Napoleonic marinas, from Cherbourg to Den Helder...

Arriving in Den Helder, we come across Napoleon for the second time. This cannot be just by chance. In fact, the harbour of Cherbourg as well as the one in Den Helder in the Netherlands were built at the initiative of Napoleon, obsessed by his rivalry with England.  

Statue of Napoleon in Cherbourg, overlooking the harbour

On the statue is written « J'avais résolu de renouveler à Cherbourg les merveilles de l'Égypte » (I had resolved to renew in Cherbourg the marvels of Egypt). Nothing less! He was referring to the 3.6 km wall constructed 4 km from the cost to offer a shelter to the fleet he was intending to use to invade England.

Same in Den Helder, where Napoleon came after it had become a French department as part of the French empire. He saw in Den Helder another strategic shelter for the fleet that could be used to invade England.

By the way, Den Helder became French after an interesting naval battle having taken place in 1795. The national maritime museum in Den Helder is keeping on an illustration of this battle, with limited explanations...

It reads: "The French cavalry takes over the Batave fleet stuck in the ice in Texel"

The battle took place on 23 January 1795. The French cavalry attacked by surprise the Dutch fleet stuck in frozen sea in Den Helder, capturing 14 ships and 850 guns, a unique fact in history of war. This was part of the French revolutionary wars during the very cold winter of 1794-1795. Realising that the Zuiderzee was freezing, the French cavalry decided this bold action. Subsequently, the area became part of the French empire, until Waterloo...

The motto of the King of the Netherlands, meaning "I will maintain"

Well, the marina and the harbour in Den Helder are very safe, as we are under a gale warning. We attempted two days ago to set at sea to continue our north route, but had to renounce when facing huge cresting waves on the way out of the bay. Later, the harbour master informed us that Den Helder name was originating from Helledore or 'hell door', precisely because of the cresting waves as soon as the wind blows a bit that have caused so many grounding around here.