Cherbourg and the West Coast of the Peninsula

La Cite de la Mer is definitely the most interesting and not-to-be-missed attraction in Cherbourg. It is housed in what used to be the transatlantic Harbor station when the Europeans would emigrate to America. The building is Art Deco style and the museum shows how men conquered the sea. In the museum part, you will find models, objects and even an interactive exhibit. The most interesting thing to visit is "Le redoutable" which is the first nuclear French submarine launched in the arsenal of Cherbourg in 1967 by Charles de Gaulle.
Open hours vary according to the month of the year, so it is better to check the website. You will also find more information and the different tickets available. It is a very interesting place and you could definitely spend more than 2 hours here if you are interested.

Come back to the historical center to walk around and have lunch. This basilica was built in 1035 by Guillaume of Normandy. The actual clocktower was added in 1820. The South facade in Gothic style is the most beautiful. Inside the nave has round pillars that were painted in the 19th century. You can also check out the baptismal fonts from the 14th century, the pulpit and the altarpiece.
Then you can walk in the historical center of Cherbourg before or after lunch and check out the nice streets with beautiful architecture and houses. Here are a few places worth wandering around: Revolution square, the theatre, the street "rue du port" where they filmed the famous French musical movie "The umbrellas of Cherbourg" by Jacques Demy with Catherine Deneuve in1964.

Have lunch at this great restaurant in the city center right next to the basilica. The plates are as good as they are beautiful with great service and presentation.
Open hours Tuesday - Friday 12:00 - 13:45, 19:00 - 21:15 Saturday 19:00 - 21:15 Sunday 12:00 - 13:45 Closed on Mondays. You can book a table on their website.

This is the house where Jean-Francois Millet was born. During your visit, you will learn about his life and work as a painter of the peasant life. You will also learn about agriculture and domestic life of back then, and about the big events of the 19th century in the artistic world. There are some original drawings by Jean-Francois Millet and the history about his most famous painting: "L'Angelus". There are also some temporary exhibits. And around the museum, you can walk around on the footsteps of the artist discovering the places made famous by his paintings.
Open hours Tuesday - Sunday 14:00 - 18:00 Closed on Mondays. Monday - Sunday 11:00 - 18:00 in July and August.

This is a beautiful manor from the 17th century that has been beautifully restored and belongs to the Coastal Conservation since 1994. There are different exhibits inside and outside to discover the area of La Hague and learn more about the region, its culture and its inhabitants. There are also lots of events and a media library with lots of documents about the region.
Open hours Monday - Sunday 10:30 - 19:00 in Summer. For open hours the rest of the year and more information about what's on, check their website.

This place is the northern point of the Peninsula. It is rocky and 40 meters high above the sea and you will get an amazing panorama on the surroundings: the lighthouse, the Chausey islands and even the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. If it is low tide, you can go walk in the rocks until a cave.

This place feels like the end of the world. It is also a part of France that looks like you are in Ireland. From this cape, you will get an amazing view on the surroundings with the port of Goury and the lighthouse. Here there is also one of the strongest marine current in Europe. On days of Thunder, it will give you an impressive show with huge waves.

When you drive along the Peninsule of La Hague in Cotentin, always take the most coastal road and you will get great views everywhere and can stop whenever you feel like. Here you will get another beautiful viewpoint that looks like the Irish coast.

Stop on the way to have dinner and enjoy the beautiful view, you might be there at sunset and this is a great viewpoint to watch it. You can have a light dinner with tapas in this bar and tapas place. There is still 2 hours and 30 minutes drive to get back to Rennes.
Open hours Tuesday - Sunday 18:00 - 01:00 Closed on Mondays. You can check their website.

If you have more time, you can spend the night in the previous location and still explore many places on the way and visit the famous Mont-Saint-Michel on the way back. And of course, you can check out all the other routes from Rennes as there are many beautiful places to visit in Brittany and Normandy.