Cherbourg Maupertus LFRC
Cherbourg is a friendly airfield which is welcoming to microlights. They require PPR by telephone in advance of your arrival, particularly if you do not have a transponder. Initial permission to arrive is normally given immediately.... conditional on you ringing again for final confirmation on your actual day of arrival.
Cherbourg has customs facilities and since February 2017 now requires 24 hours prior notification (to bse-cherbourg@douane.finances.gouv.fr).
Crossing directly from the south west of England to Cherbourg you will require a danger crossing service from Plymouth military in order to pass through their danger areas. I normally ring Plymouth military (their telephone no is on the chart) several days in advance to check no exercises are planned, and to ensure there are no foreseeable problems with them providing a danger area crossing service.
This does not always work! In 2010 on the morning of my departure I rang Plymouth only to find a major exercise had been called overnight and no clearance below 15,000 feet was possible! This entailed cancelling and re-submitting flight plans (at short notice) for a new crossing from Isle of Wight to Cherbourg using the recommended VFR route.
Consequently I now usually plan my route avoiding the danger areas completely to eliminate this problem. That does require a slightly longer water crossing with a couple of dog legs over the sea, but avoids the possibility of any last minute cancellation.
Cherbourg has a small bar and restaurant where you can get a sandwich and a coffee, or a full meal if you wish. The restaurant is run by a friendly married French couple (who are pilots themselves) and speak good English. Landing fees are paid in the terminal building, and the airfield has AvGas100ll fuel available. (JT 2012)