Cherbourg, the Norman city of five ports in northwestern France, is famous for its Gare Transatlantique, home to the Cité de la Mer, voted France's favorite monument in 2022.. To offer an interactive and immersive tour experience, Cherbourg's tour guides have adopted the augmented reality tour application, which allows visitors to discover a lesser-known Cherbourg: the medieval city and its castle. This innovative application has revolutionized the way people discover heritage. Thanks to its continuing success, it is still used by tour guides and visitors alike, making Cherbourg a must-see tourist destination.

To understand the importance of Cherbourg's augmented reality tour app, it's essential to delve into the city's history and heritage. Cherbourg has a rich history dating back to medieval times, when its castle, reputedly impregnable, was the scene of numerous events between French and British forces. What is less well known is that the construction of the Cité de la Mer de Cherbourg and the transatlantic station was made possible by the presence of the Château de Cherbourg. When the castle was demolished, its stones were used to build the great Cherbourg roadstead, an essential infrastructure for the region's maritime development. This harbor enabled Cherbourg to develop as a world-renowned port, and paved the way for the construction of the transatlantic station and the establishment of the Cité de la Mer.

In 2009, we proposed to the city of Cherbourg to push back the boundaries of the traditional visitor experience by integrating augmented reality. Aware of the potential of this emerging technology, we developed, with the help of a Franco-Canadian partnership, a specific application for smartphones and tablets, enabling visitors to discover Cherbourg in an interactive and immersive way. The app used geolocation and augmented reality to superimpose visual and audio information on historic sites, offering a unique experience.

Alongside the development of the augmented reality tour application, this project also paved the way for in-depth documentary and archaeological research into Cherbourg castle. Researchers seized the opportunity to explore historical archives, old maps and testimonies in order to reconstruct the history of this imposing fortress.

This research has uncovered fascinating details about the architecture, daily life and significant events that took place within the castle. Plans and drawings have been recovered, revealing the scale and grandeur of this medieval structure.

The results of this documentary and archaeological research have enriched the experience offered by the augmented reality tour application. Users can now benefit from accurate historical information and a realistic virtual representation of the castle, based on data from these discoveries. This adds an extra dimension to virtual exploration, enabling visitors to immerse themselves even more deeply in the history of Cherbourg castle.

Cherbourg's augmented reality tour app offers a host of attractive features. Firstly, thanks to augmented reality, the app can superimpose virtual elements such as 3D models or historical reconstructions onto real sites. For example, standing in front of a medieval ruin, a visitor can use the app to see what it looked like in its heyday. This feature offers an immersive experience, helping visitors to better understand the architecture and historical context of the monuments.

In addition, the augmented reality tour app includes interactive features such as games throughout the city, which add a playful dimension to the discovery of Cherbourg. These stimulating activities encourage visitor engagement and make the visit even more memorable.

Twelve years after its launch, Cherbourg's award-winning augmented reality tour application continues to be a huge success with tour guides and visitors alike. Positive feedback abounds, with visitors particularly appreciating the interactive and immersive aspect of the experience. The application has also helped to highlight Cherbourg's architectural heritage from the Middle Ages.

Guides have seen a significant increase in visitor interest and participation since the introduction of the app. It enables them to provide more in-depth and engaging information, and to hold visitors' attention throughout the visit.

Cherbourg's augmented reality tour app has revolutionized the city's tourism experience, offering total immersion in its rich historical heritage. Tour guides and visitors alike continue to appreciate this innovative application, twelve years after its introduction. Thanks to its interactive and immersive features, the app has captured the interest of visitors, while providing accurate and entertaining information on the castle's heritage. It has also played an essential role in promoting tourism in Cherbourg, attracting new visitors, particularly on the occasion of the night tours organized by the Cherbourg Tourist Office.

Cherbourg's augmented reality tour application is an outstanding example of how technology can enhance and transform the tourism experience. By combining augmented reality, geolocation and interactive features, it has created a unique and memorable tour experience. With its continued success, it's clear that this application will remain a valuable asset for tour guides and visitors to Cherbourg for many years to come. It continues to delight tour guides and visitors alike twelve years after its introduction, testifying to its enduring success.

N.B. The application was created by the agency Biplanby the imaginative force of Lionel Guillaume, founder of OHRIZON