Cherbourg is a city and port in northwest France, in Normandy, on the English Channel. For a long time it was one of the places where ships from the south coast of England arrived, bringing passengers and cars across the water. It has a large harbour, and it has also been a naval port — a place for navy ships, not only ferries. You will see the name on maps, in ferry timetables, and in history. In the Second World War, Allied forces fought hard to take Cherbourg because a deep-water port on that coast was so useful. Though actually, English speakers usually keep a French-ish sound: something like “share-boorg,” not “chair-burg.” It is a place name, so it takes a capital C.