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Origin and history

Cherbourg-Octeville Transatlantic Station, built between 1928 and 1933, is an emblematic monument of the Art Deco style. Designed by architect René Levavasseur and engineers Marcel Chalos and Raymond Fleury, it replaces an old masonry marine station dating back to 1912. This ambitious project aimed to offer a modern and luxurious terminal for transatlantic travellers, with a 240-metre train hall and a 70-metre campanile.

The station was inaugurated on 30 July 1933 by President Albert Lebrun, marking the height of maritime traffic between Europe and America. It hosted legendary ships such as Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth in the 1950s-1960s. Partly destroyed in 1944 by the Germans, it was restored after the war, but lost its campanile and part of its original structure.

As early as the 1970s, the decline in transatlantic traffic led to its gradual decommissioning. Despite further destruction (gallery covered in 1979, large salon in 1982), the station was saved by its inscription to historical monuments in 1989. Since 2002, it has housed La Cité de la Mer, an oceanographic museum, and a cruise terminal renovated in 2006.

The monument is famous for its role in the history of migration and maritime luxury. It was the scene of major events, such as the Titanic stopover in 1912 or the passage of Charles Lindbergh in 1927. Its architecture, combining reinforced concrete, clear bricks and Art Deco decorations (dallages of Gentil and Bourdet), makes it a jewel of French industrial heritage.

Protected elements include the transatlantic lobby, the train lobby, and equipment such as mobile gateways. The station illustrates the evolution of the port infrastructure, moving from the fascist of the ships to a cultural conversion, while preserving its historical identity.

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