Redoutable, Museum ship in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France.
The Redoutable is a nuclear-powered submarine open to exploration that spans multiple decks, including sections for missile storage, crew sleeping areas, and operational control areas. The layout reveals how confined living and working spaces were organized for its crew of around 130 personnel.
The submarine was launched in 1967 and served the French Navy as a strategic deterrent for about three decades before being decommissioned. After leaving active service, it was transformed into a museum site in Cherbourg during the 1990s.
The name references a celebrated French naval vessel from the 18th century, linking this submarine to France's proud maritime heritage. Visitors can see throughout the interior how this connection to the nation's seafaring tradition is reflected in the ship's design and displays.
The vessel can be visited daily and forms part of the Cité de la Mer complex in Cherbourg, allowing visitors to explore all levels independently. You should be prepared for tight spaces and narrow stairs, as the interior has been kept in its original working condition.
The submarine is one of only a few operational nuclear vessels open to the public, and visitors can experience firsthand how crew members lived and worked in such confined quarters. This direct encounter reveals the true challenges of submarine life in a way no exhibition could replicate.
Location: Cherbourg-Octeville
Location: Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Inception: January 1, 1967
Accessibility: Wheelchair inaccessible
Made from material: steel
Part of: Cité de la Mer
Address: Redoutable class submarine, 50100 Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 09:30-18:15
Website: https://citedelamer.com/espaces/redoutable
GPS coordinates: 49.64795,-1.61732
Latest update: December 6, 2025 21:22
These preserved submarines open their hatches to visitors who want to see where sailors lived and fought beneath the ocean surface. From World War II patrol boats that hunted across the Pacific to the first nuclear-powered vessel that changed naval history forever, each submarine reveals the cramped reality of underwater service. You walk through narrow steel corridors, peer into bunks stacked three high, and stand where officers once studied charts and gave orders in near silence. The collection includes vessels from harbors across the United States and around the world, each one a working museum where the instruments, torpedo tubes, and engine rooms remain as they were during active duty. Some of these submarines sank enemy warships and rescued Allied prisoners during the Second World War. Others served through the Cold War, carrying crews on patrols that lasted weeks without seeing daylight. A few pushed the limits of technology, proving that nuclear reactors could power a vessel across thousands of miles and even under the polar ice. Whether docked in a busy port or resting beside a quiet lake, these submarines bring you face to face with the men who descended into the deep, closed the hatch, and did their work in spaces smaller than a city bus.
Cité de la Mer
128 m
Gare Maritime de Cherbourg
236 m
Basilique Sainte-Trinité de Cherbourg
774 m
Equestrian statue of Napoleon
731 m
Abbaye Notre-Dame du Vœu
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Musée Thomas-Henry
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Fort du Roule
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Montagne du Roule
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Jardin public de Cherbourg
1.8 km
Muséum Emmanuel Liais
1 km
Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière
1.7 km
Hôtel de ville de Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
797 m
Monument à Armand de Briqueville
911 m
Statue de Jean-François Millet, Cherbourg
1.8 km
Musée de la Libération
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Hôtel Épron de la Horie
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Église Notre-Dame du Vœu, Cherbourg
1.6 km
Hotel Atlantique (Cherbourg)
789 m
Église Saint-Clément de Cherbourg
1.1 km
Théâtre à l'Italienne
1.2 km
Théâtre Vox
1.9 km
Marché de Cherbourg
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Monument aux morts d'Équeurdreville-Hainneville
2.7 km
Temple antoiniste de Cherbourg
2 km
Église Notre-Dame-du-Roule de Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
2.1 km
Parc Emmanuel Liais
1.3 km
Fontaine Mouchel
1.1 km
Emmanuel Liais
1.1 kmReal people, real opinions — but not verified.
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A unique and very interesting visit!
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