from the temperate Atlantic.
The Redoutable submarine is kept in a dry dock, allowing visitors to walk underneath its massive hull and see the propeller system.
The museum's 'Titanic, Return to Cherbourg' exhibition covers the vessel's stopover in the port on April 10, 1912.
La Cité de la Mer is an oceanographic museum housed in the former Gare Maritime Transatlantique in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France. Its centerpiece is the Redoutable, the largest submarine ever opened to the public, which sits in an purpose-built dry dock. The facility features a 10-meter deep cylindrical aquarium, which is one of the deepest in Europe. It explores themes of deep-sea exploration, the Titanic's connection to Cherbourg, and the technological history of nuclear-powered submarines. The museum maintains a significant collection of maritime artifacts, including historical diving equipment and remote-operated vehicles. Visitors walk through the authentic living and working quarters of the 128-meter-long Redoutable submarine. The site occupies the historic Art Deco terminal building where transatlantic liners once docked. It functions as both a scientific research educational site and a heritage venue for naval history.
From the ground level viewing area directly beneath the Redoutable's massive propeller.
Book your submarine tour time slot immediately upon arrival as these require specific timed entry.
Bring a light sweater, as the internal temperature of the submarine is kept cool for preservation.
Allow at least half a day to fully explore both the maritime exhibits and the deep-sea technology galleries.
Trying to see everything in less than three hours; the site is massive and requires significant walking.
Closed for a period in January each year; periodically closes on specific weekdays during the low season.
Respect the restricted photography zones inside the military submarine sections; flat, comfortable footwear is required for climbing the submarine's steep ladders.
